Thursday, March 28, 2024

You can get these headphones drenched in sweat

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There are a lot of factors that go into buying a new pair of headphones, but one that can be easy to overlook is the waterproof rating. Whether you’re breaking a sweat at the gym or happen to get caught in a rainstorm, having proper waterproofing for your headphones will ensure they keep on working without any problems even if they happen to get a little wet. The Jabra Elite Active 75t are what we deem to be as the best overall waterproof headphones, but if those aren’t your cup of tea, there are plenty of other options worth considering.

Best Overall: Jabra Elite Active 75t

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The market for waterproof headphones is one with a lot of choices, but among everything available, there’s one pair that stands out as the go-to recommendation — Jabra’s Elite Active 75t.

In regards to the waterproofing, the Elite Active 75t are backed by an IP57 rating. This ensures protection against water, sweat, and dust, making the 75t incredibly durable. Just in case something does go wrong, however, Jabra backs the buds with a two-year warranty for added peace of mind.

You can expect up to 7.5 hours of continuous use with the earbuds, and when you factor in the charging case, total battery life is increased to 28 hours. The case charges via USB-C, the earbuds are extremely comfortable to wear, and the 6mm drivers in the earbuds kick out great sound. The cherry on top? You can manage all of the Elite Active 75t’s features/settings from the Jabra MySound app — including a way to make a custom sound profile specifically for your ears.

Pros:

  • IP57 rating protects against water and dust
  • Backed by a two-year warranty
  • Incredibly comfortable
  • Great audio quality
  • Ample battery life

Cons:

  • Doesn’t have active noise-canceling
  • Lacks wireless charging

Best Overall

Jabra Elite Active 75t

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  • $200 at Amazon
  • $200 at Best Buy
  • $200 at Newegg

The gold standard

The Jabra Elite Active 75t are the definition of great waterproof headphones, excelling in almost every regard,

Best Value: TaoTronics SoundLiberty 53

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There are a lot of reasons to love the Jabra Elite Active 75t, but if they’re too rich for your blood, another great choice comes from TaoTronics with its SoundLiberty 53.

Once again in the form of true wireless buds, the SoundLiberty 53 have a lot going for them. There’s an IPX7 waterproof rating, touch controls for controlling your music playback, five hours of battery per charge, and another 36 hours with the included case.

We love that you can use Single mode for just listening to one earbud at a time, and the SoundLiberty 53 even support both SBC and AAC audio codecs. Add that together with a simple design, and you’re getting an insane amount of value.

Pros:

  • IPX7 waterproof
  • Bluetooth 5.0
  • Playback touch controls
  • Around 40 hours of total battery life
  • Incredible price

Cons:

  • Just five hours of battery per charge

Best Value

TaoTronics SoundLiberty 53

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  • $45 at Amazon
  • $66 at Walmart
  • $54 at Newegg

Save some money along the way

Get more for your money with the SoundLiberty 53, offering an IPX7 rating and strong battery life at a low price.

Best Budget Pick: Mpow Flame

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It’s undeniable that the SoundLiberty 53 are a great value, but what if you’re trying to spend even less? If so, you’ll want to check out the Mpow Flame. These headphones favor a more traditional wireless earbud design as opposed to a true wireless one, and for the price, it’s jaw-dropping what you can get.

In regards to waterproofing, there’s the full IPX7 one along with an “interior nano-coating” to keep everything in tip-top shape no matter how wet the Mpow Flame get. Battery life is rated between 7-9 hours, ambient noise is isolated thanks to Mpow’s CVC 6.0 noise-canceling microphones, and the ear clips allow for a secure and comfortable fit no matter how active you are.

The use of the older Bluetooth 4.1 tech isn’t ideal, but considering how cheap the Flame are, we can’t fault Mpow too much. Plus, we think you’ll get over that fast once you see how many colors you can choose from.

