The most effective waterproof headphones 2024
The most effective waterproof headphones will transcend splash proofing and water resistance to ensure you underwater efficiency for the pool, ocean, or the good outside.
Whereas most of the greatest exercise headphones in the marketplace characteristic some degree of water resistance, solely water proof headphones are assured to outlive downpours or submersion whereas swimming. To qualify as a decide in our greatest waterproof headphones information, you want a water-proof ranking of IPX7 or better, that means they are often submerged in as much as one meter of water for half-hour. That in all probability will not minimize it for swimming, however it’s the naked minimal we anticipate within the waterproof headphone class.
You’ll be able to learn extra concerning the distinction between waterproof vs waterproof headphones in our information, simply bear in mind that we’re solely speaking about waterproof headphones right here.
We have examined most of the greatest waterproof headphones in the marketplace, together with our new prime decide for 2025, the Shokz OpenSwim Professional. So if you’d like a brand new set of waterproof headphones to kickstart swimming or all-weather exercises for 2025, listed below are our prime picks.
The fast record
For those who don’t have time to learn our full information to the most effective waterproof headphones, you’ll be able to learn the round-up beneath for a shortcut to the highest choices to your wants and finances. You should utilize the soar hyperlinks or scroll all the way down to see our extra complete overview of the headphones and click on via to a full assessment.
Finest total
Glorious sound efficiency, Bluetooth and MP3 assist, and dependable waterproofing make these buds our prime decide for most individuals.
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2. H2O Audio Tri Multi-Sport
Finest multi-sport
There’s bass-heavy sound and 8GB of reminiscence right here, and a mode that permits you to use the headphones each out and in of the water.
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Finest premium
These prime premium bone-conducting headphones use an FM radio transmitter to stream music and podcasts out of your telephone.
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Finest music storage
With 16GB storage, these headphones provide double the opposite choices right here. You may as well stream music by way of Bluetooth whenever you’re on land.
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Finest stability
Our prime decide for stability, these bone-conducting headphones ship a light-weight and safe match that’ll see you thru exercises and swim classes.
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Finest low cost headphones for streaming
The YouthWhisper SuperQ3 does lots of issues nicely inside its limitations, because it does not have any onboard storage so you’ll be able to’t hear with out a telephone. Nonetheless, Bluetooth works surprisingly nicely, and it is beneath $50 with good sound.
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The most effective waterproof headphones in 2024
Why you’ll be able to belief TechRadar We spend hours testing each services or products we assessment, so that you could be certain you’re shopping for the most effective. Discover out extra about how we check.
Beneath you will discover full write-ups for every of the most effective waterproof headphones in our record. We have examined every one extensively, so you’ll be able to ensure that our suggestions could be trusted.
The most effective waterproof headphones total
The Shokz Openswim Professional are prime of our purchasing information as a result of they’re very high-quality bone-conduction headphones with glorious waterproofing, designed to work on dry land and within the water alike. Many of the headphones on this record depart your ears free and work via bone conduction know-how, however Shokz stands out from the pack.
You are capable of stream music out of your telephone or music participant utilizing Bluetooth, however it’s notoriously patchy underwater, so that you even have 32GB of onboard storage in a built-in MP3 participant. It is a small comfort when you primarily use streaming companies like Spotify, however when you do have a music library it is the right swimming resolution.
In any other case, you should use them as a Bluetooth headset on runs, cycles and within the workplace and keep conscious of your environment. Nice battery life, snug with glorious efficiency: it is our prime total decide for a motive.
Learn our full Shokz Openswim Professional assessment
The most effective multi-sport waterproof headphones
The H2O Audio Tri Multi-Sport waterproof open ear headphones make listening to music underwater really feel like a celebration with its bass-heavy audio and their 8GB storage, that permits you to retailer your favourite tunes for pool exercises. In comparison with the JBLs above, these bone conduction headphones are terrific swimming choices as they depart your ears free, principally with out compromising on sound high quality.
Throughout testing, we discovered it simple to obtain and set up recordsdata the way you need, so, when you’re apprehensive about utilizing an MP3 participant this present day, do not be. The toughest half is discovering respectable MP3-downloadable podcasts!
For those who do need to maintain it to streaming, the headphones do have Bluetooth connectivity too, however Bluetooth nonetheless does not work as nicely underwater. Nonetheless, it does provide you with choices to mess around with, and lets you use Spotify and different music streaming companies on land and close to the water floor.
The principle button controls play, pause, toggling between Bluetooth and reminiscence modes, and some different features, which must be annoyingly exact and takes some getting used to. However on the whole, the headphones are glorious.
Learn our full H2O Audio Tri Multi-Sport assessment
The most effective premium waterproof headphones
The Zygo Solo is the one waterproof headphones we have examined that may stream music and podcasts from a telephone sitting by the aspect of the pool. As talked about above, Bluetooth indicators can solely penetrate water for a really brief distance, and the Zygo Solo will get round this drawback utilizing an FM radio transmitter – an uncommon however efficient method.
The transmitter is kind of giant, however the capacity to get pleasure from music, podcasts and training ideas (offered by the Zygo app) with out messing round with MP3 recordsdata is an actual bonus. The headset itself is not as compact because the others on this information, however in our assessments, it proved snug and remained safe even when making turns underwater. The sound high quality is spectacular, too.
The Zygo Solo makes use of bone conduction to transmit sound to your auditory nerve, and whereas it sounds a bit tinny on land, when you’re within the pool, the sound has a formidable quantity of bass.
We’re additionally huge followers of the Zygo cell app, which provides instructor-led exercises and drills to provide you coaching some selection. Sooner or later, the corporate plans so as to add Peloton-style interactive classes, which is able to make use of the headset’s built-in accelerometer to trace your progress within the pool. The most effective premium waterproof bone conduction headphones you should buy right this moment.
