The best headphones for working out should be able to withstand movement, sweat, and weather. Plus, you don’t want them constantly being banged around. They should help you stay focused during your workout.
Best Headphones For Working Out in 2025
1. Beats Studio Pro
Most people prefer earbuds for exercise because they’re lightweight and won’t move around during intense, sweaty workouts.
But sometimes you’ll see fitness enthusiasts wearing over-the-ear headphones while they’re doing their deadlifts.
We thought the new Beats Studio Pros were great headphones because of their stability and overall great sound quality.
We were hesitant to even try running with these headphones or, frankly, overhead headphones, but they stayed in place even during full-body exercises like burpees and mountain climbers.
If you have long hair, you can also wear them as a headband.
These are essentially the successors to the Beats Studio3, which we loved for their ANC, and they’re even better, so you can ignore the guy sitting on the weight bench next to you who’s overdoing his chest presses.
Another reason we like the Studio Pros is their tactile buttons. A pair like the Bose 700 headphones utilizes touch, but the Studio Pros’ physical buttons make it easier to change volume or change songs while you’re on the move.
Plus, Beats’ bass-heavy offerings are great for boosting your favorite rap or rock Sox, which is usually the kind of bop you blast while working out.
2. Sony WH-1000XM5
Headphones tend to be bulky when you’re working out, but this fan favorite from Sony packs a comfortable punch.
Sony’s WH-1000XM5 offers great sound, a comfortable form factor, and a lightweight design, all of which earned them a spot on ZDNET’s Best Over-Ear Headphones list.
They’re also Dawn Fitness CEO and founder Virginia Wooten’s go-to pair whenever she’s hitting the gym or running outside.
They have the best sound quality I could ever ask for, and I love the look and feel of them as over-ear headphones, Wooten says.
Powered by the QN1 Sony HD Noise Cancelling Processor, the Sony WH-1000XM5 noise canceling is not only top-notch, but also customizable thanks to the Auto NC Optimizer, which automatically adjusts to the noise of your workout environment.
Plus, the headphones offer up to 30 hours of continuous music playback, so you can focus on your workout instead of your headphones.
3. SHOKZ OpenRun Pro 2
The SHOKZ OpenRun Pro 2 are open-ear headphones with a unique design that lets you listen to music and podcasts while maintaining situational awareness.
Unlike traditional headphone designs, bone conduction headphones cleverly hack into the human anatomy to gently vibrate your facial bones from the outside inward, transmitting sound directly to your inner ear without blocking the entire ear canal.
The general downside to this design is that they don’t offer passive or active noise cancellation, and the vibrations can be audible to others, making them not the best choice for quiet environments or public transportation.
Bone conduction headphones also have significantly lower bass frequencies than traditional designs, making them less suitable for immersive music listening.
But the SHOKZ OpenRun Pro 2 solves this problem with a dual driver setup called DualPitch, which processes the highs via bone conduction from the temple area, and the lows via air conduction (18mm x 11mm racetrack woofer) directed toward the ears.
On the functional side, the SHOKZ OpenRun Pro 2 offers about 12 hours of battery life on a single charge (now via USB-C for cord convenience) and boasts a respectable IP55 rating.
They’re protected against dust and water, but they’re not waterproof, so don’t submerge them (the company makes the OpenSwim Pro).
They’re especially great for running or biking in traffic, thanks to their comfortable 30g Ni-Ti headband design with easy-to-use control buttons.
The end result is a pretty comfortable set, even with a helmet, snood, or ponytail. You won’t get a ton of bass, but you’ll be able to hear the beats and the surroundings.
They’re not for people who want to get lost in their music, but they’re great for people who want to listen to traffic.
And you won’t have to worry about the earbuds flying off if you hit a bump or turn your head really fast (a real problem with traditional earbuds).
Oh, and the Bluetooth 5.3 with multipoint pairing means you can use them on your computer and easily pick up where you left off on your phone when you leave the house for a walk.
4. JBL Tune 510BT
If you prefer over-ear headphones that are best for exercise instead of earbuds, the JBL Tune 510BT are a great choice.
The headphones feature soft ear cups and volume buttons for maximum comfort. They come in four colors and are compatible with Apple and Android devices.
These headphones are great value for money, as the sound quality is better than expected. They use JBL’s Pure Bass sound to deliver clear, rich audio with powerful bass.
Whether you’re listening to music, podcasts, or streaming TV shows and movies, the sound quality is great.
These headphones use Bluetooth connectivity, but there’s a 3.5mm jack if you want to use them as a wired set.
5. Shokz OpenSwim
Swimmers also like to listen to music, and Shokz’s OpenSwim headphones are fully waterproof (up to 2m deep) for underwater music.
Just know that these aren’t Bluetooth headphones, they’re MP3 players that can store up to 1,200 songs (think iPod shuffle, but without the hassle of a little liquid).
These open-ear headphones use bone conduction to deliver sound. That basically means that the speaker pads sit on your temples instead of going in or around your ears.
They’re not the best sounding, but they do provide a pretty decent listening experience.
