The 10 Best Workout Headphones for 2022 – Reviews & Buyer’s Guide

What’s that one thing that you take every day with you to the gym?

Headphones! right?

Headphones are so damn important while working out.

But, let’s be honest. We got a lot of great general headphones on the market, but when it comes to workout headphones specifically, there are not a lot of good ones, which makes it tough for a consumer to make the buying decision.

Well, we are fixing this problem for you!

Who needs Workout Headphones?

We would not say that every gym-going person should get a pair of workout headphones because we don’t think its a necessity.

But a pair of workout headphones could be a great addition to your gym accessories.

Look, every gym-going person listens to music in the gym on their usual headphones, so why not make that listening experience even better with some quality workout headphones?

Workout headphones do not come with any additional audio enhancement technology but are usually sweat and water-resistant, are wireless, and offer a better fit as compared to usual headphones, so that they stay in place while workouts.

Oh, and they are also quite lightweight too.

Your normal earbuds or headphones are usually wired, which makes them not perfectly suitable for workouts.

Wires could cause a hassle while running during a workout. The wire could break, and in the worst case, you can trip and fall.

Fortunately, now we have in the market, truly wireless earbuds and neckband-style headphones that are just perfect for running and workouts.

How we picked and tested?

Before we started researching the products that we would mention on this list, we decided that we are only going to mention the wireless headphones or wireless earbuds here. No wired ones.

All the headphones mentioned below are wireless. Some are neckband styles while some are truly wireless ones, and two of them are bone-conduction headphones.

You will see that there are a lot of headphones on this list that are from small or less popular brands. And that’s because there are not a lot of good branded workout headphones in the market.

Even one of the biggest brands like Bose disappoints a lot when it comes to workout headphones.

On the other hand, smaller brands are producing excellent workout headphones with newer technology at an affordable price point.

Since there were not a lot of great workout headphones on the market, it became tough for us to finalize the list.

And trust us, we tried out best to include branded headphones as much as possible. Then we chose the headphones that had decent popularity on Amazon.

The testing involved making sure that the headphones are not heavy and offer a tighter fit so that you do not feel a lot of weight or any discomfort on your ears during a workout.

Then we tested them for water and sweat resistance.

And then we finally tested the sound quality of the headphones.

We have tested the Airshockz headphones for the very first time, or any bone-conduction headphones for that matter, and we were quite impressed by the way they function. They are the best workout headphones according to us.

Best Workout Headphones for 2022 – Quick Look

(Click on the name of any workout headphones to read their in-depth review)

1. Aftershokz Trekz Air – Best Overall Workout Headphones

The Trekz Air headphones from Aftershokz are open-ear wireless Bone conduction headphones that sound good, feel light, and look brilliant in terms of design.

These are wireless pairs of headphones that run on Bluetooth V4.2.

The most interesting thing about the headphones is how they deliver music to your ears.

The open-fit design delivers the music through your cheekbones, keeping your ears open to hear ambient noises (a very important thing for any headphones).

Our In-Depth Review:

We are truly a fan of the design and build quality of these headphones. The headphones are 20% lighter than their counterparts, providing much better comfort to the users. The design, on the other hand, is minimal and looks really great.

Keeping athletes and fitness enthusiasts in mind, the body of the headphones is made to be sweatproof and water-resistant. That means they will hold up well during sweating and would handle light splashes of water without any issues. Remember, they are water-resistant, not waterproof, don’t get into heavy rains while wearing them.

The headphones do not have much of inline controls, but you still get a button to answer calls on the go. The calls are made possible with the help of dual in-line noise-canceling microphones, that deliver rich and clear sound to the recipients.

Getting the sound quality of these headphones, it’s revolutionary. If you are going to get a pair of bone-conduction headphones for the first time, then you would be surprised by the functionality of these headphones.

The biggest and the best part about this headphone is that it allows you to stay in touch with the surrounding noises when you are listening to your music. This would make it safer for you to listen to music while cycling or running. But, this will slightly affect the overall audio experience.

The battery range on these headphones is around 6-8 hours on a single charge. Some users say that 6-8 hours of the range is quite low, but, we think that’s fine. Assuming you are spending not more than 2 hours daily on the workout, these will last for around 3-4 days on a single charge. Also, they just take 2 hours to charge fully.

