Not every headphones or earbuds you have; can double up as workout headphones.
Your regular earbuds/headphones though may sound well and have good built quality...
...they fail when it comes to standing up against sweat and water.
Hence why, you need the best headphones for working out that have been specifically made to water and sweat resistant, and a type of design that will negate them from falling off your ears.
However if you go around the market looking for best workout headphones, you’ll be greeted with plenty of options (if not many)...
...but most of them though demand a lot of money, sound just rubbish.
This is the reason why, I took the trouble upon myself and went ahead to look out for multiple best earbuds for working out that not only offer a practical sports related design but also happen to be water and sweat resistant and do provide great (if not excellent) sound quality.
Hence if you’re looking for best sports headphone for all your fitness needs then is guide is your best bet.
Are you ready?
Let’s start!
Top 7 Best Headphones for Working Out In 2020
#7: Philips SHQ1200
If you’re extremely tight on budget, a budget as tight as $10.
You can still get a highly durable audio device; that happen to be best earbuds for working out.
Launched way back in 2013, Philips SHQ1200 still holds among best workout headphones that cost just under $10. There’s no other earbuds that can match to it in terms of sound quality and durability under the $10 price range in sports category.
Before I droll over the earbuds themselves, let me just give a small glimpse of what’s inside.
For the price, they come in a large box that doesn’t make them feel that they’re priced so cheap.
Inside the box, you get the earbuds themselves, along with set of two more silicone eartips, a small carrying pouch and shirt clip too.
I’m surprised to see that for such cheap price Philips also throws in a carrying pouch whose one side has meshed material.
Even being so small, I’m surprised to see that these hold a 13.2mm driver inside that is capable of producing a larger set of frequency from 30 – 20,000 kHz.
They even have an impedance of 32 Ohms and will work fine with most of your smartphone and portable media players.
They happen to come in a combination of multiple colors, however I’d like to mention that most of them happen to look funny and gawdy at the same time.
You can definitely choose the original color it first came out with and that is a subtle combination of Grey and Orange, which goes extremely well with sport styled theme.
The one model we’re talking about doesn’t have an inline microphone, and that happens to be a good part; because the one with an inline microphone makes the left side a bit heavier and the weight distribution isn’t proper.
Coming to the sound quality department, they don’t happen to be one of the best sounding earbuds in their segment, however they’re much better than the earbuds that comes with your smartphone.
The angled silicone eartips fits properly in your ears and the use of lightweight Kevlar reinforced cord makes it highly durable and reduces weight to a larger extent.
The company claims them to weight around 4 grams and I must say, it happens to be pretty lightweight and good for practical use.
One short coming that they do have is the shorter cable length. They come with 1 meter cable length instead of industry standard of 1.2 meter. I believe this might have been done to reduce the extra length of cable to moving back and forth while running.
“If you’re really on low budget or have premium earbuds that aren’t sweat resistant and need a cheaper alternative, then Philips SHQ1200 won’t disappoint.”
#6: Brainwavz BLU-100
If you’re searching for a cheap and best Wireless Headphones for working out from a renowned brand having better built quality; then there’s nothing better than Brainwavz BLU-100 for the price it’s available at.
The company has been well known for producing great quality products at ultimate cheap price.
Their range of in-ear headphones like M1 through M5 have been a huge hit; one after the other, and I myself own Brainwavz Delta in my personal collection... hence this is one brand to die for.
Design wise... you have a hammer like earplugs on these one, which makes them look so much better and different as the extra part has to house the Bluetooth circuitry and battery itself.
Though the built is entirely plastic, the overall construction is pretty solid and the Neon accents on eartips and mic make it look entirely uber.
Its inline microphone has support for both iOS and Android devices, however the volume buttons don’t work in Android devices, hence you can only play/pause music with the centre button on Android Smartphone.
Since it offers Bluetooth 4.0 with APTX technology; the sound quality on this one is similar to the one you get on wired earbuds. The earbuds and your smartphone should be in a range of 30 feet (10m) for seamless audio streaming.
I would have liked if they’d provide much better battery life, Brainwavz offers 4 hours of music playback on full charge. It has a battery of 60mAh and takes 2 hours to full charge via the provided micro-USB cable.
Even the wire length on this one is long and large, which puts the mic near your cheeks rather than behind your neck; that results in voice not being heard during calls.
Best thing is the package that it comes with. You get a small semi rigid carrying case along with extra Small and Large Neon accented eartips and there’s also one set of comply eartips so as to enjoy songs with complete noise isolation. (However it doesn’t fit my ears)
You even get a set of earhooks that help them keep in right position all the time.
Both the earbuds hold inside a 8mm driver that is capable of producing good amount of bass through them, however the entire audio segment is dominated by mid range... sometimes the highs can be a bit harsh too.
“All in all the Brainwavz BLU-100 is an incredibly smart and uber looking Wireless Earbuds that happen to be best headphones for working out; that too for such an incredible price!”
#5: Zipbuds Slide
If you often find your wired earbuds getting tangled all the time and if you’re in search for something better, then Zipbuds Slide is a fitting reply to your problem.
