The 7 Best Wireless Headphones for Runners

Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. We may earn a commission from these links. Here’s how we test products and why you should trust us.ShokzProsThe best sounding (bass on) open ear headphonesSafe for outdoor runningComfortable to wear for long runsCharging case gives two full days of battery lifeConsCan be hard to hear in loud environmentsWhen it comes to active wear headphones, there is one brand we trust above all others. Shokz has helped popularize the open ear headphone with its bone conduction technology and these headphones are the newest, most advanced version of it. The OpenFit2+ rests on your ears, secured with comfortable hooks, and pumps in clear, detailed audio without needing to stick anything in your ear. The battery life is superb, with up to 11 consecutive hours on a full charge and a case that holds 48 hours worth of charge.I’ve loved them as exercise buds, but they are great for a casual wearer too. Don’t just take my word for it. Esquire senior entertainment editor Brady Langmann wears them every day. He calls them “lightweight, secure, and accessible to nearly every ear shape. It works just as well for a long outdoor run as it does for a work call. Even better? The crisp, clear sound (right down to its surprisingly effective noise cancellation) is the best we've ever heard in bone-conduction headphones.”ProsLightweight so the neckband never becomes cumbersomeRemarkably clear soundButton controlsLong battery lifeConsNo charging case due to the designHere we are again talking about Shokz. If you didn't believe us the first time, we are back again to hit all the runners who love the neckband. Be it for extra security or the look of it, Shokz obliges with its headphones most explicitly made for runners.The OpenRun Pro 2 are headphones made for distance running. The neckband strap is comfortable to wear for those 10-mile mornings. We had one of our resident runners review them and she said this: "Shokz’s signature tech is remarkable, and feels like a miracle of science every time you hit play. Save for when an especially loud truck goes by, you can hear every word of your podcast clearly with these on, despite the fact that there is nothing actually inside your ear."Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowProsOnly earbuds with heart rate sensingSyncs with Apple Watch for even more accurate workout trackingComfortable ear tipsGreat sound and noise cancellingConsNot everyone will want something in their ear PriceyHere's the deal. AirPods are insanely popular, you know that. You might even be wearing yours right now while you read this on your Apple phone. But these new AirPods Pro have taken a true step up with the heart rate sensing, making them the first of their kind.As our commerce director Krista Jones said in her review, this feature is pretty major, although still best used in tandem with an Apple Watch. "Let’s say you take a run," she wrote, "and then wear your watch and your AirPods, the tech was made to work together to get your best, more accurate heart rate. It will be pretty hard to compare which you get a better reading from since they work together to just improve its statistics."Still, it's hard to beat these as far as workout earbuds go. They are comfortable, pair easily to your iPhone, and offer options to turn noise-canceling on or off. These might just be the best AirPods yet.ProsGood sound for the priceHooks help the buds stay in during workouts IP55 resistance ratedConsMight be too small for some bigger guys No noise controlWhen it comes to super budget-friendly earbuds, the kind you give to your teenager because you know they have an expiration date, JLab has my heart. The Go Sport+ earbuds are only going to run you about $35, and for that price the sound quality is pretty damn impressive. There’s no ANC or any noise control options. What you’ll get is pretty standard audio for about nine continuous hours, or up to 35 using the charging case.Sound is fine, but it’s the design that makes these worth paying for. The ear hooks are comfortable and do their job of preventing the buds from falling right out of your ear and onto the sidewalk. And really, they are just comfortable—a bit on the smaller side but for me that means a snug fit in an easy-to-transport case. For guys with larger features, results may vary.Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowThe Best Over-ear Headphones for RunningBeats 360The Best Over-ear Headphones for RunningBeats 360ProsPerformance mesh is a great material for the gymSwappable ear cushions and headbandExcellent sound quality and noise-cancellingLightweight and balanced fitConsDoesn't come with an extra set of cushionsI reviewed the new Beats and I’m still wearing them. Frankly, there isn’t really another pair of over-ear headphones I would consider wearing while running anymore. This isn’t so much an outdoor long-distance run type of solution, but if you are hitting the treadmill these are going to give you amazing noise-cancelling and premium comfort so you can focus on the workout instead of your gear. There’s a good couple of reasons for that.First, the modular design. Not just the ear cushions, but the headband too. They are all swappable, and the performance knit is some of the best sweat wicking material you can find in a headphone. If you pick up an extra set of earcup cushions, you can dedicate one to workouts only.Second and third, the sound and the fit. Both are top tier, with comfort arguably being more important for this category. Still, the noise-cancelling is next level (I keep getting tapped on the shoulder at the office because I can’t hear anyone), and if you’re going to a crowded gym these are a great way to drown out the world.ProsEasy to clip on and off, yet secure and won't slipGreat sound qualityInterchangeable - can wear either on either earConsOn the expensive sideCurrently, these are my go-to earbuds for when I’m going to do a quick thirty to forty minutes on the elliptical. For me, they never slip, and better yet it doesn’t matter which one I put on which ear. They are interchangeable, so there’s no wrong way to put them on when I’m in a rush to grab and go.The sound quality is remarkable, I’d say on par with Shokz’s other headphones. Given the form factor, you wouldn’t think these would be as expensive as those other Shokz headphones, but at $200 they are. If this is the form factor that seems most appealing to you, though, I definitely think they are worth the money.Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowProsJBL delivering the goods in terms of soundComfortable ear hooksNeckband is comfortable and removableJBL makes outstanding earbuds and these are some of the best. If you can ever consider them earbuds, that is. These are another stab at how to do high-quality sound without needing to stick tubes down our ears. In short, it really, really works.These in particular are a favorite of Esquire's Entertainment Editor Josh Rosenberg. He can't do earbuds with the hooks since they are really the only thing that keeps the earbuds in. Does he care these aren't actually earbuds and are open-ear instead? No, he loves the SoundGear Sense simply because they are the best sounding headphones with ear hooks that he's ever used. The form factor doesn't do a thing to put a damper on JBL's signature, bass-heavy sound.What to Look for When You Pick Running HeadphonesThe truth is not all great headphones are meant for running in. These are. Here are some factors I look at and think about most when choosing which ones make the cut and which don’t.Fit: If you're going to be wearing these for anywhere from 30 minutes to four hours, you are going to want them to be comfortable. If you take them out and your ears are sore or itchy, that's not going to fun. They can't be sliding out of your ears, either. You also have to take into account what style you prefer—if you like ear hooks or a headband for the extra stability.Durability: Speaking of slipping and sliding, making sure your hardware is resistant to water, like sweat. You don't want your buds to slip out and get lost, nor do you want to damage them by simply sweating with them in. Water resistance rating is the easiest way to gauge durability before you buy a pair of running headphones.Battery Life: If distance running is your vice, you are going to need a pair of earbuds that can last the length of your routines. All of these headphones have at bare minimum six hours of continuous battery life with no need to charge.Noise Cancellation: Active Noise Cancellation, or ANC, is all the rage. It's that ability to black out the sounds of the world and the people that inhabit it. Having modular toggle-able ANC can be beneficial for a pair of runner's headphones, but they aren't necessary. If you are always running outside in a busy area, you might want to be more aware of your surroundings. Some of these use more passive forms of noise-cancellation to block out a safe amount of noise for running in public.