The Best Headphones for Running

Why you should believe us

Notwithstanding having tried truly many earphones as The Wirecutter's earphones editorial manager—and having done as such for different distributions, for example, Home Entertainment, Home Theater Magazine, and Sound and Vision—I'm an enthusiastic sprinter in my available time. I've run races extending from a marathon to a 5k, and I go for a fast 5-miler at any rate once seven days even in the bursting Los Angeles summer, so I really keep running with our singles out a customary premise.


My articles have been included in Fast Company, Forbes, the Los Angeles Times, and Time, and on Good Morning America, the BBC World Service, and NBC Nightly News. At the end of the day, I have a really decent handle on what's out there and what's justified regardless of your opportunity and hard-earned cash, and I am focused on discovering gear that will make you glad.

For this guide, I additionally worked with our master board, which comprised of a blend of sprinters, experienced sound commentators, and expert prepared artists with a wide assortment of ear and head shapes.

Who ought to get this

A lady wearing our best running earphone pick while running down a walkway.

Running earphones are for individuals who like to do their running outside and consequently should have the capacity to hear their surroundings to remain safe. Regardless of whether you're evading activity in a city or maintaining a strategic distance from untamed life in rustic territories, it's essential to recognize what's happening around you. Ladies who run alone particularly comprehend the pertinence of this. In the event that rather you do your running on a treadmill and need to seal out outside rec center clamor, look at our remote exercise earphones manage for our proposals.

We found that most sprinters lean toward remote earphones. With Bluetooth, you don't need to endure link tangles or tuck overabundance rope down your shirt to shield it from slamming around. However, you do need to make sure to charge Bluetooth earphones. On the off chance that that is not something you need to manage, or on the off chance that you lean toward a link, investigate our wired exercise earphones direct; we list a couple of unlocked choices that will work for sprinters superbly well. Else, we think our picks here will suit a great many people.

Shouldn't something be said about AirPods and other genuine remote earphones?

You can locate some obvious remote earphones intended for the rec center, yet the greater part of those models are intended to piece outside clamor. Since we trust it's essential to hear your surroundings when you're running outside, this absence of situational mindfulness incited us to preclude most obvious remote choices for this guide. AirPods aren't fixed, however they aren't appraised as sweat safe either—and in light of the fact that Apple's guarantee doesn't have any significant bearing to water or sweat harm, if the AirPods short out, you're up the creek without a paddle. Other genuine remote earphones have a "straightforwardness mode" that draws in a mouthpiece on the earbuds and afterward imitates the sounds around you through the drivers in your ears. In any case, huge numbers of these earphones either get excessively wind commotion or open up the reverberation of your body excessively to be perfect for a run.

We're trying the Jabra Elite Active 65t—a sportier model of our most loved genuine remote earphones, the Jabra Elite 65t. Early testing of the Elite Active demonstrates that they may function admirably for somebody who needs a hybrid set to wear to the exercise center and for infrequent runs. Be that as it may, we'll refresh this guide once we've had an opportunity to completely test their sweat and water opposition, and also their Bluetooth capacities, in an assortment of conditions.

How we picked

Initially we filtered through the contributions of in excess of 100 earphone organizations to perceive what new running earphones they'd discharged as of late. At that point we counseled various surveys on tech and sound locales, for example, CNET, Engadget, and PCMag, and additionally on games and way of life destinations like Men's Fitness, Runner's World, and The Active Times to perceive what competitors loved. From that point, we took a gander at client surveys on Amazon, Best Buy, and other retailer destinations to perceive what genuine proprietors needed to state. As we read, we searched for models that had the most imperative highlights of good running earphones.

Force Quote

Preferably, you'd have both awesome fit and extraordinary sound, yet if all else fails, comfort starts things out.

An unlocked outline that enables you to hear some outer commotion is of most extreme significance for wellbeing when you're running outside.

Sweat and water opposition is an absolute necessity for running earphones. Standard earphones aren't worked to withstand the beating that running earphones can take, so their guarantees likely won't cover dampness harm.