For starters the company claims them to be 100% tangle free due to its unique smooth sealing design.
The left cable is molded with a groove, while the right cable has a ridge forming a seal and lock design, making them almost tangle free.
You really need to use them to know how the mechanics for the lock and seal design works... it’s almost similar to zip pouch design to say the least.
Zipbuds claim that the Slide uses Military Grade Bulletproof Fibers to build their cables and make them strong.
It claims the Slide’s wires are 10x stronger than other earbuds within the similar price bracket or higher.
Moreover these happen to come with Black, White, Sea Green, Neon Yellow, POP (Mixture of different colors), White Purple and White Sea color...
...out of which the POP happens to look extremely cool, while if you’re looking for something decent; then black goes good as well too.
The earlier edition of Zipbuds earbuds used to have an actual Zipper like design that too provided a tangle free design, however the company eliminated the zipper and still managed to keep the tangle free design.
These earbuds have an angled design and happen to offer a nice fit.
Since the brand is fairly new, they’re offering a Lifetime Warranty on the Zipbuds Slide making them a better choice since they’re priced just under $50.
Though being so much going on for the earbuds, it slightly loses out on the sound department.
No, No. they don’t have poor sound quality, it just means the sound isn’t in comparison to earbuds within similar price range.
And that’s understood since the company has spent so much on Research & Development for Zipbuds Slide.
There’s an inline microphone just at the point where the earbuds split into Left and Right channels, this happens to be a good move as it keeps weight distribution balanced and you don’t feel the microphone dangling along; back and forth when you’re out with them running.
Due to their build quality and secure eartip fit; they happen to be the best earbuds for working out.
“Zipbud Slide though being an average sounding earbud has too much on its back and it delivers, since all earbuds are prone to get tangled, having one that doesn’t gives you a certain level of bragging rights, doesn’t it?”
#4: Photive BTE70
Photive BTE70 have been featured as theroundingsound’s ‘Earphone of the Month’ (check sidebar) and has been touted as the Best Wireless Headphones for working out by many.
Priced under $50, they happen to be a great choice when it comes to best workout headphones.
They come only in one color i.e. Black, and the design is somewhat similar to Beats Powerbeats 2.
Inside the box you get the headphones themselves along with a range of Small, Medium and Large Ear Tips, a Micro USB charging cable and a carrying pouch.
The brand also offers a warranty of 1 year on Photive BTE70.
Specifications wise they come with Bluetooth 4.0 technology that has support for advanced AptX, this means that you’re going to hear CD like sound quality via this Bluetooth headset and without any noticeable audio delay.
Photive BTE70 comes with 6 hours of battery life and takes around a couple of hours to get fully charged via the provided micro-USB charging cable.
Photive BTE70 has IPX6 rating which makes them Water and Sweat Resistant and an ideal use for Gym, sports, running and other outdoor activities.
These earbuds come with control buttons on the left side and have multiple uses.
One thing I personally love about Photive BTE70 is its flexible earhooks. Most of the other earbuds that have earhook design happen to be a little harsh on your ears and tends to rub over them.
However Photive BTE70’s flexible earhooks adjusts according to your ears and feel highly comfortable.
These don’t have inline microphone, instead they have microphone built inside the earbuds themselves, which on paper happen to feel extremely exciting.
However use in the real world reveals its flaws.
Since the microphone sits inside the earbud, it’s far off from your mouth and your voice cannot reach to the point where the earbuds sit.
This makes your voice hard to reach the microphone, hence you’re better off receiving calls via your smartphone rather than using these earphones.
This is the main reason why most customers who bought it appreciated its sound quality to the moon and back, while giving the microphone a horrible response.
“If receiving calls via your workout headphone is of least priority and you require a top notch product just to listen music and go out for jog, then Photive BTE70 happens to be a fit companion.”
#3: Beats Powerbeats 2
With massive failure of the original Powerbeats due to low sales, shady sound quality and massively high price... the company had fallen head first.
Now with Powerbeats 2 they’ve come to the battle with a much more refined wireless earbuds that have a practical design, much better improvement in sound quality, however the price is still in the expensive range.
Available in colors like Black, Pink, Red, White, Cobalt Blue, Flash Blue, Shock Yellow and Siren Red, the Powerbeats 2 happen to be one of the best workout headphones; if pricing is not your concern.
Just like the price, the packaging for Powerbeats 2 is premium too.
It comes in a front clear case box, which gives you a glimpse of the earbud themselves, along with a USB cable, Carrying Pouch and User Manuals.
These earbuds come very close in comparison to Jaybird X2 and both of them happen to be top notch best wireless headphones for working out.
Coming to its design, the earhooks have a two tone color finish that happens to give it a cooler look. I personally love the black earbuds that have red accents and the secondary grey color on earhooks makes them looking staggering.
I’m personally not a fan of angled earbuds, and this in ear headphone has one. They don’t happen to fit comfortably in my ears at least, however my friends differ with them.
Hence if you have good experience with angled earphones previously, it’s good to give Powerbeats 2 a chance.