Learn our in-depth Zygo Solo assessment
The most effective waterproof headphones for music storage
The Naenka Runner Diver units itself other than different bone conduction headphones on this record by doubling the storage of the H2O Audio Tri Multi-Sport above, whereas nonetheless providing Bluetooth streaming choices. Not like the Zygo Solo, which makes use of FM transmitters to stream underwater, these waterproof headphones are restricted to Bluetooth.
Nonetheless, it’s a step nearer in the fitting route, and it means that you may personal just one pair to make use of for each land and water-based audio enjoyment. Including to its versatility is its 16GB storage, double the opposite choices right here. As for its efficiency, we discovered throughout testing that it really works fantastically out and in of water – though the sound high quality is a lot better in water whenever you’ve bought the earplugs on.
Because it makes use of bone conduction, anticipate bass-heavy audio that lacks treble detailing. However, we didn’t discover that notably deal-breaking. Not for every thing else you’re getting.
Learn our in-depth Naenka Runner Diver assessment
The most effective waterproof headphones for stability
A wonderful selection for all-around sporty varieties, these slim-fitting bone conduction waterproof headphones work each out and in of the pool. Containing an inbuilt MP3 participant, they allow you to take your tunes with you when swimming whereas additionally permitting you to train to music away out of your telephone. The Shokz Openswim solely packs 4GB storage, a lot lower than a few of the merchandise on this record.
When swimming, we discovered the Shokz OpenSwim (often known as the AfterShokz Xtrainerz till the corporate rebranded in December 2021) greatest paired with swimming goggles or a swim cap to maintain them in place. With a devoted swim mode, the sound offered is obvious sufficient, whereas not solely will your ears be free from potential irritation incursions, you’ll be capable of hear ambient noise, just like the lifeguard blowing their whistle at you for extreme splashing.
Though offset by the opposite advantages, the shortage of Bluetooth does imply you’re left to plug the headphones in to add songs or podcasts, they’ll be no pairing along with your telephone to take calls. Nonetheless, if swimming is your primary concern, these are a superb selection.
Learn our in-depth Shokz OpenSwim assessment
The most effective low cost waterproof headphones for streaming
Regardless that the YouthWhisper SuperQ3 does not have any inside storage, it really works completely nicely within the pool – offered you keep near the floor. For those who’re glad to depart a streaming system poolside, you should use the YouthWhisper headset completely nicely for lengths in even giant swimming pools.
Throughout our texts, we discovered the controls have been intuitive and straightforward to make use of even when moist, and you’ll take hands-free calls out and in of the pool. It is a swim-friendly headset, however it suffers from the identical drawback all Bluetooth headsets do: Bluetooth does not journey nicely underwater.
However, the sound high quality is nice and particularly good for podcasts, so long as you put on the earplugs within the pool for greatest outcomes. The match is snug and the entire bundle works very well inside Bluetooth know-how’s limitations. It’s extremely low cost proper now too.
Learn our full YouthWhisper SuperQ3 assessment
How to decide on the most effective waterproof headphones for you
The fashion you like is the very first thing to contemplate when shopping for a pair of waterproof earbuds or headphones. For those who just like the match and really feel of standard in-ear headphones, a few earbuds may be your greatest guess. Nonetheless, a pair of bone-conducting headphones will work greatest if you wish to maintain your ears free to tune into your setting.
It is also value fascinated by the way you need to entry your music. If you wish to maintain your telephone by the aspect of the pool, a pair of swimming headphones with a built-in FM transmitter just like the Zygo Solo are your best choice – common Bluetooth earbuds simply will not minimize it underwater.
For those who do not need to depend on your telephone, you will want a pair of swimming headphones with a built-in MP3 participant. You may simply must you should definitely look into how a lot storage you are getting. For instance, the Naenka Runner Diver headphones in our information above have an onboard MP3 participant with 16GB value of storage – that is (very roughly) between 3,000 and 4,000 MP3s.
Can you utilize Bluetooth headphones whereas swimming?
Not often, as a result of Bluetooth indicators do not journey far via water. For those who can connect your smartwatch to a pair of swimming goggles, you might be able to use it to stream music to a pair of headphones, however not all watches and headphones assist this.
Are you able to swim with Apple AirPods?
No, the Apple AirPods, AirPods 3, and AirPods Professional aren’t totally waterproof. Solely headphones specifically designed for swimming must be worn in open water or the pool.
How we check the most effective waterproof headphones
We have examined each pair of waterproof headphones on this record and to ensure that them to be included on this very choose and particular roundup, we would have liked every pair of headphones to excel at a variety of issues.
The very first thing, after all, is efficient waterproofing – you want these swim-specific headphones to outlive a number of dunks within the drink. However that’s intently adopted by audio efficiency, battery life, wearer safety, consolation and ease of use. An IPX7 ranking mustn’t imply poor sound high quality and we made certain to test for that.
From there, we checked out Bluetooth connectivity – or alternate options to it, reminiscent of onboard storage or (anybody accustomed to smartphones is aware of that usually, they do not play nicely with water) or FM radio transmitters. Elsewhere, on-device controls, consolation, worth for cash and naturally respectable sound high quality helped us to achieve our verdicts.
Our testing is impartial – there are not any gross sales groups concerned in our assessment course of. That’s the reason when you make the leap (see what we did there?) and purchase a set of waterproof headphones from this shopping for information, you’ll be able to relaxation assured you are buying a TechRadar-approved product. For extra info, you’ll be able to take a look at our web page on how we check. Completely satisfied buying – and protected swimming.