Solace is constantly essential, yet particularly with running earphones. On the off chance that they strike against your head, drop out, abrade, or catch, you won't have any desire to utilize them. The best running earphones are the ones that stay on and out of your way.

Usability matters more than expected in this classification. You would prefer not to need to quit running just to skirt a track or modify the volume. A decent combine of game earbuds has a natural remote that you can use absent much idea.

Brand dependability is critical, on the grounds that if something turns out badly, you need to realize that the organization included will be around to remain behind its item.

A guarantee of no less than a year against sweat harm is basic. Exercise earphones are intended to get somewhat damp once in a while, and a decent organization moves down their work with help and substitution if something goes amiss.

The sound quality ought to be strong and not diverting. Running earphones are a bit of wearing hardware, so in this classification we're somewhat more sympathetic of sonic defects. Furthermore, the unlocked plan that makes running earphones more secure additionally can make bass notes more hard to hear. A few organizations endeavor to repay by applying EQ to unlocked earphones in like manner. In a perfect world, you'd have both extraordinary fit and awesome sound, yet if all else fails, comfort starts things out.

Call quality is just a minor concern. You ought to have the capacity to accept a speedy get back to and get to your run. Despite the fact that breeze commotion, movement clamor, and sweat in the mic can cause troubles for any earphone mic, issues are undeniably likely in running earphones. In any case, we don't suggest accepting imperative gets while thumping out 5k in any case, so in our exploration and tests, when it came to calls, we searched for coherence as opposed to flawlessness.

We brought in each model that met these criteria (and either had positive surveys or was too new to have any input) for our master board to assess.

How we tried

A video of a lady run forward and backward down a walkway while wearing running earphones.

A large portion of a mile is only the start. We put our contenders through sweat, sound, and quality testing.

In the first place, we put the greater part of our contenders under the investigation of our master board. We requested that the specialists think about the fit, comfort, convenience, and sound nature of each model and to rank their best picks. This progression dispensed with a considerable measure of ineffectively planned earphones and enabled us to center our perseverance tests around earbuds we'd really need to utilize.

Our board top choices proceeded onward to our wellness and stress tests. On a radiant Los Angeles day, we took to the track and ran a large portion of a mile with each match. I took a great deal of notes, focusing on pulling, scraping, and which earphones, assuming any, dropped out. I considered breeze commotion, link clamor, and the capacity to hear outer commotions, as well. I wore shades to perceive how well each combine fit for glasses wearers. We sweated a great deal. This progression lessened the field further, however we weren't done trying yet.
Draw Quote

I thought about the cost, tried for essential call quality, and took every one of our potential best singles out a 5-mile raced to check whether any concealed issues surfaced.

To check sturdiness, I held each set by the earpieces and pulled strongly a couple of dozen times to reenact catching and pulling off the head. At that point I tried water opposition by driving the earphones on, splashing each earphone combine altogether utilizing a water-filled utility moistening jug, and squeezing the remote catches to check whether any water would spill in. I rehashed this procedure like clockwork for 60 minutes, and after that I tuned in to each combine for any negative impacts. (Truly, I persevered through various wet-creeps for you.)

Lastly—in light of the fact that the majority of that wasn't sufficient—I tried sweat obstruction. To mimic execution under extremely damp with sweat conditions, we utilized information from a logical investigation of marathon sprinters to ascertain the normal salt substance of sweat and made a saltwater blend relating to the examination's most elevated recorded levels. I at that point fueled every one of the earphones back on and utilized our moistening jug to splash them with our sweat intermediary. In the wake of trying to wet the remotes altogether, I pounded every one of the catches once more. Since sweat harm is to a great extent because of the collection of salt (as opposed to dampness) influencing the gadgets, for this test I splashed at regular intervals or held up until the point when the earphones were completely dry before showering once more. I did this four times, and after that checked the execution. The earphones all had that salty, covered feeling like your skin after you've been in the sea, however we got some authoritative outcomes.

Perseverance trials finish, I thought about the cost, tried for fundamental call quality, and took every one of our potential best singles out a 5-mile hurried to check whether any shrouded issues surfaced. At long last, we were prepared to proclaim our victors. Whew!

