“You're always on the move,” A friend of my parents once spoke towards me as he quickly disappeared over the horizon. As a working parent of two kids, I… disagree. Luxurious over-ear headphones are great if you primarily use them at work or for meetings, but throughout the rest of your life—exercising, traveling, or around the house Pretend you're storing stuff—you might want something a lot more convenient and durable. In other words, you'll want the best workout headphones money can buy.
Since I started testing workout headphones many years agoSound, comfort, variety and features are all significantly improved. I almost always have a bag on or with me during the day, whether I'm cycling errands, running, hiking, or watching slightly embarrassing yoga videos on my laptop in the bedroom. If you also need the distraction of music or a podcast while climbing rocky slopes or mowing the lawn, here's a roundup of WIRED's favorite pairs. We've worn and sweated on all of them. Don't see something you like? Check out ours Best wireless headphones, Best cheap headphones, Best Bluetooth speakersor any of our others buying guide for more.
Updated January 2025: We added Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2, Nothing Ear Open, JLab Epic Sport ANC 3, Soundpeats Breezy, H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro, and Raycon bone conduction headphones. We also update links and prices throughout.
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To a certain extent, the sound of headphones is less important than whether they fit well or not. They might be the best-sounding headphones in the world, but I'd find them uncomfortable if they didn't stay in the middle. So how? DO Do you keep your headphones from falling out? Here are some tips and tricks I've tried over the years to make sure they don't fall out.
- Let's call it in. To put on the headphones, pull the ears out slightly and twist gently to secure them in place. If they don't fit, don't be afraid to change or mismatch the ear tip size. For example, one ear may need a medium tip and the other a small one, or one ear may need a foam tip while the other ear needs a plastic tip.
- Accessorize. Still can't get it to fit? There is a healthy market for aftermarket clips and wings to help your headphones or AirPods fit more snugly.
- Check IP ratings. Ingress protection rating gives you a quick indication of your headphones' dust and water resistance. If you're running outside in the pouring rain, you need a higher IP than if you're doing calisthenics in the gym.