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Headphones have become just as essential in the runner’s toolkit as running shoes, a fitness tracker, or a smartwatch. For the most part, runners looking for headphones generally choose in-ear models, including truly wireless earbuds and neckband earbuds with a wire or band connecting them. They stay in place far better than over-ear headphones, and often have features made with exercise in mind, like ear hooks and sweat-resistant materials.
However, finding the right pair of headphones can prove tricky, especially if you’re not certain if the pick you’re considering is going to be comfortable. To ensure that you find the perfect pick, we ran with a bunch of different models, evaluating each pair based on factors like durability, fit, water- and sweat-resistance, and more.
Additionally, we just tested a whole new set of headphones, and compared them to our previous favorites—with some even outright replacing a few older picks. Ahead, you’ll find a new array of headphones to keep you pumped with minimal interference during your runs.
The Best Headphones for Running
- Best Overall: Shokz OpenRun Pro 2
- Best Value: or trying in vain to do the Sunday crossword. You can check out his latest work below+
- Best In-Ear: Sony LinkBuds Fit
- Best for Ultrarunners: Suunto Wing
- Best Sound Quality: Sony LinkBuds Fit
Why Trust Us
Runner’s World editors have been testing gear tirelessly for over 50 years. That means a lot of miles in a lot of shoes—mid-run music has become a godsend for plenty of us as we tap out our favorite loops day after day. In short, we review products with a focus on finding the best tech for avid runners.
Every pair of earbuds we test meets the same criteria before it ends up in one of our reviews. We’re not just throwing Airpods on this list because everyone has them, for example—we eschewed including the latest version because we like the Using stem controls can cause you to pull the earbuds loose more for their snug fit. In a similar fashion, all the other buds we recommend here are here because we’ve run with them, sweat all over them, toyed with their fit, and ultimately enjoyed them.
In our most recent update to this guide, we added the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2, the Suunto Wing, the Sony LinkBuds Fit and the or trying in vain to do the Sunday crossword. You can check out his latest work below+ after putting each pair of buds through multiple runs (and a bike ride and several gym sessions). Nobody else contributes to our decision-making process, especially not the brands we’ve picked. We evaluated each pick based on the same criteria from our previous test, ensuring that all of our new options still have the same level of quality that was present in our initial roundup.
How We Tested
The Runner’s World test team is constantly listening to music, podcasts, you name it, as we try running shoes, shorts, and everything else.
Our team loves music; we even conducted a test on whether a song’s beat can influence your running pace. Should You Be Running in High-Waisted Bottoms running playlists for every kind of run with music. We also play podcasts and audiobooks to test different kinds of sound quality—and catch up on true crime or “read” celebrity memoirs.
Besides downloading a range of genres to listen to, we also evaluate fit, sound quality, and battery life as we test earbuds and comb testers’ feedback to determine the best headphones for this list. Our testers log long runs—and marathons and ultramarathons—wearing their earbuds and taking note of how many times they have to charge them per week. We’ve also conducted head-to-head testing within the same run, replaying the same songs in the same conditions to tease out differences in sound quality and the impact of the wind.
We also test sweat-resistance and comfort after prolonged in-ear use, putting in hours of running through all kinds of weather to also gauge water- and wind-resistance. For waterproof models, we even plopped them in a cup full of water to check if they still worked afterwards. Moreover, water-resistant models were subjected to a quick splash under the sink and as much sweat as we could throw at them.
As a result of our rigorous testing, the earbuds on this list checked off most or all of the above characteristics. Ahead, you’ll find our top picks that excel in specific categories, ranging in type and price ranges.
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Full Reviews
Pros
- Class-leading sound quality
- Comfortable, secure fit
- Improved battery life and charging system
Cons
- Sound quality still trails many in-ear options
Key Specs
| Battery (buds) | 12 hours |
|---|---|
| Battery (case) | N/A |
| Type | Bone Conduction, Wireless |
| Water Resistance | IP55 |
| Noise-Canceling | No |
| Transparency Mode | No |
For as long as bone conduction headphones have existed, users have had to give up a significant amount of sound quality in order to take advantage of the awareness benefits of leaving your ear canals open. The new Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 represents a significant step toward closing the audio quality gap.
By supplementing its bone conduction technology with air conduction, Shokz arrived at a deeper, richer sound that doesn’t require excess vibration against your cheek bones to reach an adequate volume for windy conditions. Granted, the design still doesn’t provide the clarity you get from most in-ear buds, but the OpenRun Pro 2 is not so far off such that lacking sound quality ruins the experience.