A word on fit

Fit is a vital piece of acquiring any in-ear earphones, however when you're logging miles of runs, fit turns out to be significantly more basic. Makers have thought of a wide range of answers for make their earbuds stay put, and the accomplishment of those advancements changes broadly. What works impeccably for one individual's ears may feel like torment to another person's. Accordingly, in our board testing, finding an agreement on fit was especially troublesome in this classification. Some of the time the fit influenced just solace, yet different circumstances the fit changed the sound, as well.

Our specialists run broadly fit as a fiddle, head shape, and ear-waterway measure. Our objective was to discover alternatives that would function admirably for the a great many people conceivable, so in the event that one arrangement of earphones felt great to the greater part of our specialists, we knew we were on to something. All things considered, since no two individuals have absolutely a similar life systems, no single combine of running earphones will work impeccably for everybody.

We very suggest attempting on earphones before you submit. Search for retailers, (for example, Amazon) that enable you to return or trade, and spare the bundling until you've had an opportunity to test your new earbuds out. Shake your head around, bounce a couple of times, and give your running earphones a similar kind of trial run that you would another match of shoes. Examine your earphones with a similar care you would take for some other bit of donning hardware, and you'll receive the rewards of a consistent change into your schedule.

Our pick: Plantronics BackBeat Fit

A closeup of our pick for best running earphone, the Plantronics BackBeat Fit.

Our pick

Plantronics BackBeat Fit

Plantronics BackBeat Fit

The best running earphones for a great many people

It's extreme, agreeable, and intended to give you a chance to hear your surroundings for more secure runs—that is the reason the BackBeat Fit has been our pick for a long time.

$105 $94* from Amazon

You spare $11 (10%)

$160 from Plantronics

*At the season of distributing, the cost was $122.

The Plantronics BackBeat Fit has been our most loved combine of running earphones for quite a while now since it's exceptionally strong, it fits easily, it's anything but difficult to utilize, and it sounds extraordinary. These earphones feel lightweight and stable—you can simply pop them onto your head and go. A snare over your ear and a little wing simply inside your external ear keep each earbud set up. The snare is sufficiently thin that glasses wearers ought to have the capacity to keep running with both the BackBeat Fit and their specs on without issue, and the wing is sufficiently adaptable that it ought to be agreeable for most ear shapes.

The intelligent covering on the strong rubber treated link that goes behind your neck includes to your perceivability evening side trips. With respect to the controls, the huge play/stop catch and the call-answer catch are anything but difficult to utilize while you're in movement. The volume and power/combine catches are more similar to nubbins by the other two controls, however once you have your finger on one, it's easy to use without looking.

A profile perspective of a sprinter wearing blue BackBeat Fit running earphones and shades.

The BackBeat Fit exceeds expectations at sweat obstruction. I've worn these earphones on no less than 400 miles of keeps running in sweltering Los Angeles climate, on blustery days, and for long, damp with sweat preparing keeps running in the course of recent years, and they are still similarly as incredible as the day we initially tried them. Regardless of being lightweight, they feel tough and generous. On the off chance that anything goes wrong, Plantronics backs this combine with a one-year guarantee in the US. (The organization has diverse guarantee terms in different nations, so check what the bundling says on the off chance that you are purchasing abroad.)
Draw Quote

The BackBeat Fit is planned splendidly to guide music to your ear yet additionally to enable ecological sounds to contact you, which helps guard you both propelled and.

In spite of the fact that the BackBeat Fit has an asserted battery life of eight hours, your outcomes may differ contingent upon the volume level and what number of calls you take. It's anything but difficult to know when it's an ideal opportunity to charge once more, as a symbol on your cell phone shows how much charge the earphones have, or you can tap the BackBeat Fit's energy catch to trigger a voice that reveals to you how much listening time is cleared out.

With respect to the sound, this is one of the main sets of unlocked earbuds that our board really preferred. Plantronics plainly considered the open outline when tuning the BackBeat Fit. In our tests, nothing boomed or penetrated, and it delivered some real perceptible bass notes, not simply suggestions. This is seldom the case with unlocked earbuds. While you won't have the capacity to shake your jaw with super-low pounding notes on this combine, it's presumably best that you tune in at a direct level at any rate, since you need to make certain that you can even now hear your surroundings over your music. The BackBeat Fit is planned splendidly to guide music to your ear yet additionally to enable natural sounds to contact you, which helps protect you both persuaded and.

