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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.
Bose Sport Earbuds
Bose Sport Earbuds
Bose designed these premium earbuds with one thing in mind: providing quality sound during your workouts. The silicon tips twin with small rubber hooks to provide a secure fit, whether you’re moving between yoga flows or hitting the treadmill, and responsive touch controls mean you can play, pause and skip songs while leaving your phone on lock.
The sound quality left our expert seriously impressed, balancing pumping bass with clear treble, and the fact they’re sweatproof too secured their spot at the top of our roundup.
Key specifications
Type: In-ear, true wireless
Battery life: Five hours (15 hours with charging case)
Noise-cancelling: No
Accessories included: Three sizes of silicone ear tips, charging cable, charging case
Location of in-line controls: On earbud
Beats Powerbeats Pro Wireless Earphones
Beats Powerbeats Pro Wireless Earphones
When it comes to true wireless headphones, the Beats Powerbeats Pro are hard to beat (pun intended). Their punchy bass was great for helping us push the pace when running, and the ear hooks are both comfortable and functional, keeping them in place throughout higher impact activities.
We found they work best with iPhones, connecting quickly and displaying how much remained of their (impressive) battery life on the home screen.
Key specifications
Type: In-ear
Battery life: Nine hours (24 hours with charging case)
Noise-cancelling: No
Accessories included: Three sizes of silicone ear tips, charging cable, soft carry case
Location of in-line controls: On ear bud
Apple AirPods Pro with MagSafe Charging Case
Apple AirPods Pro with MagSafe Charging Case
No introductions necessary here; AirPods dragged true wireless headphones into the mainstream in 2016, and Apple has stayed on top of the game ever since.
Other than the brand’s customary clean design, the first thing we noticed about the AirPods Pro was just how good our music sounded. They are simple to use too, and come with three different sizes of silicon tips. And, with the help of its innovative Ear Tip Fit Test, you can find which ones offer the best snug fit for you.
Key specifications
Type: In-ear, true wireless
Battery life: 4.5 hours (24 hours with charging case)
Noise-cancelling: Yes
Accessories included: Three different-sized silicone ear tips, charging case, USB charging cable
Location of in-line controls: On earbud
Jabra Elite Active 75t
Jabra Elite Active 75t
Markedly smaller than many of their competitors, the Jabra Elite Active 75Ts are ideal if you want a more discreet wireless earbud. Our audio expert was impressed by their balanced blend of treble and bass, while our in-house tester commented on how comfortable they were to wear — both for workouts and everyday use.
Touch controls, voice assistant capabilities and a helpful Find My Jabra feature (which lets you track down the last known location of your earbuds using an app) complete these headphones' impressive portfolio.
Key specifications
Type: In-ear, true wireless
Battery life: 7.5 hours (28 hours with charging case)
Noise-cancelling: No
Accessories included: Three sizes of silicone ear tips, charging cable, charging case
Location of in-line controls: On ear bud
Apple AirPods with Wireless Charging Case
Apple AirPods with Wireless Charging Case
If you don’t like the feel of silicone-tipped headphones, an open-fit earbud might be more your style, and they don’t come better than Apple’s classic AirPods. This style can sometimes feel loose, but the AirPods offered a snug fit. The audio was impressive too, with plenty of detail in the treble.
You can easily summon Siri with the (now familiar) phrase 'Hey Siri' to control your music and make phone calls, and the charging case can be replenished wirelessly by placing it on any Qi-compatible charging mat.
Key specifications
Type: In-ear, true wireless
Battery life: Five hours (24 with charging case)
Noise-cancelling: No
Accessories included: Charging case, USB charging cable
Location of in-line controls: On ear bud
HONOR Earbuds 2 Lite
HONOR Earbuds 2 Lite
These Honor earbuds may be Airpods Pro doppelgangers, but they deserve recognition in their own right after delivering a sterling performance in our tests.
They were among the most comfortable headphones we tried, and our audio expert was impressed by their sound quality. The noise cancellation was equally impressive — we just wish the touch controls allowed you to tinker with the volume.
Key specifications
Type: In-ear, true wireless
Battery life: 10 hours (32 with charging case)
Noise-cancelling: Yes
Accessories included: Charging case, USB charging cable
Location of in-line controls: On ear bud
JBL Reflect Flow - Truly Wireless in-Ear Sport Headphones
JBL Reflect Flow - Truly Wireless in-Ear Sport Headphones
Pop these earbuds in their charging case for just ten minutes and you’ll get an hour of playback time, ideal for those always on the go. We found the Bluetooth connection remained stable throughout workouts and the comprehensive touch controls do everything you’d want them to.
Our expert also really liked the Ambient Aware feature, allowing you to quickly turn down your music and amplify surrounding sounds — handy if you spot someone you know at the gym and fancy a quick catch-up between sets.
Key specifications
Type: In-ear, true wireless
Battery life: 10 hours (30 hours with charging case)
Noise-cancelling: No
Accessories included: Three sizes of silicone ear tips, three sizes of silicone ear hooks, charging case, USB lead
Location of in-line controls: On ear bud
HUAWEI FreeBuds 4
HUAWEI FreeBuds 4
A second open-fit entry on our list, these one-up the Apple AirPods by offering noise cancellation — though our sound technician struggled to tell the difference when this was switched on and off.
Still, these headphones feel light and comfortable to wear, and have no problem with perspiration thanks to the fact they’re water resistant. The touch controls on the earbud stems were responsive and the buds themselves felt secure, even during higher impact exercise like jogging.
Key specifications
Type: Open-ear, true wireless
Battery life: Four hours (22 hours with charging case)
Noise-cancelling: Yes
Accessories included: Charging case, USB charging cable
Location of in-line controls: Swipe, tap twice or press and hold the earbud
Google Pixel Buds A-Series
Google Pixel Buds A-Series
We love the sleek design of these olive earbuds, which offer a subtle, flush in-ear fit. Sound leakage was kept to a minimum, so you won’t be involuntarily sharing your go-to exercise playlist with the rest of the gym, and our audio expert praised their rich, dynamic sound — great for everything from classical music to indie rock (if you're that way inclined).
We enjoyed the ability to call on the voice activated Google Assistant, though this won’t work with iPhones (obviously). They felt secure in our ears too, staying put during intense HIIT sessions.
Key specifications
Type: In-ear, true wireless
Battery life: Five hours (24 hours with charging case)
Noise-cancelling: No
Accessories included: Ear tips with three size options, charging case, USB charging cable
Location of in-line controls: On ear bud
Adidas FWD-01 Sport In-Ear Headphones
Adidas FWD-01 Sport In-Ear Headphones
If you’re partial to a squat or two, these might just be the headphones for you. The bass is excellent, making them a great pick for electronic music, and the cord connecting the two near-wireless earbuds adds an extra layer of security if you’re worried about them falling out mid-set.
We did find they were a bit bulky and tended to slip out of our ears when running or jumping, so they might be better suited to static activities like resistance training (though they do come with interchangeable eartips and earwings to help you find a better fit).
Key specifications
Type: In-ear, near-wireless
Battery life: 16 hours
Noise-cancelling: No
Accessories included: Ear tips with four size options, carry pouch, USB charging cable
Location of in-line controls: Buttons on cord
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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