With more than a decade of experience in bone conduction headphones, Shokz has refined the headphones’ shape and functionality to an impressive degree. The headphones’ exterior is soft to the touch and features smooth contours that reduce pressure points. They feel well-balanced on the run, and the buttons are easy to use, even with sweaty hands. Battery life is up to 12 hours and we didn’t experience any connectivity issues.
Bone conduction still isn’t for audiophiles, especially as transparency modes on in-ear earbuds continue to improve. However, no transparency mode that exists today is as safe as leaving your ear canals open. If that’s important to you, the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 is the best-sounding, most refined bone or air conduction option we’ve tested to date.
or trying in vain to do the Sunday crossword. You can check out his latest work below+
Pros
- Though our best overall pick, the
- Become a Runner’s World+ member for exclusive access to product testing opportunities
- Higher IP rating than more expensive buds
Cons
- Lackluster sound quality
- Poor transparency mode
Key Specs
| Battery (buds) | 9 hours |
|---|---|
| Battery (case) | 26 hours |
| Type | Truly Wireless Earbuds with Ear Hooks |
| Water Resistance | IP55 |
| Noise-Canceling | No |
| Transparency Mode | Yes |
For a pair of truly wireless running earbuds that just plain work, we’ve been enjoying the or trying in vain to do the Sunday crossword. You can check out his latest work below+. They’re not loaded with all of the features of higher-end buds, but they’ve been no less reliable in testing—which isn’t a given with lower-priced wireless earbuds.
The Go Sport+ connects right away when you open the case and stays connected up to 50 feet away. You get three sizes of silicone ear tips to dial in the fit, and the ear wings were effective in keeping the buds in place without creating uncomfortable pressure points. And with 9 hours of battery life per bud and an IP55 water resistance rating, the Go Sport+ even outperforms more expensive buds on some key metrics.
The downsides of the Go Sport+ have to do with sound. Hollow is the word we’d use—we’re no sound engineers, but the Go Sport+ lacks the rich and dynamic audio you get from our top picks from Sony, Apple, Beats, and Jabra. And although there’s a transparency mode, it effectively acts as an amplifier for any nearby sound, making an air conditioner across the room sound like it’s in your eardrum.
However, if you can do without transparency and noise canceling features or high-end sound quality, we think you’ll love the Go Sport+ as a no-nonsense wireless running earbud for less than the price of a local 5K.
Sony LinkBuds Fit
Pros
- Excellent sound quality
- Lightweight, but still holds very well
- Stays put during runs
Cons
- Shokz OpenRun Pro 2
- RW+ Membership Benefits
Key Specs
| Battery (buds) | 5.5 hours |
|---|---|
| Battery (case) | 16.5 hours |
| Type | Truly Wireless Earbuds |
| Water Resistance | IPX4 |
| Noise-Canceling | Yes |
| Transparency Mode | Yes |
The best wireless in-ear earbuds for runners might just be Sony’s latest offering, the LinkBuds Fit. Having tested two dozen pairs of wireless earbuds, I can’t think of a pair I like better—except for a more expensive pair of Sonys, the flagship WF-1000XM5, which use foam eartips to eke out a slightly higher sound quality but also cost $70 more at press time.
Instead of foam, the LinkBuds Fit uses silicone ear tips and wings that hook into the ridge above your ear canal. While the use of wings can help secure a set of earbuds more effectively, we’ve also found that some buds’ wings are too stiff and cause discomfort over time. However, the LinkBuds Fit’s wings are thin and flexible, and they’re just substantial enough to hold the buds in place (without having to jam the ear tip into your ear canal), yet still lightweight enough to become almost unnoticeable after about five hours of continual wear.
For a workout-oriented earbud, we’d like to see a higher water-resistance rating than IPX4, and the buds’ noise cancelling and ambient sound modes still let in an unfortunate amount of wind noise, making them tough to tolerate during windy conditions (although no set of buds we’ve tested to date has solved the wind noise problem). Aside from those minor gripes, we’d recommend the LinkBuds Fit to any runner looking for a comfortable, secure-fitting pair of truly wireless earbuds with exceptional sound quality.