Pros:

  • IPX7 waterproof
  • Comfortable and secure ear hooks
  • Free carrying case
  • Available in a bunch of colors
  • Dirt cheap

Cons:

  • Older Bluetooth 4.1

Best Budget Pick

Mpow Flame

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  • From $20 at Amazon
  • From $23 at Walmart
  • $31 at Newegg

Flame on

Despite keeping costs as low as possible, the Mpow Flame manage to be a worthy contender in the world of waterproof headphones.

Best for Running: Jaybird Vista

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Jaybird’s made a name for itself with a vast portfolio of workout-focused earbuds, and the Jaybird Vista are some of the latest and greatest buds from the company.

Taking the shape of true wireless earbuds, the Jaybird Vista tout an impressive IPX7 waterproof rating that should be able to stand just about anything. Similarly, you also benefit from MIL-STD 810G durability. In other words, these are very rugged earbuds.

Despite having so much protection, the Vista manage to stay small and comfortable when worn. You get a bunch of ear tips to customize the size, and the charging case is also relatively compact. The earbuds themselves promise six hours of battery at a time, but with the charging case, you can expect 32 hours of total use. Not to mention, the case charges via USB-C 🙌. Thanks to that great design and battery life, the Vista are a top-notch choice for avid runners.

The lack of a higher-end audio codec (like AAC, which is common on much more affordable options) is a bummer, but it’s not enough to stop the Vista from being one of our go-to recommendations.

Pros:

  • IPX7 waterproofing
  • MIL-STD 810G durability rating
  • Total use time of 32 hours between earbuds and case
  • Customizable ear tips
  • Charges via USB-C

Cons:

  • Only supports SBC audio codec
  • Pricey

Best for Running

Jaybird Vista

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  • From $178 at Amazon
  • $180 at Best Buy
  • $180 at B&H

Jog or sprint, these will stay with you

Overall, the Jaybird Vista come out on top as the best waterproof earbuds you can buy — even if they aren’t the most affordable.

Best Design: Aukey Key Series B60

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With so many different headphones out there, it can be difficult for companies to make themselves stand out. Aukey is mostly known for its portable battery banks, but somehow, it’s also wedged itself into the audio market with a pretty incredible pair of earbuds in the form of its Key Series B60.

In regards to core headphone features, the Key Series B60 do just about everything right. You get Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C charging, and a respectable IPX6 rating for waterproofing. The B60 also look quite nice, come with customizable ear tips and ear hooks, and are offered in few different colors.

If you ask us, the real star of the show with the B60 is the Magnetic QuickSwitch. If you have the earbuds around your neck but aren’t using them, the backs of each bud clasp together via magnetics to automatically power themselves off. When you’re ready to use them again, simply separate the backs and they automatically turn on. It’s such a simple feature, but it’s one we think you’ll find it hard to live without once you experience it for yourself.

Pros:

  • IPX6 waterproofing
  • Magnetic clasp
  • Customizable ear tips and ear hooks
  • USB-C charging
  • Bluetooth 5.0

Cons:

  • Max eight-hour battery life

Best Design

Aukey Key Series B60

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  • From $39 at Amazon
  • $34 at Walmart
  • $40 at Newegg

We love the magnetic clasp

A magnetic clasp that seamlessly controls the power of your earbuds? We absolutely love it.

Best Sound: Sony WF-SP800N

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Sony is a market leader when it comes to high-quality audio gear, with the WF-SP800N being another prime example of that. These are true wireless earbuds designed to be used for sports/physical activity, and naturally, they offer great waterproofing. On offer here is an IP55 rating, which keeps the WF-SP800N safe from sweat, downpours, and more.

The design may look a bit odd at first, but it results in a very comfortable fit when wearing the buds. There are touch controls on the sides for managing your music playback, along with built-in Alexa for on-the-go smarts. You also get up to 13 hours of continuous playback with the earbuds, or 26 hours of total juice thanks to the charging case.

As for the audio department, this is where the WF-SP800N shine. You get rich bass, Sony’s Sense Engine tech to make your music sound as good as possible, and digital noise-canceling that helps to block out ambient noises around you.