Conclusion:

This is a great pair of bone-conduction workout headphones from Aftershocks. The build quality is great, the comfort level is high and the audio experience along with the ability to hear ambient noises is great. The price is not cheap, but it’s considerable looking at the purposes these headphones fulfill.

2. GoNovate Airo – With 3D Stereo Sound

GoNovate Airo is a pair of truly wireless earbuds that come with CVC 6.0 noise cancelation.

The earbuds, on a single charge, can provide a battery range of 6 hours and an additional 30 hours of battery from the charging case.

With advanced sweatproof protection, the earbuds would be able to hold up during the toughest workouts.

Our In-Depth Review:

This time, we would like to start off with the looks of the earbuds. The earbuds come in all matte black color with a whole line color LED light that indicates connectivity. The all-matte black finish of the earbuds looks really classy and makes them look like expensive earbuds.

Talking about the control buttons, you only get a single button on the earbud that controls most of the functions including play/pause, change tracks, managing volume, and answering and rejecting calls.

The battery range on the earbuds is decent. You get around 6 hours on a single charge which is industry standard. Then with the charging case that comes along, you can get up to 30 more hours of battery range, which means you can fully charge your earbuds almost 5 times from the charging case itself.

For connectivity, the Airo earbuds use Bluetooth 5.0 technology along with instant pairing technology. The name is different but it works similarly to what we saw in other earbuds. After the initial pairing, every time you take the earbuds out of the case, they will automatically pair with the phone.

The custom-engineered speaker with composite diaphragm material emits loud 3D stereo Hi-Fi sound with excellent bass. There is no distortion, and with CVC 6.0 noise reduction the vocals come out pretty clear. Rock and metal genres sound fantastic on these earbuds.

Conclusion:

This a great pair of truly wireless earbuds at a low price point. Everything is great, but one thing that’s unique is the LED lighting around the earbuds which makes them even more beautiful. Rest everything including sound quality and noise cancelation is on point too.

3. AfterShokz Trekz Titanium – With Wide Dynamic Range

Aftershokz is a great brand when it comes to workout headphones.

You have already seen their Trekz air on top of this list and now we have Trekz titanium over here.

Similar to Trekz Air, these are also bone-conduction headphones that run on Bluetooth 4.1 connectivity.

The best thing about these headphones is their actual price. You get to use the bone conduction technology at a really great price point.

Our In-Depth Review:

You can think of these as a slightly cheaper version of Trekz Air. Trekz Air is a slightly improved version with lighter body weight and Bluetooth V4.2. But, In our opinion the design of the Air Trekz titanium is more sporty, but, that’s just our opinion.

The design and build quality of the earbuds is similar to any other bone-conduction headphones. Yes, they are not as light as Trekz Air, but that doesn’t mean they are not comfortable. They are very comfortable indeed.

The earbuds are available in 4 different color combinations: Slate grey & Black, Red & Black, Pink & black, Ivy green & black, and Ocean blue & black.

Talking about the microphone in the earbuds, you get dual noise-canceling microphones that exclude all the surrounding noises, delivering an extremely clear voice to the recipients.

Though the earbuds deliver sound through cheekbones, the audio experience you get is simply great. These aftershocks earbuds use premium pitch technology for precise bass and wide dynamic range. They also use LeakSlayer technology to prevent natural sound leakage.

Conclusion:

If you want a slightly cheaper alternative to Aftershokz terkz air, then you are looking at the right thing. The sound quality is fantastic and the design is awesome too. For those who have never used bone-conduction earbuds before, this could be a great experience.

4. Pasonomi Earbuds – IPX7 Rated

The Pasonomi earbuds are the only IPX7-rated workout earbuds on our list.

The earbuds beat other earbuds in some aspects including the capacity of the charging case that comes along and waterproof technology.

The earbuds are truly wireless earbuds which makes them perfect for workout and running.

Our In-Depth Review:

These earbuds are magic. Low price point, great sound quality, an excellent charging case, and whatnot.

These earbuds are direct competitors to U-rock and other small brands. They come at the same price point, have some exclusive features, and more importantly that truly wireless design.

Starting off with the design of the earbuds, the earbuds are available in two colors: white and black. The finish is matte instead of glossy which gives them an even better look. IPX7 nano-coating on the earbuds prevents water and sweat from entering and damaging the sensitive parts.