Defects however not dealbreakers

Generally, the BackBeat Fit is fabulous, however we have a couple of minor bandy. The thick, rubber treated link that associates the earbuds may at times brush against your shirt, however we never felt as if it pulled or that our earbuds were in danger of dropping out. On the off chance that you keep running with a scarf in chilly climate or have a high neckline on your coat, be that as it may, it might trouble you all the more much of the time.

Additionally, by and large talking, in-ear earphones that don't seal tend to forfeit some stable quality, particularly in the lower frequencies, and this set is no special case. While the BackBeat Fit offers more low frequencies than most other unlocked earbuds, none of the earphones in this test gathering can contend with fixed earbuds as far as the lows they can create.

The snare that sits over your ear to hold each earbud set up is somewhat adaptable however could represent an issue for individuals with substantial external ears. None of our specialists had any issue, yet in the event that you know you're an exception, you should observe preceding requesting the BackBeat Fit.

Sprinter up: Urbanears Stadion

A closeup of our sprinter up pick for best running earphone, a couple of orange Urbanears Stadion earphones.

Sprinter up

Urbanears Stadion

Urbanears Stadion

Extraordinary option earbuds for sprinters

The bizarre outline dispenses with link clamor, and the natural controls are easy to utilize. Large and little head sizes may discover this combine less agreeable, be that as it may.

$90 from Amazon

On the off chance that our select sold, or on the off chance that you detest the link ricochet that happens with most earphones, the Urbanears Stadion offers a one of a kind option with simple to-utilize controls. While it might look somewhat odd at to start with, the Stadion's wound link configuration embraces your head and to a great extent disposes of the very normal and irritating link skip. It's shockingly agreeable, and the curls have an intelligent material that will enable you to remain noticeable during the evening.

The snares that string over your ears are adaptable and sufficiently limited that you can wear the Stadion with shades. Also, the silicone settling wings hold without disturbing, even on longer runs. A battery life of seven or more hours ought to get you during a time of running on a solitary charge, and the controls are expansive, instinctive, and simple to reach, in spite of being situated behind your head.

A closeup of a sprinter wearing Urbanears Stadion running earphones. The earphones are orange and have a looped link that fits around the back of the head.

The looped link on the Stadion looks abnormal at first however is shockingly adroit at maintaining a strategic distance from link bob.

The Stadion sounds very great, however trying to make up for the unlocked earbuds, Urbanears may have supported the bass frequencies excessively: In our tests, these earphones sounded somewhat sloppy in the low pitch guitar run and needed sharp definition in hip-bounce basslines. That is a paltry protestation, nonetheless, particularly considering the Stadion's sound versus a great part of the opposition. The earbud configuration permits in a lot of outer sound, so gave that you keep your volume levels sensible, you'll experience no difficulty hearing what is occurring around you. At long last, a one-year guarantee from Urbanears secures you in the event that you experience any issues.

Two minor issues shielded the Stadion from asserting our best spot. To begin with is the way this combine can fit for individuals on the most distant closures of the cap estimate range. For bigger heads, the link can extend too far and delicately yet reliably pull on the earbuds. We aren't sure if after some time the curls would unwind, however you likely would prefer not to need to endure that. With respect to individuals on the littler headed side, the link may have excessively slack, and the remote can ricochet annoyingly. I have a modest noggin, and I found that by laying the remote over my pig tail, I could resolve the issue. Yet, for anybody with short hair and a little head, the remote can bump here and there like it's on a Slinky connected to your skull. Not all that pleasant.

A closeup of the back of the Urbanears Stadion running earphones, where there are three control catches.

The Urbanears Stadion's controls remain effortlessly open in spite of their area on the back of the headband.

