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The best water-resistant wireless earbuds for your workout

Because training without music is…just…terrible.

Best waterproof earbuds
Image: KnowTechie

Anyone who exercises will tell you it is almost impossible without music. However, how are you going to listen to your music if your sweat gets into your earbuds? That moisture can cause lasting damage. It could even cause your earbuds to stop working completely. So how do you get around that? Why, you pick some water-resistant earbuds, of course!

Fortunately, earbud brands know that water can destroy your expensive buds if it gets inside the casing. Many brands position their earbuds with exercise in mind. So, being the helpful little soul that I am, I’ve rounded up some of the best water-resistant wireless earbuds , with all budgets in mind.. Check this little lot out.

EarFun Air

Earfun earbuds

Image: KnowTechie

The EarFun Air earbuds have recently been reviewed by Matthew here at KnowTechie, so if you want a full description then check that out. In summary, though, these are great headphones for exercise. Why? Well, they come with an IPX7 water-resistance rating. This means that they can withstand a dip in water up to 1.5m in-depth, for a total of thirty minutes. Not only that, but these buds also boast EarFun’s trademarked SweatShield technology. This provides the internal electronics with an airtight seal to stop them from frying.

With a total of 35 hours playback (thanks to the charging case) the Earfun Air will be good for a month’s worth of one-hour gym sessions. You’re good to take mid-workout calls as you blow lava-hot air out in spin class. That’s because these ‘buds come with no less than four mics for clear conversations. There’s more, too. You can charge the EarFun case wirelessly. Just pop it on top of any wireless charger and it’ll start drinking up that lovely current for a battery boost.


Anker Soundcore Spirit Dot 2

Anker soundcore

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The first earbuds I reviewed was a pair of Soundcore’s Liberty 2 Pro and I have had an affinity with the brand ever since. I love their products as they are of superb quality, without breaking the bank. If exercise is your bag, then the Spirit Dot 2 earbuds are ideal. Given their name, you may have guessed that these earbuds are tiny. So tiny, in fact, that they’re 20% smaller than the previous Spirit Dot model.

Despite their diminutive size, the Spirit Dot 2 earbuds have plenty going for them. Like the EarFun Air, they’re IPX7-rated. This means they’re both water and sweat-resistant—great for working out, then! Soundcore has also improved the design of the earwings. Introducing a shark fin-shaped design, Soundcore ensures that the earbuds are held in place securely, yet also comfortably. Soundcore claims that they deliver thumping bass; ideal for pounding the pavement and keeping a steady pace.


Tribit FlyBuds 1

Tribit flybuds earbuds

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Tribit does a great range of inexpensive personal audio equipment, from portable Bluetooth speakers to wireless headphones. But we’re here to talk earbuds. If you’re after a pair of good quality ‘buds without the price tag, then you’ll want to net yourself some of the FlyBuds. They only have an IPX5 water-resistance rating, but that means they’ll be good to resist sweat and are therefore great for indoor gym use.

You do get a massive 36 hours out of the battery and charging case, with both on max juice. That is plenty for a month’s worth of daily, sixty-minute sessions and then some! They also have mono-listening mode, which means that you can listen to a separate device, in each ear, at the same time. Great if you want to take calls with one ear but still have music in the other. Or if you are doing an audio workout and you want some music too.


Anker Soundcore Spirit X2

Soundcore spirit x2

Image: KnowTechie

Anker deservedly gets another entry in this roundup, thanks to its excellent Spirit X2 earbuds. What makes these so good? Well, they boast an impressive IP68 dust and water-resistance rating. This means you can wear them for outdoor activity in even the most torrential of downpours. So, if you’re training track or a similar pursuit, you know you can have music to push you along even in typhoon season.

The design may be familiar as they follow a similar hooked design to Apple’s Powerbeats Pro earbuds. The flexible arm hooks over the back of the ear, while the earbuds sit in your ear canal. This makes them incredibly secure even during the most strenuous of workouts. A single charge gives the Spirit X2 9 hours of playback, which makes them a versatile pair of earbuds. You can use them for travel, work, and study with this kind of battery life. The charging case boosts this to 36 hours in total.


Jaybird Vista

Jaybird vista earbuds

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The Jaybird Vista earbuds are designed specifically for sporting pursuits. These are a hardy pair of ‘buds, which Jaybird claims are “crushproof, dustproof, and sweatproof”. Their IPX7 rating ensures that they remain resistant to any beads of sweat that might roll down your dome. However, they could also withstand a dip in the pool, should you accidentally drop them. You’ll just need to retrieve them immediately and dry them off properly. They even conform to US military standards, apparently!

The Jaybird Vistas are some of the lightest earbuds on the market right now, too. This is great news as you don’t want heavy earbuds that feel like they’re going to fly out of your ears every time you turn your head. They have an arched earwing design, meaning it will be collapsible, for comfort, yet resistant enough to movement to stay firmly in your ears. You can even use them independently of each other, much like the Flybuds. Neat!


Jabra Elite 75T

Jabra earbuds

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If you haven’t heard of Jabra’s Elite range and you read consumer tech news, then you’re reading the wrong consumer tech news. Jabra makes some of the best headphones you’re likely to hear. So, with this in mind, it makes sense that their Elite 75T earbuds come highly rated. They have an IP55 dust and water-resistance rating, meaning you can sweat all you like as these bad boys are primed to withstand intense jets of water for prolonged periods. Your puny beads of sweat are no match!

The Elite 75T earbuds come with a handy charging case. This can store 20.5 hours of battery life which, in addition to the 7.5 hours of continuous playback that the ‘buds offer, gives you 28 hours in total. Again, this is just enough for a month’s work of one-hour, weekday exercise. What? You need to relax at the weekends! Lucky for you there’ll be enough juice in the tank for you to kick back distraction-free, too.


Redux Earbuds

Redux earbuds

Image: Redux

The Redux Earbuds are what we call smart earbuds! Their AI-powered active noise-canceling option allows them to adapt to your environment. For example, let say you’re entering a crowded place, the earbuds will activate the noise-canceling option. Suddenly a fire alarm rings, the earbuds will let the sound of the fire alarm going through their filter. You can also choose the option you want if you don’t want the wireless earbuds to decide for you!

Designed by a team of electrical engineers, musicians, and audiophiles, Redux earbuds have a slick design, an ergonomic fit and they are water-resistant. With an IXP5 rate, they can resist sustained, low-pressure water jet spray, which makes them ideal for your sweaty workouts! Last but not least, the charging case gives them up to 90 hours battery, combined with the earbuds battery, they can last up to 100 hours in total. Crazy, huh?


The best wireless in-ear headphones

I think, given their excellent water-resistance rating, the Soundcore Spirit X2 earbuds take the accolade for the best budget wireless earbuds. The sound quality is likely to be particularly high thanks to Soundcore’s audio engineering chops. Plus, you get plenty of life out of the battery so they’re good for a multitude of uses. You can wear these on long walks in nature and you’ll never have to worry about the rain wrecking them.

That’s not to say the others aren’t excellent contenders. They are, but it all comes down to personal preference at the end of the day. All of the options here offer something different, whether budget, sound, or damage-resistance is your goal. If you’re after something less sporty and more audio-focused, then check out the best noise-canceling headphones you can buy right now.

Are you looking for the perfect pair of exercise earbuds? Do you use a brand we haven’t listed here but you think can do a better job? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

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Super hot for tech-nostalgia. Loves retro-futuristic artwork and music. Tech-wise enjoys gaming, audio and, for some unexplained reason really enjoys cleaning tech.

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