In this article, I discuss the best waterproof swimming headphones of 2025. All of the headphones on this list are suitable for open water and closed water swimming, as well as most other water sports.
It’s been a few years and I’ve tried many different models. Since this is a headphone review site, it’s time to put together a list of the best waterproof headphones for swimming and let you know my favorite setup for 2025.
They’re great for paddleboarding, surfing, kayaking, and wakeboarding. The important thing to note here is that if your earbuds are going to get wet, these are the best options you can buy this year.
1. Shokz Open Swim
They are feather-light and have an ergonomic design that fits comfortably under a swimming cap, making them comfortable to wear.
The headband is made of silicone, so there was no friction when using them in the pool. When I wasn’t playing music, I had to constantly check to make sure the headphones hadn’t come off, but they were barely noticeable.
It was very easy to load and load tracks from the player, simply by plugging the charging cable into the USB port on my laptop.
The OpenSwim hard drive popped out and I just had to drag the audio files over. Once I did that, I had no issues with the sound quality.
Shokz is an industry leader in bone conduction technology (sound is transmitted through the skull rather than to the eardrums), and they first created a pair of headphones that let you free your ears in 2011.
There’s not a huge difference in sound quality between these and the brand’s open-run headphones for running. When you’re wading through water, this is a real miracle.
2. H2O Audio Sonar Waterproof Headphone
These Sonar underwater headphones from H2O don’t have the rugged headset feel of most of the others on this list, with just a thin blue wire connecting each ear speaker.
Instead, they have a more compact, minimalist design where each speaker clips onto the strap of your goggles.
To charge, simply connect the Sonar headphones to the special USB cable included in the box. Like the Shokz, you can drag and drop MP3 music files directly into the Sonar by connecting the USB to your computer.
With 8GB of storage, you can store up to 2,000 songs, enough to soundtrack your entire session.
While I found this to be the best way to upload and listen to music, you can also connect the Sonar headphones via Bluetooth. Simply press the ‘M’ button on the right speaker and a blue LED indicator will start flashing.
You can then connect your phone or smartwatch to the device. Once paired, the LED will turn solid blue.
The only downside is that the Bluetooth range is very limited, so you’ll need to clip your smartwatch onto your goggles to play music via Bluetooth, which kind of defeats the purpose of wearing a watch in the first place.
3. Sony NW-WS623
I prefer to use a separate MP3 player with my headphones, but I see people using these all-in-one neckband earbuds with integrated MP3 players at the pool.
After a lot of research and trying a few different models, I chose the Sony because they were a good price and they stay securely on your head while swimming in open water.
Despite their large size when held in hand, the NW-WS623 felt quite comfortable on my head and stayed in place for most of my sessions without coming loose.
Charging was a mixed bag. On the one hand, the 3-minute quick charge feature is amazing. However, these earphones can be charged for an hour at a moderate listening volume after just 3 minutes on a flat surface.
It’s not so great that Sony has chosen to use a proprietary charging dock. As a result, these earphones can’t be charged by simply plugging in the cable.
Instead, they’re best charged by plugging them into the charging cradle that’s specifically designed for these earphones.
The sound quality is excellent and best in class. I also enjoyed this as a full-range of sports headphones that are great both in and out of the water.
4. Shokz OpenSwim Pro
The Shokz OpenSwim is one of the most popular headphones for swimmers and triathletes. The company has proven itself to be one of the most innovative companies in bone-conduction headphones over the years.
In terms of features, it is similar to the Sony model listed above, using bone conduction technology to transmit sound. You can use regular swim earbuds instead of having to put them in your ears.
It is IPX8 rated and can be submerged in water up to 2m for up to 5 hours, but I think you should be able to go beyond both limits without much trouble.
With 4GB of storage and support for a variety of files including MP3, FLAC, etc., I like the easy-to-use drag-and-drop file system that works on both Mac and PC.
In our battery life tests, the Pyle earphones lasted about 7 hours with the volume set to about 75%. That’s pretty good, but I miss the fast charging feature of the Sony model.
These are well-made headphones, and Shokz has a great reputation for their aftercare and warranty programs. I’ve used them in the ocean and pool for months now, and have had no issues. (Update: I’ve had the original model for 2 years now and it still works as expected.)
The shape makes them suitable for use under a swimming cap, but without a cap, they tend to catch the water’s current easily.
5. FINIS Amnis Stream Swim
The FINIS Amnis Stream Swim headphones come with so many extra gadgets that you’ll want to make sure you read the instructions that come in the box.
In addition to the headphones, you’ll also get two goggle clips, a charger, a mesh carrying bag, and three clips for different versions of Apple and Garmin watches.
Unlike the other headphones on this list, these only work with Bluetooth, so you’ll need to a already own a compatible smartwatch and b be prepared to swim with your watch clipped to your goggle strap or under your swim cap.
So this isn’t for everyone. Your smartwatch should also offer ‘offline listening’ functionality.
I liked that I didn’t have to physically drag and drop music to my computer. Charging was also a breeze, as I just had to slide the left headphone (the one without the buttons) into the charging port.
At first, attaching the headphones to the goggles was a bit tricky, but it’s one of those things that gets easier and faster the more you do it.
In fact, I found it easier to attach them to the goggles before I put the headphones on.
For the Bluetooth connection to work underwater, the smartwatch needs to be within 5cm of the cable. This basically means you have to wear the smartwatch on your head.
It’s best to completely remove the watch strap from your smartwatch and then attach the watch face to one of the appropriate watch clips that come in the box.
This makes it easy to attach the watch to the goggle strap at the top of your head.
