If you like running or doing long walks in the park, you most likely know that some good music can make the experience even better. Thanks to improvements in bluetooth connectivity and battery technology, runners now can find the best headphones to suit their needs.
When it comes to headphones which would be used for sport there are a few things you would need to consider.
Your physiology is to be had in mind when choosing the best headphones for your workouts as a sweaty pair of headphones could easily ruin the otherwise pleasant experience.
Comfortable fit and the ability to move around freely are also quite important for our use case. But those are nothing if your headphones fall off your head every few minutes.
Waterproofing could be important in case you often exercise in extreme weather conditions and situational awareness would be useful if your exercise outdoors in a demanding or dangerous environment.
And, of course, sound quality. A pair of headphones would be nothing if it does not satisfy your sound requirements.
What to consider
If you ever had to choose a pair of audiophile or studio headphones, well, this is basically the opposite thing.
The big, heavy cans wouldn’t really help with your exercises. Not to mention the long cables would become a major inconvenience. With that said, Bluetooth or wireless would be the way to go.
Smaller and well-fitting headphones would be preferable for training but you would still have to make sure the phones don’t fall off easily of your head and are not too heavy to wear for a few hours. Most often it would be either on-ear or in-ear designs that would fit this description, but this is not carved in stone.
As mentioned already, in case you would be using your running headphones in extreme weather conditions, or you just sweat a lot, a waterproof pair of headphones is preferable.
Of course, a sturdy and comfortable design is mandatory if you don’t want to buy new headphones every month or so.Sound quality is not a main point with such headphones. Nevertheless, we made sure to choose the best sounding models for our purposes.
All headphones below connect via wirelessly over Bluetooth and some even offer alternative connectivity options, such as a 3.5mm jack or USB.
Having in mind these picks were mainly designed for extreme conditions, they are all quite durable, sweat resistant, water-resistant and even washable.
We shouldn’t expect audiophile-grade sound here, but we have made sure to cover that point as well, so you can enjoy an awesome audio experience during your workouts.
Monster iSport Freedom – Built with comfort and safety in mind
The Monster iSport Freedom Bluetooth headphones are one of the best options out there. These sports headphones were built with comfort and safety in mind. Even those of you who like midnight runs were not forgotten.
Long battery life, touch controls, built-in, being waterproof and washable, and delivering a great sound are just a few additions to the list of advantages the Monster Freedoms have to offer.
Construction & Design
Probably the first thing you are going to notice is the nice and tough on-ear design of the Monsters. The plastic is durable and doesn’t look too cheap, although the headphones are light.
The reflective design is specifically intended to keep you safe at night and though it certainly won’t help you if you get attacked by ninjas, the Monster iSport Freedom headphones would make you more noticeable for drivers.
The headphones are pretty comfortable and fit well. The headband is adjustable. Still, the fit is relative to every person, so I would encourage you to try every pair of headphones for yourself.
Controls are another thing that was thought well done on the iSport Freedoms. They are based on the right earcup and are pretty responsive.
These headphones have 3 usage modes. They can work over Bluetooth, wired and over USB cable. The cable connection would often turn out useful if you forget to charge your headphones. Not only that but it has a built-in microphone too so you can answer calls.
Sound Quality
Some might say the sound coming out of these Monsters isn’t worth the 200 bucks. The sound is not as bassy as some other headphones and the sound isolation is next to none, which however give you a good sense of the surrounding environment at all time.
The sound is quite clear, with nice mids and the volume levels can go pretty high.
Overall, these Bluetooth headphones sound quality is pretty good. We should keep in mind what the priorities were when designing the iSport Freedoms.
Conclusion
The Monster iSport Freedom headphones were designed with safety and comfort in mind, especially for people who like running. They provide durability, comfortable fit, connectivity options and great loud sound, while still giving you a good sense of your surroundings. Include the impressive battery life to the picture and you have an awesome set of running headphones.