The ergonomic design doesn’t come with earhooks but comes with 6 different sizes of earbuds that help in providing a comfortable and snug fit. Most of the brands usually provide only 3 pairs, which is good, but with having 6 sizes in hand, the probability of getting a perfect fit is high.

The earbuds also come with fast pairing technology, which means that after the initial pairing every time you take the earbuds out of the case, they will automatically get connected to your phone.

Now, let’s talk about the audio experience of these earbuds. The earbuds come with graphene-coated drivers that are rigid, yet lightweight. The precisely tuned sound signature with an accurate deep pass brings pleasure to the ears. Since the earbuds use Bluetooth 5.0 for connectivity, the connection is strong and the audio is delivered brilliantly across the entire frequency range.

Conclusion:

Excellent sound quality, lightweight design, and a powerful charging case. These are the workout headphones you must consider. Yes, they don’t come from a very big brand and do not have a great microphone, but that’s ok considering the price of the earbuds.

5. Plantronics Backbeat Fit – Neck Band Design

Backbeat Fit is wireless neckband style in-ear workout headphones that are designed with invisible nano-coating technology, which makes them sweat-free and waterproof.

The headphones also come with a safety-oriented tip design, which allows you to hear surrounding noises during the workout and running.

Now, let’s discuss other functionalities that come along with these sporty headphones.

Our In-Depth Review:

Plantronics is a very popular brand in the world of headphones. In the past, we have reviewed Plantronics backbeat pro and Backbeat Pro 2, both of which were really good wireless headphones.

On the headphones themselves, you get controls for music, calls, and even controls for activating Siri and Google voice control.

These headphones are also Ip57 certified, which means they are sweatproof and waterproof. They can easily hold up during a sweaty workout and can also withstand fresh water up to 1 meter for 30 minutes.

For connectivity, the Backbeat Fit uses Bluetooth. In fact, all of the headphones on this list are wireless headphones because we are not big fans of wired workout headphones. The wires could cause an issue during exercises and running.

The connectivity and the battery range are quite impressive. You will get strong Bluetooth connectivity with your mobile phone and can easily enjoy music for up to 8 hours on a single charge.

Conclusion:

If you are not a fan of loud music, then you won’t find anything wrong with these headphones. They are very flexible and provide much comfort to the user. Since they are waterproof and sweatproof, they can be worn even during intense workouts and training.

6. Bose Soundsport Free – With Tech to Track Lost Earbuds

Next up in line are the workout headphones from Bose: our personal favorite brand.

There is no special reason why we love Bose so much, it’s just that they actually produce awesome products.

Bose QC 35 from them is one the greatest wireless headphones today, and the same goes for noise-canceling earbuds QC20.

The Bose headphones that we are reviewing today are the Soundsport Free, which are IPX4-rated truly wireless headphones built for sports and workout sessions.

Our In-Depth Review:

The Bose Sound sport is completely wireless, which means you will not even get to see a neckband. They are in-ear sporty earbuds that come with stay hear+ tips, which keep the earbuds in place during rough workouts and running while maintaining the comfort level of the earbuds at the same time.

The Sound sport Free is an upgraded version of Sound sports wireless. Compared to that, these ones come with a charging case and technology to track lost earbuds with the help of the mobile app. One thing that misses in these earbuds as compared to Sound sports wireless is the heart rate sensor.

The charging case that comes along with the earbuds can fully charge the earbuds 2 times, which means an extra 10 hours of battery range. Not just charging, the case also protects your earbuds from any damage.

Talking about the build quality and design of the earbuds, it’s great. As usual, the earbuds are made up of premium plastic with Bose branding on top. Earhooks along with the ear tips keep the earbuds in place while taking care of comfort.

The body of the earbuds is IPX4 water-resistant, which means it can handle slight splashes of water and sweating. Again, these are water-resistant, not waterproof. Don’t get in your pool while wearing them.

The audio quality of these earbuds is superb. The vocals are clear, the sound is crisp and the bass is very satisfying. They are not noise-canceling earbuds, they still block out enough noises and also let in enough noses to keep you aware of the surroundings. A very helpful feature for someone who jogs where traffic is.