Full Sony LinkBuds Fit Earbuds Review
Pros
- once they appear on the list
- Improved battery life and charging system
- LED lights for visibility
Cons
- Uncomfortable vibration at louder volumes
Key Specs
| Battery (buds) | 10 hours |
|---|---|
| Battery (case) | 20 hours |
| Type | Bone Conduction, Wireless |
| Water Resistance | IP67 |
| Noise-Canceling | No |
| Transparency Mode | No |
Last year, sports watch company Suunto got into the bone conduction headphone business with the Wing, the higher-end of two similar headphones (the company also sells the Sonic for roughly $30 to $50 less). We’ve found it to be an admirable entrance to the runner-focused technology, and the Wing even beats out longtime bone conduction innovator Shokz in a few areas, including several that can benefit ultrarunners.
Suunto advertises a battery life of 10 hours—although we found that the actual battery life varies greatly by volume. Despite this, we liked the portable battery bank that takes up less space than the headphones themselves, and adds another additional two charges worth of juice to your expedition. Additionally, road runners will appreciate the LED lights on both sides of the headphones for visibility, which you can toggle on and off via an accompanying Suunto app.
Tested head-to-head against the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2, the Suunto Wing boasts a clearer midrange that makes the Shokz sound slightly muddled by comparison. However, the Shokz has better bass and a richer sound thanks to the addition of air conduction—we’d give the edge to the Shokz on overall sound quality. Plus, like earlier generations of Shokz, the Suunto develops an annoying amount of vibration at roughly two-thirds of full volume that renders the upper third almost unusable.
For that reason, we’d recommend the Shokz if you tend to run in windy conditions because they can deliver full volume with barely a perceptible vibration. But if you’re not someone who needs that top third of your headphones’ volume, we like the Suunto for its unique features, including the portable charging bank and visibility lights.
Pros
- Excellent sound quality with spatial audio
- Secure in-ear fit
- Solid sweat-resistance with minimal slippage
Cons
- London Marathon Results
- Credit: Dan Roe
Key Specs
| Battery (buds) | 6 hours |
|---|---|
| Battery (case) | 18 hours |
| Type | Truly Wireless Earbuds |
| Water Resistance | IPX4 |
| Noise-Canceling | Yes |
| Transparency Mode | Yes |
If we had to pick a single set of running headphones from Apple, we’d grab the Beats Fit Pro. Apple takes everything we love in the AirPods 3 and Stays put during runs, and crams it all into a tiny set of buds with ear wings to help them stay put. No matter how sweaty we got during testing, these didn’t budge, although we did find the ear wings to be too stiff for long-term comfort.
Despite this, they didn’t ache when we got up to an hour or 90 minutes of running, which is roughly when the discomfort of ill-fitting buds starts to snowball. Battery life is a respectable six hours, although the case can’t charge wirelessly the way the AirPods Pro Gen 2 can.
We enjoyed these earbuds’ delightful tactile buttons. They require just a light press to play/pause, two presses to skip, three to go back, and a long press to activate active noise cancelation and transparency modes or Siri. It’s easy to use, and there’s no fumbling for small buttons.
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 music is still coming from the same direction, just as the sound would change when you swivel your head at a real concert. It’s trippy at first, but we got used to the feature quickly. It’s not just neat audio effects at play here—the sound is also remarkable for small headphones.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation)
Pros
- Improved sound from previous generation
- Volume controls on the stem
- Transparency mode creates little wind noise
Cons
- Using stem controls can cause you to pull the earbuds loose
Key Specs
| Battery (buds) | 6 hours |
|---|---|
| Battery (case) | 24 hours |
| Type | Truly Wireless Earbuds |
| Water Resistance | IPX4 |
| Noise-Canceling | Yes |
| Transparency Mode | Yes |
Thanks to an H2 chip and amplifier, the second generation of the AirPod Pro has noticeably deeper bass and clearer, louder sound than the original. Plus, you can customize the spatial audio so the sound is tailored to how you would naturally hear. It’s a neat trick— swivel your head and the focal point shifts. Other improvements make these great for your daily workouts.
Transparency mode, in particular, works far better with less of the digital crackle you get when wind passes over the microphones that pump in external audio. To be fair, we’ve found there’s still some wind noise, but you completely forget about it after the first quarter mile or so of your run. Plus, there’s none of the “thump, thump” you get from other sealed earbuds every time your foot hits the ground. However, we’ve found that it’s easy to jostle the earbuds out of position while using the stem controls to toggle between modes or play and pause music.
