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Even the most dedicated runners will admit that the sport can get monotonous at times.
Courtesy of the brands / Gabrielle Castrillon
(Ever had a pair fritz out duringa particularly sweaty workout?
Yeah, not ideal.)
But the best running headphones wont have any problems handling a little moisture.
Not sure which brand or model to start with (or upgrade to)?
Shop our picks below.
Theyre a safe choice because they play sound through an open-ear, bone-conduction design and arent noise-cancelling.
They have 12 hours of battery life.
Paul Bui, a marathoner from Boston, tells SELF that he and his wife both wear Shokz.
Were huge fans toothese buds won a2024 Home Fitness Awardfor their long battery life and lightweight design.
And Young switched toShokz OpenFit 2because she grew tired of the bar jostling behind her neck.
I wore them for two marathons last year, and I almost forgot they were there.
What I find even more useful is the auto volume feature.
I will say that the Ultra Opens arent great for making phone calls.
All youve gotta do to make your preferred adjustments in the JBL Headphones app.
Thats why coaches typically suggest reserving it for indoor runs.
you might even adjust the levels to let in more or less noise.
And the full-on noise cancellation is solid.
While the adaptive audio feature is also available on theAirPods 4, I prefer the Pro 2s for running.
(You get four sizes to verify you find a good fit.)
Theyre dustproof and can be submerged underwater without damageJabra even backs this up with a two-year warranty.
So if you happen to find yourself taking a dip in a lake post-run (highly recommend!
), your buds will be A-okay.
Two other helpful features for runners are the exceptional battery life and secure fit.
you’re able to even set it to cut out wind noise.
Coaches recommend keeping these guidelines in mind while you shop.
Style
Although over-ear headphones offer the best sound quality, many runners find them too bulky to run in.
They can trap heat and sweat, which can get uncomfortable.
They’re also typically less stable on your head, Dworecki says.
(If you’re built different, she recommends looking into lightweight options like theTreblab Z2.)
Earbuds are the more popular choice, as they slip right into your ear canal.
Nervous about earbuds falling out?
Water-resistance rating
Running headphones should be able to stand up to sweat and, ideally, some rain.
you might check out how water-resistant a pair is by looking at the ingress protection (IP) rating.
Battery life
How long your headphones' battery lasts is a major factor for distance runners to consider.
Using their tips, we scoured countless sites to find headphones that checked off all the right boxes.
Frequently asked questions about running headphones
Which headphones won’t fall out while running?
Thanks to their flexible wingtip,Beats Fit Proare known to be secure earbuds that wont fall out.
What are the best running headphones for iPhone users?
Most running headphones are compatible with iPhones.
But if you want to stay in the Apple universe, theAirPods Pro 2make for excellent running headphones.
Do pro runners wear headphones?
Its not unheard of to see a pro runner with earbuds in during their solo training runs.
Plus, pros often train in groups, so they prefer to chat rather than zone out to music.
It really just depends on the situation and who they’re training with, Dworecki says.
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