The Best Wireless Gym Headphones for Sweaty Workouts
Music and exercise go hand in hand. Whether you're searching for an extra rep or battling through a wall mid run, music has been proven to lower your perceived effort during workouts, increase the cardiovascular benefits of exercise, and even boost the power of your lifts. To unlock it, however, you’ll need a pair of the best wireless gym headphones.
Ok, technically you could strap on any old cans and they'd get you through a light workout. But when you chuck movement, intensity, sweat and, crucially, time into the mix, what you really need are a pair that will stay firmly in place and withstand moisture, all while delivering full, clear and consistent audio each time you wear them. Plenty of wireless headphones tick these boxes, but few manage them all. That's why we've spent time testing the best workout headphones to find the ones that do.
Considering the variety of gym headphones available, you've got some decisions to make before you hit 'buy now'. In-ear, over-ear, open-ear and bone conduction are all options that you might want to consider. This will depend on how you choose to exercise and the fit and feel you prefer.
To help you navigate all of these considerations and ensure you make a sound choice based off your needs and budget, our team of fitness experts have done the hard work for you by testing the best wireless headphones for workouts in 2024. These are the nine that aced our tests.
More fitness tech reviews: Best Bone Conduction Headphones | Best Fitness Watches | Best Heart Rate Monitors | Best Garmin Watches | Best Garmin Alternatives
What to Consider When Buying Gym Headphones
How We Test Headphones
We wanted to make sure these wireless headphones were truly worthy of your workouts, so editors and writers sourced some of the best pairs on the market and put them to the test. This involved trialling them during resistance training and running to make sure they didn’t slip out of our ears. They were also judged on their design, ease of use and battery life.
The 9 Best Gym Headphones for 2024
Jabra is leaving the consumer headphone market, having announced earlier this year that its latest releases will be its last. However, as it bid us farewell, Jabra ended on an almighty high with the Elite 8 Active Gen 2.
I can't stress how much I rate the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2. I've tried loads of wireless headphones for Men's Health, but these are the pair I reach for when I'm not testing other releases. The main pro is that they're IP68-rated against sweat and water, with Jabra calling them 'the world's toughest earbuds'. As someone who sweats (a lot) and rarely checks the forecast before heading out the door, this is massively convenient.
Then there's the battery life. Even when I neglect them, the wireless charging case always seem to have just enough power left in it to see me through a run or commute. Jabra claims you get up to eight hours of continued wireless use and up to 32 hours of use with the case, which I can vouch for.
And the pros don't end there. The fit is the most comfortable and secure of any earbuds I've tried. I've worn them all day in the office and on runs exceeding two-hours and they've never fallen out or caused any irritation. Having physical buttons on the earbuds as opposed to touch pads make pausing music and skipping songs far easier when they're covered in sweat.
I should mention that Jabra the company isn't going anywhere, which means it'll still be around to honour the 2-year warranty. There just won't be any future software updates.
Reviewed by: Luke Chamberlain
Boasting the superior sound we’ve come to expect from the Doctor, these water-resistant cans offer over six hours of battery life. Their wingtip design ensures a snug fit even throughout high intensity workouts. You also get an hour’s playback from a five-minute plug-in, so you’ll never have to plod through a tough session in silence.
A secure wingtip design, solid battery life and effective ANC combine to make the Beats Fit Pro a worthy workout companion. They don’t come cheap, but training with a pair of Beats in your ears is a joy. We couldn’t fault the rich sound and they had remarkable staying power as we worked out, making them a great choice for gym goers and music lovers alike.
Reviewed by: Priyankaa Joshi
Read more: Beats Fit pro Review: Are the Sporty Buds Worth It?
These earbuds are specifically designed for sport, and it shows. IP55 rated against sweat and dust, they're not quite as durable as the Jabra pair, but you can still get through your workouts with peace of mind knowing that they're dust, sweat and water resistant.
As for the audio, the bass sounds punchy and the ANC and anti-wind modes make these a great pair to take out running or for wearing day-to-day. Inside the companion app, you'll also find plenty of extra modes and options for honing in on your preferred audio experience, whether you want something extra bassy or customised to enhance podcasts.