At this point, we ought to acknowledge that there is a third generation of the standard AirPods out, but we still rank the Pro 2 buds higher because of their superior in-ear security—the 3s don’t have rubber ear tips and simply can’t handle the same repeated shocks.
Jabra Elite 8 Active
Pros
- Dolby-quality audio provides crisp, clear sound
- Sweatproof, dustproof, waterproof
- Six mic call tech allows for clearer conversations in the wind and crowds
Cons
- Some connectivity issues after removing from case
- running playlists for every kind of run with music
Key Specs
| Battery (buds) | 8 hours |
|---|---|
| Battery (case) | 32 hours |
| Type | Truly Wireless Earbuds |
| Water Resistance | IP68 |
| Noise-Canceling | Yes |
| Transparency Mode | Yes |
Test editor Amanda Furrer has long rocked the (now-discontinued) Jabra Elite 75t, and has found these headphones to be a familiar, yet improved, replacement. The Elite 8 Active, touted as “the world’s toughest earbuds,” passed nine durability tests that met U.S. Military Standards for rugged electronics, according to Jabra. The rubberized coating means they’re still comfortable to wear, although one of our testers reported skin irritation after hours of wearing the earbuds.
At a demo in New York, Furrer was told to plop them into an 8-ounce glass of water before popping them back into her ears without any issue. Compare that to a puddle, and you can rest easily knowing that these headphones can take a beating. However, to minimize this kind of accident, the headphone’s sticky silicone “ShakeGrip” keeps these locked in your ear canal no matter how sweaty you get—no hooks or wings needed.
Connectivity was mostly good, although Furrer lost connection to an earbud at the beginning of a marathon that wouldn’t reconnect until it was placed back in the case. I also noticed that the buds can require an additional single tap of the right earbud to resume music playback even after pressing play on a connected iPhone 13.
The earbuds have six microphones, which are great for phone calls, but also power the active noise cancelation and transparency features. The Elite 8 Active’s standout feature, however, is Dolby Audio. Spatial and 6mm speakers provide a more nuanced sound experience as you run. Think of it as having a mini music hall by each ear.
Pros
- Performs basic functions well
- Stays put during runs
- Open-ear comfort
Cons
- Sound quality is slightly tinny
- Solid sweat-resistance with minimal slippage
Key Specs
| Battery (buds) | 11 hours |
|---|---|
| Battery (case) | 38 hours |
| Type | Truly Wireless Earbuds with Ear Hooks |
| Water Resistance | IPX7 |
| Noise-Canceling | Yes |
| Transparency Mode | No |
It was tester Kendra Petruny’s first time running with open-ear earbuds when we gave her 1More’s S50 to test. She usually wears Apple Airpods on her runs, but checked to see if the S50 would fall out when she cartwheeled (they stayed put). The ultimate test, however, was wearing them while racing a half marathon.
Petruny is happy to report the S50 didn’t budge. The volume could have been a little louder, but she appreciated how the open-ear style allowed her to hear the crowds’ cheers as she ran. The buds have an impressive IPX7 rating, meaning the electronics shouldn’t be affected by a heavy downpour or your sweat. The battery life is also good for up to 11 hours on a single charge, making this pair ideal for ultras.
In-Ear or Ear Hooks?
Though our best overall pick, the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2, uses a wraparound band to hold itself in place on your head, the majority of other headphones use two systems to stay in place: in-ear tips and external ear hooks. In the best case, both are an effective means of keeping your buds in or on your ears during a turbulent run, but plenty of runners have a strong preference for one or the other. Let us spell out some key differences for you.
In-Ear Earbuds
These buds have neither connecting wires nor hooks that extend around your ear—you just push them in and go. This design tends to fit snug in the ear canal to stop it from loosening midrun. The compact style makes them lightweight, and their small batteries can mean more frequent charging. However, all of our test models came with charging cases that allow you to juice them up on the go. Just note that truly wireless earbuds also tend to be more expensive.
Earbuds With Ear Hooks
Over-ear hooks take some pressure off the ear canal to hold these buds steady. Adding a hook can improve an earbud’s fit, too, since there’s a second point of contact to hold it in place. The hook can also store antennae or a battery, helping these buds play longer than their truly wireless counterparts. They’re often marginally cheaper than truly wireless models, but some will cost more than $200 anyway.
