Answers
"With nearly 65,000 reviews on these 4.5-star earbuds, the Powerbeats Pro from Beats has everything you’d want in an over-the-ear wireless earbud. The secure-fit ear hooks are adjustable and each set comes with multiple ear tip options for the most customizable and comfortable fit that moves with you. Plus, the headphones are sweat and water-resistant, have up to nine hours of battery, include sensors that connect to your device as soon as they enter your ear, and easily pair with your iOS or Android devices."
"The best running headphones are smaller and more affordable than ever—and have almost entirely eliminated wires—yet it’s tough to know what kind of sound you can expect from these tiny wireless earbuds before you buy."
"if your ears get sweat and you have an iphone then youre like me...only things i found that worked were the powerbeats pro"
"Same. Fantastic headphones"
"If you like your sound to be crystal clear during the hardest workouts, Bose Sport Earbuds provide an acclaimed lifelike sound with proprietary acoustic port design and premium, high-efficiency drivers to deliver big sound. They are sweat and weather resistant, have simple touch controls, and provide
"I enjoy my JBL headphones"
"Beats Studio3"
"If you have an iPhone, the AirPods are great. I’ve had mine for a while and love em. I don’t take them on really long runs, just up to 7-8 miles because they sometimes slip out of my ears."
"With these classic Apple earbuds, you’ll get up to six hours of listening time with a single charge and up to 30 hours with the MagSafe Charging Case. The all-new contoured design helps keep the earbuds put and the sensor lets you easily control your music, podcast, phone calls, and more. These earbuds are water and sweat-resistant, work directly with Siri, and easily connect to all of your Apple devices."
"Jabra Elite 45h"
"But if the question is are the Jabra Elite 85T any good for running
"Jabra has come out with newer headphones for runners, but the Elite Active 75t remains a strong contender on our list because you can usually find it on sale and because Jabra nailed the shape here. Credit that to the angular build that nests snugly in the outer ear canal, without giving you that tightly sealed, high-pressure “thud” with each footstrike. The sound quality is crisp, dynamic, and full—rivaling Apple’s AirPods Pro—but these Jabras will cost you less and offer about 90 more minutes of battery on a single charge."
All answers
Considerations
Comfort
Fit
Battery Life
Ambient Noise
Situational Awareness
Sources
About this article
Composed Feb 22, 2023 by
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Research
Notes
-
Jabra Elite 85T
- IPX4 rated, good for sports
- Pressure relief vents for maximum all-day comfort
- 6 microphones
- ANC is superb
- Good sound quality, similar to the Active Elite 75T
- Fit is comfortable but not as secure as the 75T
-
Powerbeats Pro
- IPX4 rated, good for sports
- Fit is secure and comfortable
- Good sound quality
- ANC is good
- Best all-round package for running and working out
"The nice thing here is that the case has wireless charging enabled as standard in addition to USB C. Wireless charging was available with the 75t model but only at additional cost. Despite the slight size increase I really like the case. It’s still very small, the buds snap into place magnetically with a satisfying action. It’s just the right texture to not be insanely slippy. It holds around 20 hours worth of charge for the buds, which hold about 6 hours on their own. So easily a day's worth of listening all things considered."
"So how does that active noise cancelling work, and what’s it like? Well first we need to talk about the fit, as there’s a massive change here from what I was used to with the 75T and 65T. The Jabra Elite 85T features an oval shaped tip so that when you put on the buds with that twisting motion, they form a snug and comfortable seal – but the kicker is that the tips go nowhere near as far into your ear canal as the 75T or 65T."
"I was a little sceptical of Jabras chops when it comes to ANC, as while I appreciated the feature on the Active Elite 75T, the sense of isolation caused by the deep seal of the buds was enough to block out most noise purely on its own. However, without the deep seal the 85T has its work cut out for it, and I’m pleased to say it passes with flying colours. It’s quite remarkable when it’s on, and not far off Bose and Sony levels of ANC."