Pros
- Comfortable and light
- Reflect design for safety
- Wireless, wired or USB connectivity
Cons
- Low frequencies are a little too thin
- No sound isolation
Plantronics BackBeat FIT 500 – The impressive battery life and a booming bass
The BackBeat FIT 500 by Plantronics are a pair of headphones designed especially for your workout. Unlike the previous mention, however, those come with a booming bass. Once again those are water and sweat resistant, and fit comfortably so you can enjoy your morning run.
Construction & Design
The BackBeats also have on-ear design and generously cushioned so you can enjoy your workout. The earpads and headband are both memory foam-cushioned. The headband is also adjustable.
An important feature is their water resistance, as they come with water-resistant P2i nano-coating, which makes them washable.
The Bluetooth range is 10 meters and there is also an included cable with a 3.5 mm jack for situations when you need backup.
The battery life is no less impressive. Plantronics advertise 18 hours listening and talk time per charge.
You also have on-ear controls and a built-in mic with echo-suppression. Connection to multiple devices is also an option.
Sound Quality
With their 40mm drivers, the Plantronics BackBeat FIT 500 deliver pretty good sound for the price. The low frequencies are emphasized but not too much. They rarely bleed into the mids, which keeps the sound clear. The high-frequencies are also nicely emphasized with good presence. The soundstage is good too.
Conclusion
The Plantronics BackBeat FIT 500s are pretty good for their price. The build is decent, as expected by a long-time headset manufacturer and so are the connectivity options. They are water resistant and washable too.
The 500s provide Bluetooth 4.1 connectivity with up to 10 metes range, as well as cabled connection. You also have the on-ear controls, impressive battery life and of course the great sound quality for the price range.
Pros
- Powerful bass
- Comfortable on-ear design
- On-ear controls
Cons
- Not an audiophile-grade sound delivery
- Not the best option for watching movies
Beats Solo3 Wireless – Terminator metal skeleton and a dominant bass
There’s hardly anyone who hasn’t heard of the Beats. And the Beats Solo3 Wireless headphones are a classic example of good on-ear headphones. Although, I don’t think they were specifically intended for training specifically, they have pretty much everything you might ask for if you are looking for a shinier option.
Construction & Design
For a start, Apple offers different color options for these headphones. You can choose between glossy black, matt black, glossy white, silver, gold, rose gold, violet and red. The bright logo on the sides is now replaced by a color-matched logo.
The headphones are made of durable plastic and, much like the Terminator, have a metal skeleton. The ear paddings are made of foam and wrapped with synthetic leather. The headband is padded with rubber-like material. These features definitely don’t look luxury, but they were clearly intended to do something else anyway “ they keep the headphones in place on your head. The 3.5mm input and fold-up design are not to be overlooked either.
The controls are hidden on the right ear cup. The Beats logo acts as a play/pause button and the ring above and below alters volume. A built-in microphone lets you take calls too.
Using those with an iPhone would provide an even better experience.
And let’s not forget the battery life. It is indeed impressive up to 50 hours per charge.
Sound Quality
As expected of any Beats headphones, the bass is big and hits hard. Do have in mind those were originally designed for Hip-Hop, so if you aren’t into its bass-intensive sound you should go looking elsewhere. The highs and mids are smooth, so the bass is dominant but without clouding the other parts.
Sound isolations was not a main point with these headphones, however, they do block some of the sound from coming in.
Conclusion
If you like to have your bass hitting hard, you should definitely consider trying the Beats Solo3 Wireless headphones. And they are durable enough to use when working out in the gym or outdoors. The firm grip and comfortable fit assure the headphones won’t fall off.
The connectivity, controls and amazing battery life are also quite suitable for active usage and in case you use an iPhone these should be even better.
Pros
- Energetic sound
- Excellent battery life
- Durable design
Cons
- Expensive
- Bass might be somewhat too accentuated for some tastes
Soul X-tra – Durable, easily washable and have safety LEDs
So hear is something interesting a pair of over-ear headphones designed with active usage in mind. The Soul X-Tra Wireless headphones have washable ear pads, wireless connectivity, great battery life and even a set of LEDs to keep you safe during your midnight runs.
Construction & Design
The Soul X-tras come all-black and in black and blue and are entirely made of plastic. As mentioned, they have removable pads that can be washed. The over-ear design allows longer use without any discomfort.
