“You're always moaning,” a parenting friend once told me, as he rapidly disappeared over the horizon. As a working parent of two children, I… don't disagree. Great over-the-ear headphones are great if you primarily use headphones at work or for meetings, but for the rest of your life — working out, traveling, or stuffing around your house. Putting away and pretending you're putting things away – you probably want something much more convenient and durable. In other words, you'll want the best workout headphones money can buy.
Since I Started Testing Workout Headphones many years agoSound, comfort, variety and features have improved dramatically. I always have a pair on during the day, whether I'm cycling, running, rock climbing, or watching mildly embarrassing yoga videos on my laptop in my bedroom. If you, too, need a distraction with music or a podcast while climbing rocky slopes or mowing your lawn, here is a roundup of WIRED's favorite pairs. We've worn them all and sweated on them. Don't see anything you like? check us out Best wirefree earbuds, best cheap headphones, best bluetooth speakeror any of our other Buying Guide For more information.
Updated January 2025: We added Anker Soundcore Aerofit 2, Nothing Ear Open, JLab Epic Sport ANC 3, Soundpit's Breezy, H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro, and Rekon Bone Conduction Headphones. We've also updated the complete links and pricing.
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To some extent, how the headphones sound is less important than whether they fit properly. They may be the best sounding headphones in the world, but I'd feel irritated in them if they weren't centered. so how to do Do you protect your headphones from falls? Here are some tips and tricks I've tried over the years to make sure they don't fail.
- Dial it up. To place your buds, pull your ear slightly and twist it slightly to lock it in place. If they don't fit, don't be afraid to change or mismatch the ear tip size – for example, one ear may need a medium tip and the other a small one, or one may need a foam tip. While others may require a plastic tip.
- Making accessories. Are you still not able to get it to fit properly? There is a healthy market for aftermarket clip And wings to fit your earbuds or AirPods more securely.
- Check IP rating. ingress-protection rating Gives you a quick indication of the dust and water-resistance of the headphones. If you're running outside in the pouring rain, you need more IP than if you're doing gentle calisthenics at the gym.