Category: Running headphones

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Running headphones

adidas FWD-02 Sport True Wireless Earbuds Headphones

Adidas FWD-02 Sport

The Adidas FWD-02 Sport tick a few things off the list of things we need from running headphones. It offers a reliable fit thanks to them feeling relatively light in the ears and boasting a nice grippy finish on the outer surface. The ergonomic buds stay in place as you move, plus they come with extra tips and wings for a personalized fit.

Running headphones

They’re no slouch in sound quality and performance either. It delivers a powerful bass, which is great for listeners who need that thumping bass for motivation. And, it pumps out a loud and solid sound that it never felt overbearing in our tests. We also found the sound to be nice and punchy, though the mids did feel a little recessed and treble a tad harsh in higher volume.

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Running headphones

Mu6 Ring Headphones

Mu6 Ring Headphones

The Mu6 Ring headset leaves your ear canals free so you can hear the world around you, but unlike the Aftershokz running headphones we’ve tested, it doesn’t use bone conduction. Instead, it simply positions a small speaker in front of each ear, which means you don’t get the annoying tickling sensation of something vibrating against your cheekbone, but there’s also a lot more sound leakage.

Bone Conduction headphones

The headset is lightweight and comfortable though, and didn’t budge no matter how hard we worked during our training sessions. It works well for listening to music and taking calls at your desk as well, and never starts to rub or bite. It keeps running for around eight hours on a single charge, so can keep you entertained for an entire day of Zoom meetings. It’s good value too, costing considerably less than similar style bone conduction headsets. If you can live with the sound leakage, then it’s well worth considering.

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Running headphones

The best running headphones to monitor your workouts

Jabra Elite Sport Earbuds

There’s wireless, and then there’s true wireless, and the top-end Jabra Elite Sport are the latter. Beyond the cordless design, the headline feature of these running headphones is the Hear Through tech, which allows you to control the way the buds let in or filter out ambient noise – with just a quick button press. This is great for staying alert if you run outdoors.

running headphones

The on-the-go charging case provides 13.5 hours of battery life in total, but with just 4.5 hours available from a single charge, slower marathon runners will probably want to jog on – although for 99% of your training, this won’t be an issue. Although not marketed for swimming, they’re also IP67 certified water resistant.

Application

The companion app also utilizes the built-in heart rate monitor to enhance your workouts, along with the internal accelerometer to monitor your reps of squats, lunges and the like. We found them to be a touch too expensive and thought that the heart rate monitor could be more accurate, but the sheer volume of training options more than makes up for them.

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Running headphones

Phiaton BT 120 NC Qualcomm Bluetooth Wireless Active Noise Cancelling Earbuds

Phiaton

If you’re interested in a pair of noise-canceling earbuds, the Phiaton BT 120NC should be on your radar. Designed as a sports product, the BT120 are flexible, light, and sweat-resistant, featuring a behind-neck band with conveniently placed controls. They also come with a solid selection of ear tip sizes, making it easier to get a tight seal to aid in their noise cancelation efforts.

Running headphones

These headphones sound good for general listening. The treble isn’t of the highest fidelity, but then again, it’s hard to complain at this price point. The active noise cancelation won’t knock you out of the park, but it is a real improvement over what might be reproduced while using them passively. Pour in a little music at moderate levels and you’ll be able to say goodbye to most distractions.

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Running headphones

Bass-heavy running headphones with heart rate tracking

Amazfit PowerBuds Pro

With the Amazfit Powerbuds Pro, you won’t need separate pairs of headphones for working and running – they’ll serve you equally well at your desk, or pounding the streets. Sound is bass-heavy, which we prefer while working out, and the active noise cancellation effectively masks office sounds when you need to concentrate.

