Get A++ Performance With These Top-Rated Workout Headphones

There’s nothing like great music or an engrossing audiobook to keep you motivated to move during a workout, though not all wireless headphones cut it when you're in constant motion and teeming with sweat. If you're a serious fitness enthusiast, it's essential to invest in workout headphones designed for high performance to keep pace with you during your most intense runs, HIIT classes, and rides. Water resistance and an excellent fit are a must, and things like active noise-cancelling and good battery life will help to stay focused and in the zone.

But with so many headphones on market, it can be tough to figure out which ones have the right combination of features to be workout-ready—which is why we rounded up the best workout headphones available for your consideration. Read on for our top picks, plus advice on everything you need to know before buying.

The Best Workout Headphones

What to Consider

Finding the ideal set of workout headphones for you is a highly personal decision, depending on your budget and the workouts you typically do. Keep the following in mind, and you’ll be much more likely to land on the perfect pair.

Type: Some people will never feel comfortable heading out on a run with just earbuds in, while others couldn’t imagine dragging over-ear headphones everywhere with them. We feature earbuds, classic headphones, and others with ear hooks or neckbands.

Water-resistance: All the workout headphones we write about are water-resistant to varying degrees. An IP rating grades how resistant gear and devices (among other electric and electronic equipment) are to liquid and dust. We provide the IP rating for every pair covered below.

Battery Life: It's important to read the fine-print when looking at the battery life of any wireless headphones. Some brands advertise up to 50 hours of listening time, for example, but that can drop down to 6 hours per charge minus the wireless charging case and features like active noise-cancellation turned on.

ANC: Several of our headphones include active noise-cancellation (ANC). This allows you to surround yourself with your music or podcasts, and block out distracting background noise. The feature can be turned off for safety purposes as needed.

How We Selected

Our selection includes workout headphones from top brands including Apple, Beats, Shokz, Bose, and other, all with average customer ratings of 4 stars or more. We carefully reviewed a slew of options, read through dozens of professional reviews, along with countless consumer comments to get an overall sense of performance. We feature options in a range of styles, from earbuds to over-ear headphones to models with neckbands and ear hooks, across multiple price points.

For more workout gear and equipment, check out our stories on the best adjustable dumbbells, the best yoga mats, and the best GPS fitness trackers.