As you'd expect from a pair of sports earbuds, they never feel like they're about to fall out, no matter how many box jumps or burpees you subject them to. My only gripe is that they feel plasticky and therefore not the most premium in your ear. Comfort is also somewhat lacking.
Interestingly, these buds come with extra stat-tracking smarts, offering heart-rate and body temperature monitoring via an optical heart rate sensor. Think of them as an external monitor that you can sync up to a smartwatch, like a chest strap.
Reviewed by: Luke Chamberlain
On the sound front I can’t fault these. Playback is crisp, clear and rich, whether you’re listening in standard or immersive audio, which mimics a more natural listening experience, with the sound following you wherever you move. Plus, each time you don the headphones they play a chime that scans the unique shape of your ear canals to personalise the sound and temper any distortion in your environment — clever stuff.
The noise cancellation is out of this world, allowing you to get in the zone in even the rowdiest of gyms, and the name truly doesn’t lie — these are insanely comfortable. On-headphone controls mean if you do want to hold a conversation, you can quickly switch to ‘aware’ mode which lets the outside world in.
With up to 24 hours battery life the QC Ultra Headphones also make a fantastic travel companion, with the only real drawback being the price. That said, Bose products are built to last. As they’re not water or sweat resistant they’re possibly not the best running or HIIT companion, but for weight training I won’t wear anything else.
Reviewed by: Hattie Parish
Don’t be fooled by the name — yes, these are excellent for swimming, but they’re also Shokz’s most versatile bone-conduction headphones to date. Super lightweight, comfortable and secure, the sound quality is hard to match in open-ear buds and they boast up to 9 hours battery life — although it’s worth noting they don’t come with a charging case.
With a waterproof rating of IP68 (that’s enough to withstand depths of two metres as well as heavy rain), you can wear these during swimming, water sports or any outdoor activity — and that includes in salt water.
But the real USP here is the combination of both MP3 and Bluetooth playback. WIth 4GB of storage, you can load your own carefully curated workout playlists to the headphones, allowing you to go phone-free at the pool. There’s even an audio mode specifically designed to boost the sound quality when in water.
The controls are simple to use when on the move and in water, with one large multi-function button, although the smaller toggles for volume and audio modes are on the slightly fiddly side. They come with earplugs and a soft case for some extra protection in your gym bag — although they feel pretty durable as is. And it’s worth noting that as with most open-ear headphones, wearing glasses with these is tricky, so if that’s a priority you might want to opt for the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds (see below/above).
Reviewed by: Hattie Parish
On the more affordable side, these lightweight open-ear options from Shokz offer a comfortable and secure fit, making them suitable for high-impact work as well as all-day wear. Flexible ear hooks ensure they stay in place no matter what you’re doing, and the sound quality is impressive too, with decent bass for when you get a sweat on. (Speaking of, these are sweat and water resistant).
Set-up is simple and the charging case small enough to slip in a pocket, keeping an extra 22 hours of charge on hand, with the buds boasting up to six hours from a single charge. The on-bud controls are customisable — a nice touch — and you can pair with two devices at once, handy if you want to switch between work calls and music.
Sound leakage is a bit of a problem at high volumes, so these may not be ideal for noisy gym floors, particularly if you’re listening to a podcast, as well as quiet offices. But for a lightweight (they’re just 8.7g each) option with next-level comfort, these are hard to beat.
If a heavy bass is what it takes to get you through those heavy sets, the Beats Studio Pro will deliver with their punchy sound. And what’s more, with a sound isolation level described as ‘outstanding’ by our audiophile (even without the active noise cancellation mode applied), there’s no chance of getting distracted during a set. If you’re exercising outside and need to be aware of your surroundings, the transparency mode can be turned on, too.
Beats has re-engineered its studio overhead model to have the most powerful sound experience yet, serving up 40 hours of fully charged listening time. The spatial audio feature tracks your head movements to bring a theatre-like surround sound element, so you can channel your inner Rocky with a truly immersive sound experience.
These sleek over-ears combine function and aesthetics, with a range of colours alongside the classic black and white pairs, such as deep brown and navy. The foldable design and hooked hardshell case make them ideal for carrying around with you. Just note, the earpads are a little snug, so you may want to try before you buy.
Reviewed by: Priyankaa Joshi
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