Pros:

  • IP55 waterproofing
  • Available in fun colors
  • Bass-heavy sound
  • Noise-canceling
  • Comfortable in-ear fit

Cons:

  • Design isn’t for everyone
  • Expensive

Best Sound

Sony WF-SP800N

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  • $148 at Amazon
  • $150 at Best Buy
  • $148 at Walmart

Block out the world around you

Want earbuds that can silence annoying ambient noise? That’s exactly what you get with the Sony WF-SP800N.

Best On-Ear: Adidas RPT-01

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Earbuds are often the best choice when looking for waterproof audio options, but if you like on-ear style headphones, you owe it to yourself to look into the Adidas RPT-01. Yes, that Adidas.

Adidas may not be the first company you think of when it comes to headphones, but the RPT-01 are quite promising. You can expect up to 40 hours of battery life, there’s a control knob for easy management of your tunes, and charging is done via USB-C. Hooray! We also need to credit Adidas for the design of the RPT-01, which look unlike just about anything else out there.

In regards to waterproofing, the IPX4 rating isn’t quite as encompassing as the other options above, but if you’re set on getting on-ear headphones, this is the norm. Outside of that, the RPT-01 do just about everything else right.

Pros:

  • Gorgeous, unique design
  • Comfortable on-ear fit
  • Easy-to-use control knob
  • Up to 40-hour battery life
  • Bluetooth 5.0

Cons:

  • Only IPX4 water-resistance

Best On-Ear

Adidas RPT-01

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  • From $150 at Amazon
  • $170 at Best Buy
  • $150 at B&H

Yes, that Adidas

If you’re someone that prefers on-ear headphones, Adidas’s RPT-01 is a great choice with a unique design and long-lasting battery.

Best Bone Conduction: AfterShokz Titanium

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Our last pick on this list won’t be for everyone, but for others, could be perfect. Yes, we’re talking about bone conduction headphones.

AfterShokz is the leader when it comes to bone conduction, and for anyone that isn’t familiar, headphones like the Titanium don’t actually have speakers that go in your ear. Instead, vibrating pads rest against the bones in your head and create a sound that way. This means you get crystal-clear audio while still being able to hear everything around you — perfect for runners and bikers.

There’s an IP55 rating for dust and water-resistance, there are a few colors at your disposal, and all things considered, sound quality is pretty good!

The limited six hours of battery life and Bluetooth 4.1 do knock a couple of points off, but as far as bone conduction goes, this is one of the best options out there.

Pros:

  • IP55 water and sweat-resistant
  • Industry-leading bone conduction technology
  • Allows you to hear everything around you
  • Lightweight and flexible

Cons:

  • Older Bluetooth 4.1
  • Only six hours of battery life
  • Bone conduction not for everyone

Best Bone Conduction

AfterShokz Titanium

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  • From $80 at Amazon
  • $80 at Best Buy
  • From $80 at Walmart

Stay alert, stay safe

Bone conduction is a great choice for runners and bikers, and the Titanium from AfterShokz can be worn in the rain like a pro.

Bottom line

Your options for waterproof headphones are far from limited. You just have to look for an IP rating on your headphones of choice, and luckily, a lot of options have one these days. This list just highlights a few of our favorite ones — including the Jabra Elite Active 75t as our overall top choice.

So much about these headphones work incredibly well, whether it be their waterproofing or something else. The IP57 rating offers ample day-to-day protection, Jabra’s warranty adds another layer of coverage, and the long battery life means you can rely on the 75t to get you through any run, walk, hike, etc. As you start piling on things like the sound quality, the comfy design, and Jabra’s powerful companion app, it’s easy to see why the buds are so great.

Yes, the price tag is high, but if you’re after the best waterproof headphones, these are it.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

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Joe Maring is Android Central’s Senior Editor and has had a love for anything with a screen and CPU since he can remember. He’s been talking/writing about Android in one form or another since 2012 and often does so while camping out at the nearest coffee shop. Have a tip? Reach out on Twitter @JoeMaring1 or send an email to [email protected]!

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