Pairing the Powerbeats with your Android or Apple Device is very easy. As soon as you turn on Powerbeats 2; they enter in pairing mode. Start Bluetooth on your smartphone and keep them in close proximity and you’re good to go.
Since they’re meant specifically for workouts and running, they come with IPX4 certification, meaning they’re sweat and water resistant from the earbuds to flat tangle free cable and the inline microphone.
However that doesn’t mean you can take them underwaters.
They’re able to pair up with your smartphone device within a range of 30 feet. At full charge they’re capable of holding up to 6 hours, whereas the company claims, if you’re in hurry... you can charge the headset for 15 minutes and enjoy 1 hour of battery life.
“If you’re going with any Beats audio product, you’d be sure that they’re bass oriented. If that is what you’re looking for; Beats Powerbeats 2 happen to be an excellent companion. If not, we have more choices for your down under.”
#2: Soul Electronics Pulse
Audio devices from Soul Electronics have a sense of cool design and uniqueness to it.
The brand is synonymous for putting forth some of the best workout headphones like Soul Electronics Transform and Soul Electronics Combat+ at a fairly affordable price, considering the features they’re offering.
However I personally decided to give Soul Electronics Pulse a place in our list of Best Headphones for working out over the others, because the Transform and Combat+ have been covered a multiple times and the Pulse do get sidelined for most of the part.
With a rating of 4.9 stars out of 5 on Amazon, you can be rest assured that Soul Electronics would be a great choice if you’re looking for best earbuds for working out.
Inside the box, you get the earbuds themselves; along with a set of 3 more extra silicone eartips that have small, large and extra large size. The medium tips are already on the earphone itself.
Moreover you get a shirt clip that helps to keep the earbuds hanging by t-shirt, in case you meet a friend mid way in your jog and start talking, you don’t have to hold the earbuds in your hard for the entire duration.
You also get a small draw string styled carrying pouch that happens to be a good addition when you want to throw these inside your backpack.
On first holding the earbuds, you’ll feel that they’re entirely lightweight and happens to be a pretty small when it comes to workout headphones, as a little more weight could result the earphones falling out of your ears.
The company claims that these weight somewhere close to 0.6 oz and is definitely a great deal breaker.
The one factor that results the earbuds being lightweight is its silicone based body. The earbuds along with wires and 3.5mm jack holder is made up of silicone material that reduces the weight by a larger margin; compared to rubber plastic manufactured earbuds.
Since it has silicone body, the company claims the entire headset to be water and sweat proof. Soul Electronics even goes to show that you can wash these earbuds and are engineered to work with even the most rigorous and sweatiest workout sessions.
Sound quality wise, they pack in a punch... they’re really on the bassier side and hence notice to details is thrown like caution to the wind. If your playlist contains a majority of Rap and Hip Hop songs, these happen to be a good companion.
“With a lightweight design, sturdy built quality and a properly fit in your ears... Soul Electronics Pulse is a good workout headphone when it comes to price to performance ratio. Since the brand has a major experience in building workout related audio devices, you just cannot go wrong with these.”
#1: Bose Soundsport
Let me be very clear, I’m a big fan of Bose products and literally dwell onto them.
Though I know they’re a little on the pricier side, however if you compare the price to performance ratio, you wouldn’t be complaining a least bit.
Bose Soundsport are one of the best earbuds for working out that supposedly have a cooler and much youth like design.
If you hide the logo, the design in itself is enough for one to recognize that it’s a Bose in ear headphone.
Available in colors like Charcoal, Power Red, Frost, Blue, Energy Green, Neon Blue and Orange along with option for inline microphone, the company has taken care of specific user needs.
Hence if you want to use the earbuds just for music and would not receive calls on it, you don’t have to pay extra for the inline mic. As simple as that!
Well one thing I’d like to mention about the company is, once asked “Why they weren’t making wireless earbuds?”, to which the company answered that they don’t have a wireless technology for earbuds that will preserve sound quality like the way on wired earbuds, and once they’re able to do that, they’ll manufacture one.
Such kind of sincerity and humility from a leader in audio industry is well respected, since we have boatload of cheap wireless earbuds that provide terrible sound quality.
Inside the box you get the earbuds themselves, along with two extra pair of silicone earhook style eartips which happen to be some of the most flexible and comfortable eartips you’ll ever use, moreover the company even throws in a round carrying pouch with a carabineer, making it a complete package.
One thing that might not go down well is that these best workout headphones don’t come with a flat styled tangle free cable, and when you put these in the provided carrying pouch; they’re bound to get tangled up.
Others may not even tend to like the dual colored cable, however it’s a matter of personal choice and with several days of use, you’ll definitely get used to it.
Many people have complained that these don’t have good sound isolation, however there’s scientific reason behind it... since they’re specifically meant for working and sport activities, you’ll be using them in city like environment, where there’s lot of other people, cars, public transport and so on.
In such a scenario, you wouldn’t want not to hear the honk of a car behind you or the noises around you.
“If you’re not a fan of recharging your workout headphone as soon as you come home, or really scared of your earbuds dying out on you when you need them the most, then Bose Soundsport is an excellent buy to say the least.”
