Finding the best running headphones is about more than just sound quality, it’s about making your runs better, not more complicated! The best ones should let you zone out to your favorite playlist or podcast without bouncing around, cutting out, or getting in your way.
Comfort matters more than you think. The last thing you want is an earbud slipping out mid-run or buttons that require a full-on stop just to adjust the volume.
And if you’re a marathon runner, battery life is more important than ever because who wants to run out of battery a few miles away from the finish line?
If you’re on the search for the best running headphones, you’re in the right place. This guide breaks down top picks by category and what to consider before buying, so you can find the perfect pair for your runs. We even tried to include budget friendly alternatives.
Best Running Headphones
This list is a combo of my experiences and the top recommendations I received from a couple hundred runners on Instagram!
These aren’t just researched, they’re real-world tested and approved earbuds for running that don’t fall out.
Best Bone Conduction Headphones: Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 Headphones ($180)
Type: Bone Conduction Headphones
IP Rating: IP55 certified to repel sweat, dust, and moisture
Battery life: 12 hours
Shokz is for runners who don’t want to stick earbuds in their ears while cars zoom by. The company used to be called AfterShokz, but changed its name at the end of 2021.
These headphones make use of a technology known as bone conduction to transmit sound through your cheekbones, so allowing you to keep your ears free to detect potential hazards around you such as fast-moving cars on the road.
The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 is the company’s best headphones, producing deeper bass and richer sound than its predecessors. Still, the sound quality isn’t as good as a good pair of earbuds, but it’s worth making that trade-off for the extra safety we get from running with our ears open.
The OpenRun Pro 2 also has a quick charge option, which provides you 2.5 hours of playback after only five minutes of charging with the included cable.
However, the major downside my husband and I faced when testing these headphones was that he couldn’t wear them with his bike helmet and I ran into issues wearing them with my sunglasses because the ear hooks didn’t allow me to comfortably get the stems alongside them on my ear.
- Feel very lightweight and flexible
- 12 hour battery life
- Sweat resistant (meaning not for swimming)
My friend Charlie of The Runner Beans wears them all the time and is a big fan because they’re comfortable and she feels stay put well.
Best Budget Friendly Bone Conduction Earphones: DEMICEA Librefit B8 ($68)
Type: Bone Conduction Headphones
IP Rating: IP68 certified waterproof (will handle sweat and rain!)
Battery life: 15 hours
If you’re looking for bone conduction earbuds like the Shokz but can’t justify the price just yet, then these are the ones for you! While the Shokz is a well-known brand in the running community, these are waterproof, affordable, and also feature up to 15 hours of playback time on a single charge!
Best Earbuds for Running: Beats Fit Pro Wireless Earbuds ($170)
Type: Truly Wireless Earbuds
IP Rating: IPX4 certified (dust, sweat, and water resistant)
Battery life: 6 hours
The fit of these Beats Fit Pro is a little unique and may take some getting used to. The Wingtip style design sits on the inner part of your ear and can be twisted so that the tip securely sits in the upper part of your ear.
The entire earbud is made from a rubber that is super smooth and doesn’t cause any irritation but if you don’t like having something in your ear, you may want to check out a different option.
There are different listening modes so that you can either tune out what’s around you or be fully aware of your surroundings while still listening to your favorite tunes or podcasts.
- 6 hours of battery life
- Sweat and water resistant
- Built-in microphone so that you can take calls on the run
Coach Stacey is a big fan of the Beats Fit Pro for training both indoors and outdoors. The fit is a little unique but once you figure out a comfortable placement, you barely even notice that they are there. Sometimes she will even just wear one earbud on the trails when she wants to be even more aware of her surroundings.
This doesn’t affect the sound quality at all and still provides a crisp playback of either music, podcasts or even a phone call!
Best Headphones for Calls: Apple AirPods Pro 2($250)
Type: Truly Wireless Earbuds
IP Rating: IPX4 certified (dust, sweat, and water resistant)
Battery life: 6 hours playback time, 30 hours with the case
Don’t let the AirPods Pro 2 fool you, they are super comfortable and you barely notice they’re there.
They updated the design so that you can wear the earbuds for a lot longer before you have to take them out. Wear them on a long run, long ride or even walk without your ear getting sore from the pods placement.
The audio quality is definitely something that keeps getting improved with each model.
- 6 hours of battery life (30 with a fully charged case)
- Adaptive transparency mode so you can still hear your surroundings
- Water resistant but not great is you’re a heavy sweater or caught in the rain
No need to take out your phone mid-run to adjust the volume or skip to the next track. Just simply touch the airpod based on your custom settings and keep running!
Stephanie may not always run with music or audiobooks but when she’s cross-training on the bike or rower she’s grabbing for her AirPods so that she can listen to her music or follow a Peloton class without disturbing her family members. Bonus points because you can also take an incoming call without having to deal with holding your phone or shouting through the speaker.
Best Sound Quality Running Headphones – Beats Powerbeats Pro – $199
Type: Truly Wireless Earbuds with Ear Hooks
IP Rating: IPX4 certified, designed to be sweat resistant and light water splashing (but not heavy rain).
Battery life: 9 hours of playback time
The Powerbeats Pro is an earbud that combines comfort, a secure fit, and concert like audio quality.
If you are someone who loves listening to music while you run or workout, this is a pair of headphones that are worth the cost.
They are super lightweight and will snuggly fit around the ear so that you don’t have to worry about them falling out especially when you start to pick up the pace. The earpiece even comes in three different sizes so that you’re not stuck with a one sit fits all situation.
- 9 hours of battery life
- Ear hooks for more secure fit
- Control all kinds of features of each earbud independently
- A little bulkier and a little pricier than the other earbuds listed above
Don’t get caught in a heavy rainstorm, jump into a pool or accidentally throw them in the washing machine. You may have to get yourself a new pair!
