The Best Wireless Workout Headphones

If I wanted a pair of wireless headphones for working out, I’d get the JLab Epic2 Bluetooth. After extensive research—we considered a total of 147 sport-specific headphones and tested the 85 best-reviewed and newest options—our panel of experts agreed that they’d want to bring the Epic2 Bluetooth along on their next training session. The tough, lightweight Epic2 pair is easier to fit in a wider variety of ears than the competition, has better battery life than the other Bluetooth models we tested, and offers great sound for a lower price than most comparable cordless models. Many other headphones we tested not only had lackluster sound quality but also lacked in comfort and stability. The Epic2 is on the lower end of the price range for Bluetooth water-resistant headphones, as well. And because this model supports Bluetooth, you have no cord to get in the way of whatever it is you do to stay in shape.

Of all the models we tested, we think the JLab Epic2 Bluetooth is the best set of wireless workout headphones for most people headed for the gym or outdoors. These headphones are stable, sturdy, and sealed to block out distractions. And although we usually get a lot of conflicting reports from our testers on fit, this JLab pair worked for all of our panelists equally well. In fact, while many other sport headphones have a serious learning curve when it comes to setup, this JLab model was intuitive and easy to pop on right out of the box.

The Epic2 headphones also sound great, and they survived our stress testing. We listened to them, ran with them, got them wet, kicked them, tugged them, stomped them, and then listened to them again. After our endurance tests, we’re confident that these headphones can take what you throw at them. Plus, our testing confirmed their claimed 12-hour battery life, meaning you can get nearly two weeks’ worth of workouts from a single charge.

If you don’t like hooks over your ears, or if the JLab pair is sold out, the Jaybird X2 is the way to go. These headphones feel light, they stay put, they sound fantastic, they have a lifetime warranty against sweat damage (which, if you sweat through one pair of headphones a year, can really add up!), they charge pretty quickly (in around two hours), they have a nice case, and you can wear them several ways, depending on what works for you. However, getting the fit correct the first time takes a little more patience than with our top pick. As a result, in this test group the JLab Epic2 edged out the Jaybird X2 once again, but only barely.

Different workout styles demand different kinds of sport headphones, however, so if you need something a little different, we’ve got the bases covered. More on those below.

What makes a good pair of exercise headphones

In general, exercise headphones are for people who want to run, hike, bike, or hit the gym while listening to music, podcasts, or other media. Such headphones should be able to withstand a variety of stressors such as sweat, rain, strain from media players dropping to the floor, and abuse from being thrown into a bag along with potentially dirty and damp equipment.

Wireless headphones are for people who:

1. Get annoyed by cables when working out—Nothing more irritating to you than a cord smacking your face when you’re kicking butt on the treadmill? Wireless is for you.
2. Don’t mind having to remember to charge their headphones—If you work out several hours a week, you’ll need to charge about once a week or every other week for most sport models.
3. Are willing to pay a little extra for the convenience—Wireless headphones generally cost a bit more money for the same quality of sound you’d get from similar wired versions.

So wireless headphones aren’t for everyone, and we totally get that. Many of you don’t want to be bothered with keeping a pair of exercise headphones charged — you’d rather be able to grab and go. You might be perfectly happy running a cable under your workout clothes, or you’re just looking for something for lower-impact activities anyway. Or you don’t want to spend the money on something that’s going to get sweaty. Don’t worry, we’ve got a guide to wired exercise headphones too.

Whatever type of exercise headphones you choose, they should sound decent. But headphones that sound fantastic and win a group listening panel are functionally useless if they don’t feel good, stay put, and keep out of the way when you’re being active. That means you have to make sure they fit your ears well and have a long enough or short enough cord (or none at all) to accommodate the exercise routines you prefer.

If you’re currently using a pair of earbuds that aren’t specifically designed for working out, such as Apple’s OEM EarPods, or if you’re using a nicer pair of earbuds for your workouts, you’ll have a better experience with one of our exercise picks. Workout headphones will take more abuse than EarPods and are designed to stay in your ears during activities. And unlike expensive headphones made only for casual use, sport headphones are created to handle sweat. Most important, many non-sport headphones have warranties that will become void if you get them wet—if you sweat and they short out prematurely, you’re out of luck.

The right headphones for your workout

We recognize that some workouts require headphones with specific features. To that end, we’ve made recommendations in nine distinct subcategories over two guides, including budget recommendations in the wired categories: sealed headphones (the headphones you’re probably used to, the kind that block out sound), in both Bluetooth and wired versions; unsealed headphones (designed to let in some sound from outside, for anyone who doesn’t like getting hit by cars while running), in both Bluetooth and wired versions; on-ear and over-ear headphones (for anyone who doesn’t like the feeling of earbuds); and swimming headphones (for anyone who dislikes land-based workouts).