Conclusion:

The one thing that makes these headphones stand part is the truly wireless technology.  Wires could be a real issue during the workout and these earbuds eliminate that completely. These are high-end earbuds for which you would have to pay more than other earbuds. Rest assured you get a lot of value for the price that you pay.

7. Geeke G350 – With Bluetooth 5.0

Geeke G350 is another pair of truly wireless sports earbuds that come at a very cheap price tag.

The earbuds come with all the features that any high-end earbuds come with.

They come with Bluetooth 5.0, a charging case, and a dual high-sensitivity antenna for a strong and instant connection.

Let’s look at the other features they come with.

Our In-Depth Review:

If you like to buy truly wireless sports earbuds but don’t want to put a lot of money into them, then these earbuds might be one of the best choices. The price point is really low, and they come with some really awesome features.

Talking about the design and build quality of these earbuds. The earbuds are tiny, all black in color with branding on top. Both earbuds come with earhooks that provide a very tight fit. The overall weight of the earbuds is very lightweight, 0.03 ounces (each), which adds up more overall comfort to them.

Another good thing that we get with these workout headphones is the charging case. The charging case not only holds up power for you but also acts as a carrying case. Once you take the headphones out of the case, they get automatically connected to the mobile phone (after initial pairing). The charging case can have up to 15 hours of battery range.

Now the only thing we are left with is the sound quality. You would definitely be surprised by how good the sound these earbuds can produce. The sound quality is flat but is also very clear and crisp. Don’t expect some booming sound out of them, but for the use of the gym and running they do the job very well. The microphone that comes along delivers a rich voice to the recipients.

Conclusion:

If you are fine with buying not-so-popular brand headphones, don’t look any further. You can not find features like Bluetooth 5.0, a charging case, and a truly wireless design at such a low price point.  The earbuds are truly exceptional and overdeliver value for money.

8. Bose Soundsport Pulse – With Heart Rate Monitor

Soundsport pulse is another addition to the soundsport series, though, they are not truly wireless as compared to Soundsport free.

One of the most eye-catching features these earbuds come with is the Heartrate monitor.

The heart rate monitor makes these earbuds a great choice for all fitness freaks. The monitoring could be done on the mobile phone via the Bose Connect app.

Our In-Depth Review:

We only recommend Bose Sound sports pulse over Soundsport free to users who are interested in having heart rate monitoring as an integrated feature.

The build quality and design of the earbuds are very similar to the typical earbuds. The redesigned stayhear+ tips help earbuds stay in place even during the toughest workouts.

Similar to Bose sound sport free, you can use Bose to connect the app with a soundsport pulse as well. From the app, you can customize the settings, switch between different devices, and can also monitor the heart rate. The heart rate is monitored by headphones, and those stats can be seen on the mobile app.

Note: Bose soundsport pulse comes in two variants: one with a heart rate monitor and one without a heart rate monitor. The price difference between them is considerable enough. So, In case you don’t need that feature you should go for the normal one and spend the saved amount in buying a fitness band.

The audio experience on these headphones is good as any other Bose headphones. Since the design is in-ear, that isolates a lot of voices outside, which makes the vocals clear and the music much more immersive.

Conclusion:

In our opinion the Bose Soundsport pulse (with-heart rate monitor) is over-priced. At the same price, you can go for soundsport free, which is better in many aspects. Although the sound quality on both headphones is excellent.

9. U-rock Earbuds – With Breathing Light

Urock earbuds are very similar to Geeke G350, expect CVC 6.0 noise cancelation that is present in Urock earbuds.

These are a beautiful pair of earbuds that deliver crystal clear sound with deep bass and clear treble.

If we have to mention one thing that is truly special about these earbuds, then it would be the touch controls that you get on the earbuds instead of physical buttons.

Our In-Depth Review:

These earbuds are truly unbelievable. They come with so many great features at a low price point.

Starting off with that one thing that we absolutely love about these earbuds, the design. The design is minimalistic and fancy at the same time. The earbuds are built of plastic, with a matte black finish and blue light around the corners of the earbuds.

Another surprising thing that you get with these earbuds is the CVC 6.0 Noise cancelation technology. Now we know that CVC 6.0 doesn’t work like active noise cancelation, but still enhances the audio quality.

These earbuds on a single charge can go up to 3-4 hours. But, that’s not it, you also get a charging case along with the earbuds, which also act as a carrying case, which can add up to extra 21-24 hours of battery range to the earbuds. Nothing special, but at this price point, it is really surprising.