The control buttons are big and have a distinct click which could be quite useful during workouts.
Similarly to the rest of our suggestions, the X-Tras have a 3.5mm input and cable included. There’s also the micro-USB charging port and the safety LEDs on the back of each earcup. These lights can be turned on, flashing or turned off and prove quite useful if you are into running during the dark hours.
The headphones fit securely on your head, so you won’t need to constantly get them back in place. They have a foldable design so they can be transported easily.
The battery life is 24 hours, so you would probably have to charge once every few weeks. Having that said, it’s pretty hard to run out of battery with these cans. So just to add to it, a 15-minute charge should suffice for more than two hours and if you run out of power you can just plug the 3.5 mm cable.
Sound Quality
These headphones are probably not the best option for wearing in the gym, due to the lack of sound isolation, but this again gives you a good idea of your surroundings at all time. This is pretty useful for runners.
Unfortunately, the low end might be a little lacking for some tastes and the highs can sometimes be overly bright but with a little EQ all should be fine.
Conclusion
The Soul X-Tra Bluetooth headphones are another great consideration when it comes to the best headphones for running. They are extremely durable, easily washable and were created with active exercise in mind.
The sound is pretty decent and your safety and comfort were not forgotten either. The Bluetooth connectivity is excellent and the battery life is too.
The foldable design makes them easily transportable.
Pros
- Comfortable over-ear design
- Washable cushions
- Long battery life
Cons
- Sound quality could be better
- The plastic used looks cheap
66 AUDIO BTS Pro – 40 hours battery and a sweat-resistant design
Last but not least BTS Pros by 66 AUDIO were built with running and work out in mind. They fit securely on your head and are sweat-resistant which makes them great for running, and the sound quality is great.
Construction & Design
The BTS Pros are lightweight and ergonomic with nice memory foam cushions. Probably due to their unique design you should try them out before you commit to buying them.
They have Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity which supposedly would have a range of more than 30 meters. And the battery life is next to infinity at 40 hours.
Of course, you have the easily accessible controls on the side and the simultaneous pairing to multiple devices.The headphones are quite light at about 80grams.
Still, if you go more than an hour or two, the BTS Pros could get kind of hot.
Sound Quality
Top the rest with an amazing sound and you have an awesome pair of running headphones. There isn’t too much to say here, other than mentioning the well balanced, clear and powerful sound.
Unfortunately, these headphones do not have the 3.5 mm jack input, as the others in the selection do.
Conclusion
With all the above in mind we can easily say that 66 AUDIO BTS Pros offer everything you might want from your headphones for running. You get lightweight, durable, ergonomic design, along with perfect connectivity and awesome sound, accessible controls and no less than amazing battery life, so these headphones are a must-try option for running.
Pros
- Comfortable, ergonomic fit
- Great sound
- Long battery life
Cons
- Might get hot after some time
- No 3.5 mm input
Verdict
So, this is our pick for the best headphones for running. Whether you are looking for a budget option or something leaning more to the higher class, these options should have you covered.
We have also looked into the connectivity options. All models presented deliver an outstanding quality of the Bluetooth connectivity and apart from the BTS Pros, have an alternative 3.5mm backup input.
Each pick has their own set of controls and built-in microphones so you can control your music player and your phone.Comfortable and secure fit was also considered when choosing the best headphones, as were water and sweat resistance and, of course, sound quality.
All in all, we have made sure to cover as much ground as possible on the topic. And with everything we have discussed I believe it is fair to say the Monster iSport Freedom Bluetooth headphones would be the best pick.
Conclusion
With a comfortable fit, even during long runs, a sturdy build, great connectivity and good sound performance selected above best headphones for running are simply great.
The not only have great Bluetooth connectivity, but also provide a 3.5mm jack backup input, as well as the USB audio option.
Add the safety was not overlooked either. The reflective finish is intended to make you visible to the traffic during night-time runs.
The controls on the right earcup are easy to use and allow you to control your music player or phone, while the built-in microphone, wit its echo-reduction, allows you to talk freely even in noisy environments.
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