-
AfterShokz Trekz Air
- Comfort and security while running
- Allows for situational awareness
- Good sound quality, but no bass
- 6-hour battery life
- Can pause music or conversation by tapping the side of the head
- Can be found for $50 at Costco
-
Plantronic BackBeat Fit
- Lightweight
- Stays put
- Good sound quality, better bass than Trekz
- Blocks some outside noise
- Waterproof
- Decent battery life
-
Jaybird X3
- Great sound quality
- Poor build quality and QA
-
Bose SoundSports
- Great sound quality
- Doesn’t stay put for trail running
"Go to a running shop and try them. In my opinion they’re the real deal, but of course the sound quality is impaired compared to normal earphones."
"I have a pair of Aftershoks and I can vouch for them. My wife has used mine and she wants her own pair now, too."
"I have tried aftershoks in a shop and it's definitely worth trying them. Where I went then had three different demo models, one wired, one Bluetooth, and a premium bluetooth. They vary in how bulky they are too with the premium being the lightest."
-
Trekz AfterShokz
- Bone conduction headphones
- Allows you to hear ambient noises
- Comfortable
-
Bose Soundsport Wireless
- Water resistant
- Don’t have any wires
- Good sound quality
-
Mpow Magneto
- Cheap
- Lots of ear adaptors
-
AirPods
- Good for iPhones
- Can slip them into silicone inserts
-
Plantronics Backbeat FIT
- Comfortable
- Battery life is good
- Allows ambient noise
-
Powerbeats Pro
- Best sound quality
-
Jabra Elite 65T Active
- Highly recommended
-
Jaybird Tarah Pro
- Comfortable
- Waterproof
- Good sound quality
-
Samsung Gear X
- Wireless
- Don’t bounce around or fall out
-
Anker Soundbuds Slim
- Not too expensive
- Last 3 years
"If you have an iPhone, the AirPods are great. I’ve had mine for a while and love em. I don’t take them on really long runs, just up to 7-8 miles because they sometimes slip out of my ears."
"They work perfectly fine in Android, too. The only annoyances I've found is you need an Apple device to set up the tap shortcuts and to update firmware."
"Bose Soundsport wireless. perfect. i would pay 1000 USD for them"
-
LETSCOM headphones
- Cost around $20
- Have performed through seasons, rain, sweat, and last for a week’s worth of runs
- JBL headphones
- Razer Opus headphones
- Jabra Elite 45h headphones
- Beats Studio3 headphones
-
Platronics backbeat 3150 headphones
- Not available in the UK, but can be ordered through Amazon.co.uk
- Good for those with sensitive ears
-
Bone conduction headphones
- Suggested for those with hearing issues
"Beats Studio3"
"I understand that you have hearing issues but have you looked at the bone conduction headphones?"
"I enjoy my JBL headphones"
-
Aftershokz
- Stay on, comfortable, don’t block outside noises (bikes, other runners etc), sound fine, decent charge/playing time
- Can hear surroundings plus can use them to chat as they have a built in mic
- Best headphones I’ve ever had
- Can have mine on all day and I don’t even notice them
- Life changing
- Amazing comfort, great sound, incredible battery life, and you can still hear your surroundings for safety
- Can turn them up louder than is comfortable
- Can hear everything going on around me
- Impressive battery
- Can still hear ambient noise while wearing them
- Can listen to music while around others and they are non the wiser
- For when you want to be able to hear ambient noise
- You can turn them up louder than is comfortable
- You can still hear ambient noise over your music or whatever is playing
- Can hear music while on busy streets
- Can use them with earplugs when mowing the grass
- Can use them with earplugs on the subway/planes/etc.
-
Bose sound sport wireless
- Can use them with earplugs when mowing the grass
- Can use them with earplugs on the subway/planes/etc.
-
AirPods
- Very good
- Can use them with earplugs on the subway/planes/etc.
"Aftershokz. Stay on, comfortable, don't block outside noises (bikes, other runners etc), sound fine, decent charge/playing time."