The earbuds are IP65 waterproof and dustproof resistant, which makes them ideal for heavy workout sessions when the earbuds have to deal with a lot of sweating. Remember, they can just handle water splashes, don’t submerge them into the water and expect them to work fine.

At last, talking about the sound quality of the earbuds, it’s really good. The 5.8mm speakers unit along with 4 high-quality audio firmware and composite diaphragm delivers high-quality sound, clear and treble, and precise bass.

Conclusion:

These truly wireless headphones come with great features including Bluetooth 5.0 at a really low price point. The most beautiful part about these headphones is the design, the blue breathing light around the headphones looks amazing in dark.

10. Skullcandy Method – Flexible Design

The Skullcandy method is neck-collar designed earbuds that come with advanced dual lock technology for rigid positioning during workouts.

The earbuds are available in 4 different color variants, one that we are reviewing today is called the Black/swirl variation.

The earbuds offer a battery range of around 9 hours on a single charge.

Our In-Depth Review:

Skullcandy undoubtedly is a great brand, and method earbuds from the company are a decent pair of low-budget workout headphones.

The earbuds come with everything you get in any other normal earbuds. The design is a neck collar design that could be locked with dual lock technology. Remember, this is not a magnetic lock, which means it is more secure.

On the left side of the neck collar, you get in-line controls for changing tracks, play/pause the music, answer/rejects calls, and volume. You also get an in-built microphone to take phone calls on the go.

The build quality of the earbuds might not be the best, but it’s flexible and very comfortable. You will almost forget that they are hanging around your neck. The earbuds have a lock mechanism at the center that allows you to tuck them away when not in use.

The earbuds don’t come with earhooks, but they still provide a great fit during the workout and running. You might miss the earhooks if you had used them in the past, but we are pretty sure you will not face any issues because of that.

The sound is loud and clear, and the bass is great. The earbuds go very well with the equalizer and allow you to fine-tune your music. The highs and mids are really nice and you would be satisfied with them.

Conclusion:

Skullmethod is a nice earbud. They got great build quality, excellent battery range, and a good price point. But there are surely some smaller brand headphones available at the same price point which are better than Skullcandy’s methods.

Workout Headphones – Buyer’s Guide

Choosing a pair of good workout headphones is no different than choosing a pair of normal headphones.

Its just that there are a few areas where you have put some extra focus.

First of all, if you are looking to get a pair of headphones for workout purposes, then they must be wireless.

Yes, you can definitely use wired headphones during a workout, but we think the wires could a hassle while running or intense workouts.

With that said, let’s get into this in-depth buyer’s guide on workout headphones.

How are sport-specific headphones different from normal headphones?

The biggest and most significant difference between the two is the overall fitting.

The workout headphones don’t fall during the workout as their fit is quite tight and stable.

We also think that the build quality of the workout headphones is much sturdier as compared to normal headphones.

Another significant difference between the two is that workout headphones are usually water and sweat-resistant. Yes, some of the normal headphones in the market are waterproof and sweatproof, but with workout headphones usually, most of them are waterproof.

The thing where we think normal headphones are better than workout headphones is the battery range. The average battery range of the workout headphones is 6 hours which according to us is quite low.

But if you are planning to your normal headphones for workout purposes then just make sure they are sweat-resistant because a single drop of sweat or water could mess up the technical functionality of the device.

On-Ear vs In-Ear vs Over-Ear

On-ear headphones rest on top of your ear while leaving some space for surrounding sounds to enter. This means there would be some sound leakage, but you would also be able to hear what’s going around you.

The on-ear headphones would feel less warm as compared to over-ear headphones, but, this design would also affect the overall sound experience.

Over-ear headphones, on the other hand, create a good seal between themselves and the ear. This prevents sound leakage and also provides great sound isolation. The bad thing about them is that they are more prone to heating.

In-ear headphones/Earbuds sometimes might not sound as good as headphones due to small drivers, but, they are perfect for a workout. First of all, they are not bulky, you will not feel any kind of pressure wearing them. They make a tight seal with the ear, which means they will not easily fall during running and workouts.

For workout and sports purposes we always recommend in-ear headphones or earbuds, and that’s because they stay in place even during heavy workouts.