The other bummer is that you don't get an exact battery pointer, either on the earphones themselves or on your telephone. The single LED on the Stadion can streak white or red to imply whether the battery is finished or under 40 percent limit, however how far under or over that 40 percent is a secret. At the end of the day, if the light flashes red, you ought to most likely give the earphones a couple of minutes to charge before taking off the entryway. It's a touch of irritating for individuals who don't care for remembering to connect to their earphones after only a couple of runs. For every other person, in any case, the Stadion is an incredible decision.

Spending pick: Zagg iFrogz InTone Wireless

A closeup of our spending pick for best running earphones, Zagg iFrogz InTone remote earbuds.

A reasonable alternative for easygoing joggers

Shockingly lightweight, these earbuds are the best of the exceptionally cheap running earphones we've tried.

$30 from Zagg

In the event that you run just short separations, need to play music amid your walk-runs yet hear your environment, or don't run every now and again enough to need to put much cash into running earphones, the Zagg iFrogz InTone Wireless combine is for you. These earphones are anything but difficult to utilize, intended to deal with some sweat, and particularly modest. Simply be set up to charge them every now and again—five hours of battery life pass by rapidly.

The earbud plan on this set looks extremely natural: If the Apple EarPods were water safe and associated with a little Bluetooth transmitter, they'd practically be the InTone Wireless. Is the fit comparative, as well as the sound and cost are too. As such, on the off chance that you've been running with the EarPods that accompany your iPhone, and you have to supplant them with something remote and reasonable, go for the InTone Wireless.

A profile perspective of a sprinter wearing white Zagg iFrogz Intone Wireless earbuds.

The remote/transmitter clasps to a shirt or a games bra by means of an attractive circle. It's shockingly subtle, and in our tests it didn't ricochet around excessively. The controls are extensive and simple to utilize, and the brilliant attractive circle can work for helpful link stockpiling as well. The strings from the remote to the earbuds are light and sufficiently thin that they don't make much clamor, and the earbuds let in a lot of outer sound, so you'll generally hear your environment. Additionally, a one-year guarantee will cover you on the off chance that anything breaks.

The InTone Wireless offers a five-hour battery life in genuine utilize yet can remain in standby for 10 hours, and the set goes into standby mode before long. On the off chance that you stop your run or neglect to kill the earphones for reasons unknown, you likely won't lose quite a bit of your outstanding battery life. Regardless you have to charge the set generally as often as possible, however in the event that you tend to keep running for 30 minutes a few times each week, that shouldn't be excessively of a problem.

A sprinter cutting the Intone Wireless earbuds remote onto her tank top lash.

We discovered some eminent blemishes to the InTone Wireless. In the first place, on the off chance that you keep running without a shirt, you won't have a place to cut the remote, in light of the fact that the line isn't sufficiently long to clasp to your shorts. Second, the sound quality needs bass frequencies: Very profound bass notes won't sound tantamount to on our best picks, as you'll hear just their hints. Anybody acquainted with the EarPod sound can hope to hear something comparable. Talking about EarPods, on the off chance that you have bigger ear trenches in which the EarPod configuration doesn't stay put, neither will these earbuds. What's more, the IPX2 rating implies that you can trickle sweat on these however not splash them. All things considered, those defects are excusable thinking about the cost.

How our picks think about

In the event that the Stadion fits you legitimately, it's magnificent to wear, with huge controls and a link that stays up and off the beaten path behind your head. Be that as it may, for considerably bigger and littler noggins, the Plantronics BackBeat Fit is the more secure wager. The Plantronics match is a nearby second in such manner, however, due just to the marginally less straightforward controls and the link slack that can rub on the off chance that you wear a high neckline in cooler climate. The InTone Wireless' clasp configuration is shrewd, yet attaching it to a shirt isn't perfect.

Battery life


In spite of the fact that your utilization time may shift contingent upon what number of calls you take and how uproariously you play your music, in our tests the BackBeat Fit bested our different picks with an eight or more hour battery life. The Urbanears Stadion kicked the bucket at around seven and a half hours in our testing, and the InTone Wireless dropped off at just shy of six hours.