Michael has used the Powerbeats Pro for many years. He’s a big music lover so having the ability to bring his favorite artists along during workouts and races keeps him focused and motivated.
Best Budget Friendly Sound Quality Running Headphones- Treblab 3 ($60)
Type: Truly Wireless Earbuds with Ear Hooks
IP Rating: IPX7
Battery life: Up to 9 hours playback time
If you’re looking for a similar ear hook design as the Powerbeats but can’t justify the price just yet, then these are the ones for you! While the Powerbeats have a superior sound quality and built, these do have a better IP rating. They also feature up to 9 hours of playback time on a single charge!
Best Waterproof Earbuds for Running: Jabra Elite 8 ($158)
Type: Truly Wireless Earbuds
IP Rating: IP68 certified, designed to be sweat, water and dust proof
Battery life: Up to 8 hours playback time
The Jabra Elite 8 is considered an earbud similar to the AirPods but designed with a secure fit so you never have to worry about them falling out during a run, race or even a HIIT workout. Another perk is that, unlike many pairs of headphones, they are waterproof so if you are a heavy sweater or get caught in a downpour, there’s nothing to worry about.
You can turn the noise canceling feature (ANC) off or on depending if you want to tune out all noise to focus on your workout or still be able to hear your surroundings.
The Jabra Elite 8 also has a fast charge option, which provides you 1 hour of playback after only five minutes of charging with the included cable.
- 8 hours of battery life with ANC on\14 hours with ANC off
- super durable and waterproof
- ability to take calls on the run
- connect to GPS watches so that you can leave your phone at home
Darren has used Jabras for a while now. This is probably his 4th pair and he never goes on a run without them. Earlier generations didn’t have enough battery life to last through an entire marathon but newer versions have gotten him to many finishlines.
Best Overear Headphones for Working Out: JBL Wireless Headphones ($32)
Type: Neckband Earbuds
IP Rating: IPX5
Battery life: 10 hours of playback time
These are not true wireless earbuds, as a cord connects them behind your neck.
But for many of you that’s preferred to not lose an earbud.
David has stolen these from me and they are now his go-to. This is the downside to having fun gear …you have too much and then someone else uses it and you’re like “hey I want that!”
- 10 hours of playtime
- More secure fit for many with the little hook
- Reflective cable
There is a newer version, but it has a wider strap that sits behind your head, which I’m not a fan of.
So this is basically your cheapest wireless running headphones option. And yes it still technically has a wire, but not connected to anything besides the earphones.
Factors to Consider When Buying Running Headphones
When shopping around for the best running headphones, there are a few factors to consider.
1. Headphone Fit and Ambient Sound
There are plenty of things to consider when picking the best pair of headphones for your run, but the most important one is fit. After all, what’s the point of having the best quality sound, the best battery life, and the longest playtime when they just won’t stay in your ears.
So, this is first and foremost what I concentrated on while using trying these earphones to find the best running headphones out there.
The next is ambient sound. Some runners prefer to have all outside sound cut off while running (especially indoors in the gym or on a treadmill at home), while others prefer to have some ambient sound to be able to have more situational awareness while running.
This is especially important when you’re running outdoors to be aware of potential hazards around you and to have a better understanding of your surroundings.
I haven’t ‘rated’ these on ambient sound, but you will find information related to it in my reviews so you can pick the best wireless headphones according to your own personal preference.
2. Water and Sweat Resistant
Let’s face it, running can be sweaty – really sweaty, I mean I often look like I’ve showered when I finish. We need our headphones to still stay on, and be able to last through the days, weeks, and months of sweat and training.
It’s difficult for someone to personally judge this factor based on just experience as it can become subjective given how much someone sweats or how much water the headphones encounter.
It’s not necessary to be waterproof unless you plan to wear them in the pool. Thankfully, most kinds of headphones designed for exercise are also sweat and water-resistant, which is enough to take them on your run and cover them in your salty sweat.
These ratings are called IP ratings. IPX4 is a good choice for active headphones since it can handle splashes from any direction, but anything above IPX2 should be fine since it means your headphones are protected against water dripping at about 3 millimeters per minute.
3. Battery Life and Overall Durability
The most important thing for any runner is how long these headphones are going to last (durability) and how long you can expect them to play after one charging session (battery life).
I mean, who wants a headphone that will stop working in the middle of a run? Regardless, I’ve got you covered by including all the relevant details you need to make the right decision.
Want to know which ones are the best running headphones? Keep reading and don’t forget to comment down below to tell me which one you picked!
4. Ease of Use
It’s incredibly important to look for headphones that are easy to use when you’re out on a run. You don’t want to have to pause your run only to skip a track or change the volume.
Look for headphones with intuitive controls that are easy to use while you’re running. Many headphones have buttons or touch controls that allow you to adjust the volume, skip tracks, or take calls without having to take out your phone.
Some headphones also come with built-in voice assistants like Siri or Google Assistant, which allow you to control your music or take calls using voice commands.
How Do I Use Headphones Safely While Running?
When running outside, it’s important to wear open-ear headphones or those with hear-through transparency technology so you can hear your surroundings.
Awareness is key to safety. With open-ear headphones, you can stay aware of what’s going on around you while still being able to listen to running music or your favorite podcast.
Looking for more reviews to find the best things for your run?
Checkout our full page of my must have running gear reviews and guides to save you time searching and money! I share what’s worked for me and fellow runners, along with what wasn’t worth the price tag.
A few common requests:
- Best sports bras
- The Best HR monitors (from watches to straps)
- Best compression running socks
- Best sunglasses for running
Have you tested out any other wireless headphones you loved?
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