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10 Best Headphones For The Gym, From Bose To Apple
Need a quality pair of headphones for exercise? Don’t sweat it...
A gym trip without headphones is like dinner without dessert — good, but could be better. The right music can give you a mid-workout boost too, helping you dig deep and grind through those last few burpees.
So, now we’re clear on the importance of a top pair of earbuds for exercise, it’s time to find you the best headphones to soundtrack your workout.
Read on to find out what you should look out for, and our tried and tested in-ear recommendations.
What should I look for in a pair of headphones?
If it’s the best headphones for the gym you’re after, we’d point you in the direction of a true wireless, in-ear pair. These diminutive earbuds play music from your phone via Bluetooth, void of any cables that might become tangled during your workout.
Next up, we’d advise looking at the fit. Silicone tips tend to be secure, with many sport-specific headphones like the Bose Sport Earbuds also coming with small hooks that help them sit, unmoving within the ear. However, if you’re not keen on the feeling of silicone, try open-fit earbuds like the OG Apple AirPods or Huawei Freebuds 4.
Sound quality is, of course, of paramount importance too (you don’t want to do your workout playlist an injustice by playing it through tinny speakers), and noise cancellation capabilities can be handy if you want to cut out distractions and get in the zone during a testing HIIT session.
If you’re more likely to be found out running than in the gym, keep an eye out for comprehensive touch controls or the ability to summon a voice assistant, so your phone can stay in your pocket as you rack up the miles. And, if you’re always out and about, make sure you pick up a pair with sufficient battery life and a portable charging case. This way, you'll never be forced to endure the gym radio because they’ve run out of juice.
How we test
To make sure you can buy with confidence, we tasked our in-house expert with testing some of the best in-ear wireless headphones for the gym.
They saw how each pair performed while stationary and on the move, making sure they didn’t fall to the floor at the mere mention of a squat jump. Earbuds were judged on their design, comfort, battery life and overall performance.
We also shipped out each pair to an independent sound technician, who revealed which headphones had superior sound quality. Results of all tests were combined to decide our top ten recommendations.
Harry’s news reporting has been published in over 70 newspapers across the UK. Now, he specialises in home appliances, health and fitness, bringing you reliable reviews on the best homes, sports and nutrition products on the market to help you upgrade your home and training routine.
Outside the office, he has dedicated countless hours to learning about different physical training methods, experimenting with everything from CrossFit to powerlifting.
Yanar was our former Fitness Group Testing Manager. She managed health and fitness product testing across all the magazines, overseeing all testing processes and ensuring our lab and panel tests are conducted to the highest standards. Yanar spent 15 years as a health and wellness content editor and writer for national titles such as Runner’s World, Men’s Health and Women’s Health. Yanar is a Level 3 qualified PT, trained yoga teacher and a registered yoga therapist. She has been into fitness and wellness her whole life. After many years running races and marathons, she now trains and competes in CrossFit and Olympic lifting. She passionately advocates strength training for women to build a stronger mind and body for life.
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