The Finest Working Headphones of 2024

How We Examined the Finest Working Headphones

Our Knowledgeable Testers

GearJunkie’s runners have examined tons of of males’s and girls’s merchandise on trails, in busy city facilities, and through aggressive Journey Racing. 2024’s working headphones exams constructed on that theme, with our testers starting from Texas trails to central California, Singapore, and Thailand.

The testers for this text have mixed expertise of over 20 years in middle-distance path working, aggressive observe racing, and multi-sport actions like CrossFit. Our editorial group consists of GearJunkie Journey Racing group members, and editors for iRunFar.com offered product session.  

We’re additionally actual individuals, so we use headphones similar to everybody else — working errands, attending conferences, and taking cellphone calls. We labored out, traveled, and vibed out to music in our working headphones. One improvised water resistance take a look at came about once we forgot a pair of earbuds in a shorts pocket and threw the shorts within the washer.

Our Testing Course of

Efficiency demanded resilience below excessive warmth (as much as 95 levels at 80% humidity on the Singapore streets) and through journey. Metropolis site visitors, sweaty ears, and logistics of battery life and case carrying have been fixed components. Testers put water resistance to the take a look at in occasions together with moderate-distance swim coaching and sauna & chilly plunge restoration classes. 

Testing durations ranged from months to years. We discharged and recharged headphones continuously and retested models to search out our favourite functions for every product. Testers used their assigned headphones throughout leisure runs however thought of attainable makes use of throughout competitions inside rule allowances.

Purchaser’s Information: Find out how to Select Working Headphones

Match/Consolation

Even if you happen to solely go on brief, half-hour jogs, the wrong-fitting headphones can nonetheless offer you an earache. That stated, it’s not all the time so simple as selecting the set of rubber ideas that really feel one of the best and popping the headphones in. Ache from earbuds can come from the ideas, over-ear or concha ridge hooks, and even fixed re-adjustment. 

Search for springy however versatile ear hooks like those on the JLAB Epic Air Sport, or a bone conduction set just like the H20 Audio Tri Professional. For many, Apple AirPods could be a good selection — however as a result of there’s no match adjustment, there’s some chance you’ll end up consistently fidgeting with them to maintain them cosy.

Battery Life

Not each runner wants best-in-class headphone battery life, just like the JLab Epic Air Sport gives. To be sincere, most of us can’t run for 10 or extra hours straight, regardless of if we need to or not. But it surely’s all the time finest to contemplate how else you’ll use your headphones outdoors exercises and what it takes to recharge them if the worst occurs. 

Should you’re a every day commuter with an workplace job and an after-work working routine, contemplate headphones with lengthy battery life on a single cost. It’s attainable you’ll need greater than 4 to six hours of listening time per day, and it’s best to not recharge until you must. 

Should you’re a marathoner, we’d encourage the identical factor — begin your run or race with a full cost and save valuable grams by leaving the case behind.

Should you’re a hardcore journey runner who can do 30, 50, or 100+ miles, search for fast recharge time and a well-built, compact case. You won’t hit 0% in your run, however your headphones probably will.

Contact/Voice Controls

The important thing to success in headphone contact controls for runners: simplicity. 

Most of us don’t need to take into consideration something whereas we’re working. Others get their finest pondering carried out whereas they’re knocking out miles. The widespread denominator is that the very last thing any of us need to take into consideration is what number of faucets it takes on which ear to activate what operate. 

“OK, so do I faucet my left earbud thrice for the final observe, twice slowly then as soon as shortly to activate voice management, and one-touch adopted by two clicks to toggle ANC? Or is it solely as soon as slowly then twice …” 

No person needs that. Our employees additionally prefers button or voice management over contact management. It could be widespread for runners to scratch itches, wipe sweat from their faces, and so forth. Pawing a touch-activated earbud repeatedly can result in useful frustration. We bought alongside nicely with the Skullcandy Push Lively voice assistant and button controls.

Noise Canceling or Non-Noise Canceling

Lively noise canceling (ANC) headphones have skyrocketed in recognition because the know-how has improved in smaller and smaller packages. ANC makes use of a number of microphones to gather, measure, and “cancel” incoming sound by producing counteracting sound waves. 

So, do you want ANC in working headphones? Security-conscious, city runners or those that similar to listening to the birds and the bees could resist it. As our testing revealed, a few of at the moment’s ANC is extraordinarily potent, making it unimaginable to listen to regular noises anyplace close by. It may be intimidating.  

Nonetheless, audiophiles or runners preferring to zone out can revel within the sonic focus ANC gives. To jam out on music and let the vibes take over (testing or in any other case), our testers attain for the loudest pair of ANC headphones. The know-how pairs particularly nicely with the surge in customized equalizer instruments for headphones . And if you happen to’re ably sighted, you may all the time preserve your head on a swivel to maintain your self protected. 

In-Ear or Open-Ear

Every of those classes carries one important downside and one important benefit. Headphones with in-ear designs sound louder however can change into painful after hours of wear and tear. Open-ear designs are extra comfy, however by no means carry the identical thump as in-ear buds. 

Runners can contemplate mileage to assist name a shot. Do you really need something in your ears for 10, 24, or 30+ hours? Not all in-ear buds are created equal, it’s true — and the higher the match, the much less earache you’ll face. However the benefit of open-ear buds over prolonged put on durations is that there’s really a chance you’ll overlook you’re sporting them. Not solely that, however you’ll additionally keep extra immediately tuned to the surface world. The Soundcore Aerofit Professional confirmed very balanced open-ear sound high quality throughout our exams.

However, the entire motive you run could be that you simply like getting misplaced in your individual world. In that case, an in-ear set can higher defend your groove from the ingress of exterior hassles all of us navigate.

Water Resistance/Ingress Safety

The IP system strikes once more! Bear in mind, have a look at the final two digits (both an X and a quantity or two numbers). The primary digit stands for mud and particles resistance, the second is water. The widespread IP54 implies that it could actually let in some mud however not sufficient to harm the gadget (5), and that it’s protected against splashing water (4). 

Something past this, and also you’ve bought a fairly strong earbud for working. IPX5 is water jet-protected, and IPX6 gear gained’t yield to “highly effective water jets” or “heavy seas.” 

Value & Worth

Funds

Should you’re on the lookout for a finances pair of working headphones, you may count on to spend anyplace as much as $100. You can even look forward to finding some compromises on sturdiness and sound high quality. However there are some finances steals on the market, just like the JBL Vibe Beam ($45). Regardless of its low value, the 8-hour battery life and good sound high quality have been nice surprises. We did discover that they’d a bent to jostle free throughout runs, however for $45, they’re a stable pair.

Mid-Tier

The center tier of working headphones ranges in value from $100 to $175 and provides larger sound high quality and some different fascinating options. The JLab Epic Air Sport ($100) is on the low finish of this tier and provides wonderful mid-range sound high quality and a safe, comfy match on long-distance runs. The Soudcore AeroFit Professional ($170) lies close to the highest of this value vary, however delivers as much as 14 hours of battery life and wonderful sound high quality.