Wireless vs Truly Wireless Earbuds

For workout purposes, both wireless and truly wireless earbuds could be great.

Since the wires used in Bluetooth earbuds are2 too small, we are sure it wouldn’t cause any type of issue during a workout.

One thing that’s definitely better in some of the truly wireless earbuds is the battery range. Since some of them come with a charging case, you get a great battery range even if you are out for a whole day.

And also truly wireless earbuds look much better.

Personally, we would prefer getting the truly wireless earbuds over the wireless ones since their weight is almost negligible, and after a certain point of time you almost forgot that you have them in your ears.

When should we get the wired ones?

We don’t really see a reason to get wired headphones for workout purposes.

The wire could create a lot of mess during the workout and in case it gets stuck somewhere it could be damaged and in the worst case, you can trip and fall.

Although if you are having wired headphones already and can’t afford dedicated wireless workout headphones for the gym then you could use the wired ones, just be careful with the wires while running.

Noise-canceling earbuds

Everybody, including us, is a fan of noise-canceling earbuds.

But should you consider Noise-canceling earbuds as your workout earbuds?

Hell No!

You should always be able to hear your surrounding noises when running or working out. On the streets, there is an ample amount of traffic at any time and we are sure you would not like getting hit by a car because you didn’t hear the honking.

But if your noise-canceling earbuds allow adjusting the level of noise cancelation then you could use them to keep the level of noise cancelation low.

Waterproof and Sweatproof

Every workout earbud should definitely be sweatproof. That means they should atleast be IPX4-rated.

While workout its very common for the body to sweat and that sweat can definitely cause damage to the technical functionalities of the earbuds. To be on the safer side, choose a pair of sweatproof earbuds.

If you are going to choose one of the earbuds reviewed by us here, then you don’t have to check about them being sweatproof, since all of the earbuds on this list are sweatproof.

How durable are they?

Workout headphones, in general, are made very durable as compared to normal headphones since they are going to be used for workout purposes.

They are made up of sturdy plastic and are built to last.

There are not prone to any wear and tear with rough usage.

But even though they are tough and durable, we would still recommend you to go easy on them.

What are Bone conduction Headphones?

The two of the best workout headphones on this list are bone-conduction headphones. Most users today have no idea about how bone-conduction headphones work and how they are beneficial for users.

Below we are going to explain everything that you must know about bone-conduction headphones. Also, we highly recommend everyone to go for bone conduction ones, since they are specifically built for gym and sports.

First of all, Bone conduction technology is not new. it’s been here for years and is primarily used to help people with hearing loss.

Bone conduction headphones/hearing aids allow users to hear the sounds through the cheekbones and jawbones. This means that sound bypasses the middle and outer ear and directly enters the inner part ( hearing organ).

Since 1977, more than 100000 people have been fitted with a BAHA, a bone-conduction hearing device.

The bone conduction headphones can be worn by people who use a hearing aid to hear the sound, which means that you can wear the hearing aid and bone conduction headphones at the same time.

Use of bone conduction technology in the Military.

You would be actually surprised to know that the military was one of those first sectors that adopted bone conduction technology. The bone conduction technology was used in the behind-the-ear style headsets that were used for communication.

This allowed the military people to communicate through headphones and at the same time hear the ambient noises around them, as the sound was transferred through cheekbones, keeping the ears completely open to hearing the surrounding noises.

Bone conduction technology in Sports headphones

Bone conduction technology has gotten quite popular in the audio industry. In 2008, Audio bone became the first bone-conduction headphones on the scene. The company claimed that you will get exceptional sound quality like any other headphones, while also allowing the user to hear the ambient noises at the same time.

Currently, the Aftershokz company is one of the renowned manufacturers of bone-conduction headphones.

Important things to consider while purchasing workout headphones

Faqs related to Workout headphones?

Conclusion:

This was the first time we felt that we did not have a lot of options to choose from.

But after quite a research we finally had a list, we reviewed all of the headphones, and here are the results:

The best workout headphones on our list are Aftershockz Trekz Air.

The best truly wireless earbuds on our list are Bose soundsport free.

The headphones that offer the most value for money are Gonovate Airo.

If you need more info, have a look at these other great workout headphones buying guides by Sounds Guys, RTings, and Men’s Health.