Of our picks, the BackBeat Fit had the most adjusted sound in our tests, with clearer highs and preferred spoke to bass notes over we've gotten notification from some other nonsealed earbuds we've ever tried. The Stadion positioned a nearby second, yet with more extraordinary and fairly muddier lower frequencies that could obscure the points of interest in the low pitch guitar go. Concerning the InTone Wireless, its sound is adequate at the cost, however it does not have the lower notes you'll get notification from the other two picks.

Why you should utilize an armband

A sprinter wearing our best running earphones pick and an iPhone joined to her arm with an armband.

Bluetooth can't go through water, which is the thing that makes up the vast majority of your body. So regardless of how incredible the flag quality might be on your earphones or gadget, on the off chance that you put them on inverse sides of enough water, the flag will drop. Inside, Bluetooth radio waves bob off dividers and articles to get around your body. That doesn't work outside very too, particularly in boundless expanses, for example, fields. So we profoundly prescribe utilizing an armband or midriff pack, as opposed to a shorts stash, for stowing your music gadget.

Not exclusively is an armband better for your telephone (pockets can get sweat-soaked), yet it additionally gives those Bluetooth waves a reasonable way to movement. On the off chance that you find that you get a ton of flag drop, before abandoning a most loved combine of earbuds, take a stab at wearing an armband or exchanging your armband or midriff pack to the opposite side of your body. In the event that the earphones' transmitter is on the contrary side of your body from where you wear your gadget, all that body water may cause obstruction. An armband or midriff pack is a cheap venture that guarantees less association issues and furthermore shields your telephone from sweat harm.

The opposition

AfterShokz Bluez 2: We have never possessed the capacity to get bone-conduction earphones to sound any superior to a small, tinny combine of speakers hanging before our ears. We've situated, repositioned, squeezed the conductors to our heads, and had PR individuals demonstrate to us generally accepted methods to wear them, and they have never inspired anybody on our board.

With the Bluez 2, our specialist Phil remarked on how the bass notes stimulated his face, and in spite of wrenching the volume, he and another specialist, Brent, both commented that they would hear tunes better in the event that they kept running with music playing from the speakers on their iPhones. Bone conduction is a fascinating idea, and the Bluez 2 is manufactured sturdily, yet we beyond any doubt couldn't get this match to sound adequate to make us glad.

AfterShokz Trekz Titanium: This set had an odd fit that stimulated our countenances as we ran, and it sounded more regrettable than the speaker on an iPhone. We cherish the thought, yet none of us on the board have ever possessed the capacity to get a bone-conduction configuration to be a fantastic ordeal.

Avantree Jogger Pro: Our first time around, this was the main arrangement of unlocked Bluetooth earphones in the class, and it was fairly disillusioning. In spite of the fact that these earphones were in reality light, they felt as wobbly and brittle as a Happy Meal toy. They didn't create much volume to talk about, and the bass was nonexistent. Likewise with the AfterShokz models, the sound wasn't too a long way from music getting through the speakers on an iPhone. We say to spare your cash.

Bose SoundSport: Not exactly sufficiently fixed to shut out sound however not exactly sufficiently unlocked to give you a feeling of your condition, the SoundSport remote earphones wound up being somewhat of a disappointment for us. In spite of the fact that the sound was alright, with marginally blobby bass yet better than average mids and highs, it was the fit and plan that extremely kept this match out of the running.

In our tests, the link had a grippy quality that caught on my shoulder as I turned my head, once in a while pulling the earbuds and requiring repositioning. The catches on the remote additionally had an odd squirm when I pushed down; they felt like remote-control flips rather than catches. This material viewpoint implied that squeezing the controls while I was running took more fixation. What's more, the nonremovable wings bothered my ears—in the event that you detest the wings, you can't change the pieces to your taste. By and large, those minor imperfections included and kept the SoundSport from making the cut.

Beast iSport Intensity: The defeat of the Intensity is the link—it's too long, and it pounds when it skips. That, as well as a remote on one side of the link and a Bluetooth transmitter on the opposite side include weight. That weight, joined with the link's grippy surface, makes a circumstance in which the moment you turn your head, the link tangles and hauls the earbuds out of your ear channels. In our tests, the Intensity had a great time sound quality, yet it functioned admirably just when we were sitting still, and that is not what we need out of running earphones.