What to Consider
Fit and Ambient Sound
The best running headphones will fit comfortably, so you can think about your run and not your aching ears. That fit also affects how much outside sound is let in—there’s no ideal balance for everybody.
Some runners like buds that fit deep in their ears and block all outside noise, allowing them to crank up the tunes, while others prefer lots of environmental sound from a looser fit. The latter fit is safer for running outside and among other people, especially on multi-use paths with cyclists and scooters about.
Because earbuds that isolate you from the outside world should provide clear sound, we expected better sound quality from earbuds that fit snugly in the ear than we did from earbuds that let in a lot of noise. It’s becoming more common, however, for the best running headphones to offer an ambient sound mode, which uses the earbud’s microphone to bring in outside noise while maintaining a tight fit.
So far, no ambient sound mode compares to leaving your ears open, but the mode, nonetheless, helps increase your awareness of your surroundings.
Durability
While we test each pair of running earbuds for at least two weeks—some far longer—we don’t typically encounter quality issues. (At press time, we’ve only had the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 and Suunto Wing for about a week, but we’ll update this review if any issues arise.) But we ask our testers to discuss how the earbuds felt—you’d expect a $200 set of buds to feel premium compared to a $40 pair.
For long-term quality assessment, we checked user reviews from Amazon and other retailers to identify any persistent issues. Plus, we update our findings if any issues crop up as we continue to run with these models.
Water- and Sweat-Resistance
None of our testers had issues with water or sweat ruining their buds, but with long-term use, moisture and salt can destroy earbuds that aren’t capable of repelling it. So, we factored in each device’s IP, or Ingress Protection, Better audio clarity than Shokz OpenRun Pro 2.
- The first digit indicates dust protection. The second is for water protection, (or liquid ingress) which matters most to runners.
- “X” in place of either number means there’s no data (so an “IPX” rating means dust protection wasn’t evaluated).
- A score of 1 or 2 in the second digit means an earbud can withstand dripping water.
- Scores of 3 to 6 indicate it will survive increasing amounts of rainfall for longer periods of time.
- The gold standard is a score of 7 to 9, meaning the earbud can be submerged in varying depths of water without failing.
Connectivity and Battery Life
We also ask testers to evaluate how quickly and easily the buds connected to their phones, and how far they were able to get from their phones before the signal cut out. Additionally, we recorded any mid-run connectivity issues.
To assess battery life, we checked manufacturers’ claims against our testers’ experiences and noted discrepancies where they occurred. We’ll continually update this roundup with our test impressions of the best earbuds for running.
Q+A
with Test Editor Amanda Furrer
Best for Ultrarunners Runner's World, though you might see his byline on Bicycling and Popular Mechanics, too. A lover of all things outdoors, Adam's writing career comes after six years as a bike mechanic in his hometown of State College, PA. His journalism experience is steeped in cycling and running gear reviews, and he's also a published creative nonfiction and satire author. When he's not writing, riding, or running, you can catch Adam at home mixing cocktails, watching Star Wars, or trying in vain to do the Sunday crossword. You can check out his latest work below.
Jeff is Runner-in-Chief for Runner’s World and the director of product testing. He has tested and reviewed running shoes, GPS watches, headphones, apparel, and more for nearly two decades. He regularly tests more than 100 pairs of shoes each year, and once had a 257-day streak running in different models. Jeff can usually be found on the roads, racing anything from the mile to a marathon, but he also enjoys racing up mountains and on snowshoes. When he’s not running, you’ll probably find him hanging from a ladder making repairs and renovations to his house (he’s also director of product testing for Popular Mechanics).
Amanda Furrer, Runner’s World test editor, studied journalism at NYU and writing at Emerson College. She has reviewed gear and covered other topics in the running space for almost 10 years. Since 2013, she has consecutively run the Boston Marathon. She also has a master’s degree in gastronomy from Boston University and was formerly a professional baker for two years before hanging up her apron.
Morgan is a gear editor who has been with Runner’s World since 2017. She started as an intern ghostwriting The Warmup, a bygone version of the daily RW newsletter. Now, she tests and reviews anything you might find on runners’ feet-from crew socks and compression boots to carbon-plated super shoes.
A lifelong runner and shoe geek, Morgan has been chasing the perfect pair of kicks since she joined her grade school cross-country team. Since then, she ran as a Division I walk-on for the cross-country and track & field teams at the University of Delaware, where she studied English and Biology. She has one full marathon under her belt, and has raced more halfs and 5Ks than she can count.