"These were good but if you need them louder I think it's quite dangerous for your hearing and they don't explain that very well"
"Aftershokz Aeropex are the worst headphones I've ever used. If you turn up the volume, your ears start to pulse, distracting and uncomfortable. Only useful for running/biking, literally worthless if you want to sit down and lean your head back. They are worth $50 at max"
-
Plantronics backbeat fit
- Open type so you can hear your surroundings
- Hook over the ear
- Waterproof
-
AirPods Pro
- Good with sweat
- Can get good deals on Black Friday
-
Bose earphones
- Good with sweat
- Great sound blocking feature
- Good customer service
-
Google Pixel Buds A-series
- Little hook to turn them a little outside your ear
- Good battery time
- Smart things if you are on Android
-
MPow 30 earbuds
- Good fitting and sound quality
- No need to adjust them during running
-
Wired headphones
- Listen to podcasts during easy runs
- Listen to music during quicker runs
-
Aftershokz headphones
- Bone conduction headphones
- Can be aware of your surroundings
- Good battery life
-
Powerbeats Pro
- Hooks over ears
- Good sound quality
-
Headband earphones from Amazon
- Hold back hair
- Keep ears warm in winter
- Machine washable
-
Otium Bluetooth headphones
- Good for city-running
- Security of having wire in between the headphones
-
Sound Blaster Jam headphones
- Incredibly light
- 18 hours of battery life
- Excellent sound quality
-
LG TONE Free FN6 earbuds
- Microphones
- Mix in outside sound if wanted
-
Jabra Elite Active 75T
- Highly sweat resistant
-
Bose Sport buds
- Better than anything else out there
-
Aftershokz Aeropex
- Live up to the hype
-
AirPods Pro
- 6 hours listening time
- Transparency on
-
Jabra Elite 85T
- Hear through or noise cancelling
-
Powerbeat Pros
- Over ear
- Good for running, strength, core, yoga, stretching
-
Beats
- Good sound quality
"AirPods Pro with Comply foam tips. By far the best setup I’ve ever used."
"I love my Bose earphones!!! I sweat a lot and most brands fall out. These fit well and never fall out. Yes they are pricey, but better than buying several. I've had mine for over 3 years."
"I tested a few and stopped with the
-
Aftershokz
- Good for situational awareness
- Not great for audio quality
- Good for running and walking
- Earpieces can be uncomfortable
- Can hear wind if using “hear-through” mode
- AeroPex model is waterproof
-
Jabra Elite Active 75t
- Good sound quality
- Hear-through mode can be loud and windy
- Can use just the right earpiece for situational awareness
-
Plantronics Backbeat Fit
- Designed for situational awareness
- Fit and sound is great
- Battery may not hold charge
-
Bose Quiet Comfort
- Noise canceling
- Can put them in “aware mode” to increase environment noise
-
Bose Open Ear Headphones
- Audio quality is better than Aftershokz
-
Any Bluetooth Earbuds
- Can use one ear piece for situational awareness
"Specifically for situational awareness I'm eyeballing Aftershokz. Havent been able to test them yet though."
"I love my Aftershokz. I’m not sure if they do this for the newer versions, but I got mine a few years ago and got the “mini” size. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m a female or if my head is just smaller, but I found the regular size stuck out too much behind my head. Luckily, I was able to demo them at my local running store first, which is how I found out about the two sizes. Aftershockz customer service was great too when one of the earpieces mysteriously stopped working after a few months and sent me a new pair (which have worked perfectly). Regular earbuds always fell out, so I love that these sit just outside the ear and the ability to hear my surroundings is great also."
"Definitely agree aftershokz are great for that I have the aeropex and they are worth the price"
None
"A variant of our budget robot vacuum pick, this particular Eufy model has stronger suction than the 11s and includes extra boundary markers—perfect for those who want the ability to restrict their vacuum to certain areas in their home."
"An improved version of our current upgrade pick, the Roborock S6 Pure boasts all the most useful functions of a robot vacuum—like impressive navigation and interactive mapping—plus a few handy extras."
"Handheld vacuums are a great cleaning solution for hard-to-reach areas in your home or car. Although it only holds a 10-minute charge, we think the Black+Decker is strong enough to quickly clean a minivan or SUV before running out of steam. We also like its simple, pivoting head and all-in-one design, which makes it both easy to use and store."
