by Sofia Moreau

Music and podcasts have the power to fuel our workouts, arguments backed by research revealing that a compelling soundtrack can elevate motivation levels, combat exhaustion, and drive us to push beyond our regular limits. Sport psychologist, Dr. Costas Karageorghis, supports the idea that a favourite mix of tunes can effectively prep your mind for a wide range of exertions, from a hard-hitting HIIT regime to a gruelling marathon.

However, not all earphones can withstand the rigour of intense workouts. Traditional headphones might have a tendency to slip, or worse, their wires might become knotted during quick, high-energy movements. Fortunately, modern earbuds have evolved to overcome these issues, and are now available in styles to suit any form of workout – whether you require sweat-proof, wireless, feathery-weight, or bone-conduction models.

Selecting the Best Sports Earbuds: Key Aspects

Before investing in sports earbuds, it’s important to consider factors such as battery life and charging duration, sound quality, sweat resistance, and more. Nothing damps your motivation faster than a high-end product delivering a substandard, ‘tinny’ audio. If your exercise regimen includes road running or cycling, noise cancellation could be a double-edged sword. It’s crucial to balance an immersive audio experience against safety, ensuring you can react to the activities of passing vehicles or other possible risks. This is where bone-conduction models or ‘transparency modes’ take the lead, enabling an active awareness of environmental sounds.

Battery endurance also plays a significant part, especially for those planning to wear them over extended periods – Ironman contenders, for example. Some earbuds provide rapid charging options, offering up to 90 minutes of playback time after just five minutes of charging, proving handy for pre-workout routines.

How your earbuds fit also matters. Models with changeable earbud tips in different sizes ensure a convenient fit, mitigating any need to adjust them during active workout sequences like burpees. A few over-the-ear models also provide ear loops to ensure stability as you ramp up your efforts.

Ultimately, usability is a key selling point. Contemporary earbuds provide hands-free access to popular digital assistants like Google Assistant or Siri, capability to answer calls during workouts without needing to touch your device, and are dust and sweat-proof. In this case, the relevance of the Ingress Protection (IP) grade is essential.

Understanding the IP Grade on Earbuds

The IP grade consists of two digits: the first indicating dust resistance (say, 5), and the second specifying water resistance (such as ,7). Water and sweat resistance grades vary from IPX1, signifying protection against dripping water, to IPX4, offering resistance against light splashing, further extending to IPX7 or 8 which permit usage during swimming, depending on brand recommendations.

The Leading Sports Earbuds for Workout Enthusiasts in 2023

Our top five include the following:

• Push Active True Wireless Earphones by Skull Candy
• Sport X10 by Soundcore from Anker
• Apple’s AirPods Pro (2nd Generation)
• OpenSwim Earphones by Shokz
• Mu3 Wireless Earphones from KEF

Continue reading to discover a detailed breakdown of the strengths, challenges, and unique features of each model in our comprehensive review of the best sports earbuds for active individuals.