They’re comfortable to wear and are designed to stay in place no matter how much you flip and roll around in the pool. They’re also very lightweight and won’t feel like they’re weighing down your head.
Plus, the brand includes a stylish neoprene case and a pair of earplugs to complete the underwater experience.
6. H2O Audio Tri 2 Bone Conduction
Finding the right earbuds for working out can be a challenge, especially if you sweat a lot. Bone-conduction headphones may be the perfect solution.
The H2O Audio Tri 2 Bone Conduction headphones don’t completely encase your ears, but instead wrap around your head and sit close to your ears, transmitting sound through your bone structure, allowing your ears to breathe.
This is great for long-duration exercisers, like those training for a half-marathon or cyclists riding for hours. The headphones offer a nine-hour battery life and an IPX8 waterproof rating.
You can swim up to 12 feet with them on. But let’s say you don’t swim. The water and dust resistance ratings are strong enough to withstand sweaty workouts at the gym or on the bike path.
One of the downsides of most bone-conduction headphones is that they sacrifice audio quality and volume for environmental awareness.
ZDNET’s Jack Wallen, who reviewed the headphones, says that’s not the case with the Tri 2. “Until the H2O Tri 2, I didn’t think bone-conduction headphones could sound close to punchy bass.
I’m not saying you’ll be able to feel the kick drum in your chest, but you’ll hear it much clearer than other bone-conduction headphones.
7. Skullcandy Hesh 2
The Skullcandy Hesh 2 is the perfect workout companion, delivering powerful beats and clear mid-range audio. Compatible with Apple and Android devices, it features 50mm audio drivers with Bluetooth technology so you can work out without having to put your phone in your pocket.
Despite its size, the Skullcandy Hesh 2 headset offers an impressive 20 hours of battery life. It also features fast-charging technology, giving you 2 hours of use with just a 10-minute charge.
However, despite all its great features, some users may find the headband uncomfortable, especially during intense workout sessions.
There’s very little padding on the inside, leaving bare plastic on your head. The cups, however, fold inward for easy storage.
FAQs
Is it okay to sweat while wearing the headphones?
As long as the headphones are somewhat waterproof, it’s generally okay to sweat while wearing them. The easiest way to check if your headphones are waterproof is to check the IP rating in the specs.
Anything above IPX4 is suitable for everyday workouts. If you sweat a little more than average, you may be safer going for IPX7 or higher.
Are bone-conduction headphones good for exercise?
Bone conduction headphones are great for exercise because of their open-ear design, which allows them to communicate perfectly with their surroundings.
Runners and cyclists are particularly well-suited to bone-conduction headphones because of their proximity to road traffic, but anyone can benefit from the increased situational awareness that this design provides.
How often should I clean my headphones?
You should clean your headphones once a week for normal use. Avoid using water, as this can damage the electronics in your headphones. Instead, use an alcohol pad or specially designed product.
Frequent cleaning will not only help prevent them from getting dirty, but will also help them last longer.
Do exercise headphones need to be waterproof or water-resistant?
Ideally, yes. Fortunately, most headphones marketed for exercise are waterproof or water-resistant.
These ratings are expressed in IP ratings, with IPX4 being a good choice for active headphones (capable of withstanding splashes of water from any direction), but IPX2 or higher is good (protected against drops of water up to about 3 millimeters per minute).
All recommendations for the best headphones for exercise include some degree of water resistance.
How do I know if my earbuds fit?
When you buy in-ear buds, you’ll often be given options for small, medium, and large eartips.
Try each one out to see how they feel. Ideally, the eartips should create a sort of seal inside your ear, keeping the sound clear and preventing the buds from bouncing around or loosening.
Some in-ear buds also use hooks that go over your ear for added support.
Are noise-cancelling headphones effective at the gym?
Noise-cancelling headphones are somewhat effective at the gym, but not all ANC headphones are created equal.
In our testing, the best headphones for blocking out human conversation and ambient music were the Apple Beats Fit Pro, which offers both passive and active noise isolation with a secure earplug design.
How do bone conduction headphones work?
Bone conduction headphones sound more clinical than they actually are.
Unlike earbuds or headphones that play music directly into your ears, bone conduction headphones use tiny speakers located on the outside of your head, just outside your ears.
The sound vibrates against your cheekbones, transmitting the sound directly into your inner ear without blocking your ear.
This allows you to listen to music or podcasts, while still being able to hear ambient sounds and noise.
What are the best headphones for swimming?
Most of the headphones on this list are suitable for working out. However, swimmers will notice that we don’t have any headphones that work in the water.
While we weren’t able to test any swim-friendly headphones for this review, here are a few that are great for swimmers.
There are a few non-negotiables when looking for swimming headphones. The most obvious one is that you need fully waterproof headphones.
For electronics, look for an IPX waterproof rating. If you plan on using them continuously in the water, you’ll want an IPX8 rating.
Also, earbuds can fall out while you’re swimming, and you don’t want to dive in while doing laps. The best option is bone conduction headphones, which are more securely attached to your ears.
Also read: Open-Back Vs Closed Back Headphones: Which is Better?