6. Naenka Runner Diver2 Swimming Headphone
If you’re looking for a pair of waterproof headphones that can switch between playing stored songs and streaming music or podcasts, Naenka has created just that.
The Runner Diver2 Swimming Headphones with Bluetooth and MP3 storage look similar to a pair of Shoxz OpenSwim headphones with their slim black headband and bone conduction pads, but the Naenka pair are more flexible when you’re on land, so you don’t have to constantly change your playlist.
In MP3 mode, music tracks are played in the order you added them or in the shuffled order. We recommend using the included earplugs, as they improve bone reproduction, making the songs clearer and louder.
The only downside is that there is no way to adjust the headband, so those with smaller heads may find themselves dragging a bit in the water unless they are secured with a swim cap.
7. Swimbuds Flip
Swimbuds has completely redesigned waterproof earphones, and the Flip is similar in quality and functionality to the H2O Audio Surge+.
This is a premium swim headphone with excellent build quality. It’s a headphone with a cable, not a headphone with a cable.
In that sense, neither is necessarily better than the other, and it really comes down to preference.
However, if you’re going to be moving around a lot in the water, like freediving or flip-turning, the over-ear cable tends to be a little better.
The Flip’s insertion depth is deep, and there’s a serious extension into the canal. I thought I was going to rip my brain out on more than one occasion.
Keep that in mind: I like this deep seat because it usually ensures the strength of the waterproof seal. However, some people may find this uncomfortable during long listening sessions.
The sound quality is great. The bass is punchy, the mids are clear yet slightly warm. The highs are smooth and smooth, so you won’t have any issues with sibilance.
8. LG Tone Free Fit UTF8 Waterproof Earbuds
Compared to other waterproof headphones we’ve tested, these have a unique design. Rather than hanging them over your ears, you push them into your ears (like regular buds) and then twist them around so the ‘wings’ stay in place and don’t fall out.
The secure fit does a great job of isolating the audio, which delivers excellent sound quality.
We were impressed by the light weight of 5.9g, and it was refreshing not to have to worry about having a strap around your head.
In our roundup, these are also the only waterproof headphones with antimicrobial technology, which kills 99.9% of germs when you place the buds in the charging case.
Battery life is also one of the best in our test, at 10 hours plus 20 hours when stored in the charging case.
However, two downsides are that due to the IP67 waterproof rating, these headphones are only recommended for up to 30 minutes of use when fully submerged in water, and there is no internal storage.
The second issue is easy to fix. It was easy to connect to both my smartwatch and my iPhone to play music via Bluetooth, but it only worked when I was doing breaststroke on the water.
However, these are great headphones for anyone who’s just chilling out in the pool from the gym, especially since the noise-canceling feature lets you block out the noise of other people bouncing around or chatting in your own personal space.
Bonus points for the fact that they work in the sauna, too.
9. H2O Audio Sonar Pro
H2O is one of the best-known companies for listening to music while swimming, and now they’ve entered the bone conduction headphone market with a well-designed and thoughtful model.
If you don’t like the stiff headband of the Shokz Openswim listed above, the Sonar Pro is a great alternative. The flexible cable makes it easier to clip under a swim cap.
Another clever design trick is that the recessed portion of the transducer housing is for swim goggles, so the pressure from the goggles keeps it attached.
This works well for me, but it depends on the goggles, the profile of the goggles may be raised on your head and affect the waterproof seal of the goggles.
The integrated play/pause and track controls are very welcome, and the Shokz models beat with 8GB of storage and Bluetooth for syncing Playlist+ music.
10. H20 Audio Triple Bone Conduction Headphones
IPX8 waterproof rating means you can swim to a depth of 3m, so theoretically you can use them for snorkeling as well as swimming.
Out of the box, apart from the price, there isn’t much difference between these and the Shokz Bone Conduction Headphones, which are almost £50 cheaper.
However, the strap on these was a little flimsy when in the pool, so I had to secure it tightly under my swimming cap. Otherwise, it was a little distracting.
The controls on the side of each earpiece are generously sized, so it’s easy to turn up the volume mid-session when a good song comes on.
Battery life is up to six hours, which will appeal to triathletes who plan to cycle to the pool, take a swim, and then go for a run.
If you’re running, you don’t even need to carry your phone. These can connect to your smartwatch via Bluetooth, so you can play music and podcasts.
There’s something liberating about exercising without your phone, and these headphones help to create that feeling.
11. Finis Duo
Bone conduction headphones are a technology that uses your facial bones to send sound waves to your eardrums.
The article above explains how they work and how they’re being used in the 21st century for a variety of purposes.
One of them is swimming. These headphones from Finis are both integrated earbuds and an MP3 player. Each side clips onto your goggles and presses against your cheekbone/eye socket area to transmit sound.
While it’s a bit weird and unconventional to hear sound in your head, the biggest advantage here is that you can use traditional swim earplugs to protect yourself from the water while the player provides music.
The sound quality is clear but lacks bass. I found it to work well for audiobooks and podcasts, but not so well for music.
The tactile controls on the device let you control playback functions like play/pause, skip and scroll through tracks, and shuffle your playlist.
The earphones were easy to transfer between both PC and Mac, and they had a solid build quality.
What sets the Finis apart from the other earphones on this list is that they’re useless when you’re not swimming, since you have to wear a band on your head to attach them.
Can I swim with waterproof headphones?
Yes, waterproof headphones designed for swimming are perfectly safe to wear in the pool. Waterproof headphones that you buy for outdoor running in the winter are not waterproof. Don’t wear them in the pool.