Sport headphones

When you’re at work, the Powerbuds Pro can also check the position of your head in relation to your spine to determine whether you’re slouching and putting yourself at risk of back and neck problems further down the road. They’re not quite perfect (heart rate measurements were consistently higher than those measured by our chest strap monitor, and there are no ear hooks to hold them securely as there were with the original Powerbuds), but they’re an excellent choice if you just want one pair of earphones for all purposes.

heart rate monitoring

The Powerbuds Pro also monitor your heart rate while you exercise, and sync this data with the Zepp Health app on your phone. Data from any other Amazfit fitness trackers and smart scales will be collected in the same place, so you can easily track trends.

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Running headphones

The best running earbuds for long training sessions

PowerBeats Pro

The latest true wireless earbuds from Beats, the PowerBeats Pro, are supremely comfortable, sound decent and never, ever fall out. And, it will keep you entertained for even the longest training runs thanks to their nine-hour battery life.

These running earbuds stay in place, thanks to their close-fitting ear hooks. Of course, their IPX4 sweatproof rating, as well as nifty additions like the pressure-reducing micro-laser barometric venting hole, long battery life, and their superior sound quality, make them a compelling contender.

Where we found the Powerbeats Pro to perform their best is in near-quiet environments, like your office, your home or your gym. Because you can use hands-free Siri, they’re great for setting timers in between sets and placing calls to friends and clients. Take them outside for a run and these Beats headphones still do the trick thanks to their energetic sound.

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Running headphones

No-fuss running headphones with fantastic audio

If you need your headphones to sound fantastic during runs, then these wireless earbuds from Sennheiser might be the best running headphones for you. They boast a lively, bass-heavy presentation, and a comfortable fit. If you’re powered by energetic, bassy music then the Sennheiser CX Sport wireless earphones can really bolster your running performance through sound quality alone. 

They don’t come with a heart rate monitor, but the inclusion of ear fins makes sure they stay firmly in place during our tests, and they’re sporting a flashy neon color scheme means they look good and stand out – you’re unlikely to ever lose these.  With a battery life of six hours, they’re great for your average running session or even your daily commute – but marathon runners will want to look elsewhere. 

The Sennheiser CX Sport wireless earbuds are a fantastic pair of sports headphones, thanks to bassy audio and a comfortable fit – but there are cheaper options out there.

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Running headphones

The best cheap running headphones

Now committed to a yearly refresh of the popular mid-range model, the Jaybird X4 manage to outdo both the previous Jaybird X2 and Jaybird X3 wireless Bluetooth earphones, with an upgraded IPX7 water-resistance rating. Whether you’re sweating buckets or running doggedly through the rain, the X4 will be able to cope.

The Jaybird X4 running headphones also sounded surprisingly good during our tests, comparable to many higher-priced earbuds. Jaybird’s excellent app provides easy EQ customization as well as the ability to make your own sound profile, with various ear tip sizes to boot. A great all round choice for runner who don’t want to skimp on sound – or be wary of the weather.

Alternatively, if you’re after an even more premium experience, the Jaybird Tarah Pro earbuds offer higher-quality audio and materials for a somewhat higher $159 £139 / AU$229 price tag. Although we’re still big fans of the Jaybird X4 headphones, take a look at the Jaybird Vista true headphones further down the list – they’re our top pick if you’re in the market for a pair of true wireless earbuds. 

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Running headphones

The best running headphones all-round

Shokz (formerly known as AfterShokz) is the biggest name in bone conduction headphones, and the OpenRun Pro are its best set to date. Released in early 2021, they feature new bass transducers, which deliver rich, rounded sound. You no longer have to choose either an open-ear design or high-quality audio; the OpenRun Pro give you both.

The overall design is very similar to the original OpenRun (originally called the Aeropex), with a lightweight, stretchy titanium strap that holds the earpiece of the headset securely and softly in place. They stay strong in all conditions and never squeeze or rub. However, there are a few small differences; Shokz has moved the charging port so it’s now easier to use, and the volume buttons are now slightly larger, making them easier to press while you’re wearing them.

The extra bass can sometimes cause a slight itch if you’re enjoying some particularly heavy tunes, but it was never enough to be annoying in our tests. These are the best bone conduction headphones around and, for us, the best running headphones.

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