-
Beats Studio Buds:
- Control your sound with active noise-canceling technology for a super focused run, or transparency mode to allow for ambient noise
- Ultra-comfortable earbuds with three different ear tip sizes
- Stay charged for up to eight hours of listening time
- Provide powerful and balanced sound
- Include built-in microphones for high-quality calls
- Sweat and water-resistant
- Compatible with both Apple and Android devices
-
Apple AirPods (3rd generation):
- Up to six hours of listening time with a single charge and up to 30 hours with the MagSafe Charging Case
- Contoured design helps keep the earbuds put
- Sensor lets you easily control your music, podcast, phone calls, and more
- Water and sweat-resistant
- Work directly with Siri
- Easily connect to all of your Apple devices
-
Bose SoundSport:
- Wireless headphones easily connect with Bluetooth
- Newly redesigned ear tips that comfortably stay in place during your workout
- Sweat and water-resistant
- Up to six hours of battery life per charge
-
Beats Powerbeats Pro Wireless Earbuds:
- Secure-fit ear hooks are adjustable and come with multiple ear tip options for the most customizable and comfortable fit
- Sweat and water-resistant
- Up to nine hours of battery
- Sensors that connect to your device as soon as they enter your ear
- Easily pair with your iOS or Android devices
-
Bose Sport Earbuds:
- Active noise-canceling technology blocks out background noise up to 80% and delivers crystal-clear sound quality with two times the bass
- Simple touch controls
- Five hours of listening per charge
- Three sizes of secure and comfortable ear tips that are designed to stay in place through the entire workout
-
Apple AirPods (3rd generation):
- Up to six hours of listening time with a single charge and up to 30 hours with the MagSafe Charging Case
- Contoured design helps keep the earbuds put
- Sensor lets you easily control your music, podcast, phone calls, and more
- Water and sweat-resistant
- Work directly with Siri
- Easily
"With these classic Apple earbuds, you’ll get up to six hours of listening time with a single charge and up to 30 hours with the MagSafe Charging Case. The all-new contoured design helps keep the earbuds put and the sensor lets you easily control your music, podcast, phone calls, and more. These earbuds are water and sweat-resistant, work directly with Siri, and easily connect to all of your Apple devices."
"With nearly 65,000 reviews on these 4.5-star earbuds, the Powerbeats Pro from Beats has everything you’d want in an over-the-ear wireless earbud. The secure-fit ear hooks are adjustable and each set comes with multiple ear tip options for the most customizable and comfortable fit that moves with you. Plus, the headphones are sweat and water-resistant, have up to nine hours of battery, include sensors that connect to your device as soon as they enter your ear, and easily pair with your iOS or Android devices."
"Control your sound with active noise-canceling technology for a super focused run, or transparency mode to allow for ambient noise. These ultra-comfortable earbuds have three different ear tip sizes, stay charged for up to eight hours of listening time, provide powerful and balanced sound, include built-in microphones for high-quality calls, are sweat and water-resistant, and they are compatible with both Apple and Android devices."
-
Beats Fit Pro True Wireless Earbuds
- Excellent sound quality with spatial audio
- Dynamic head tracking
- Tactile buttons that require just a light press to play/pause, two presses to skip, three to go back, and a long press to activate active noise cancellation and transparency modes or Siri
-
Jabra Jabra Elite Active 75t
- HearThrough mode allows you to adjust ambient sound
- Excellent fit; very secure yet comfortable
- HearThrough ineffective in high wind
-
Jaybird Vista 2
- Better sound compared to previous model
- Tiny carrying case
- Lots of wind noise with pass thru
-
Apple AirPods (3rd Generation)
- Open-ear design eliminates the “thud” of footstrikes
- Spatial audio
- Some people have fit issues
-
Bose Sport Earbuds
- Button-free design
- Rich sound with deep bass
- Don’t entirely seal out external noise
"The best running headphones are smaller and more affordable than ever—and have almost entirely eliminated wires—yet it’s tough to know what kind of sound you can expect from these tiny wireless earbuds before you buy."
"The coolest feature, however, is one you might have never considered—spatial audio. When you turn your head, the audio rotates so it sounds like the band is in the same spot, just as the sound would change when you swivel your head at a real concert. It’s trippy, at first, so don’t actually trip while you’re running—you get used to the feature quickly. But, it’s not just neat audio effects at play here, as the sound is remarkable for small headphones."
"Jabra has come out with newer headphones for runners, but the Elite Active 75t remains a strong contender on our list because you can usually find it on sale and because Jabra nailed the shape here. Credit that to the angular build that nests snugly in the outer ear canal, without giving you that tightly sealed, high-pressure “thud” with each footstrike. The sound quality is crisp, dynamic, and full—rivaling Apple’s AirPods Pro—but these Jabras will cost you less and offer about 90 more minutes of battery on a single charge."