Let’s start by painting a picture for you: the weather is perfect, you’re in your zone and you’ve perfectly queued up that playlist that makes you forget what 10 miles feels like. You’re literally coasting down the westside highway when one of your headphones drops from your year. Now you’re scrambling to pick it up, wondering if it’s even sanitary to put it back in your ear but knowing you don’t have another choice, and your stride is broken. What a bummer of a situation, and one that all runners (that run to music, we suppose) have found themselves in more often than they would like.
The good news is that you don’t need to worry about it happening anymore, we’ve got you! We’re reviewed the top headphones on the market and are here to present you with the very best options to make your running life that much easier.
When choosing your headphones, especially for running, it can be hard to know which ones are right for you. There are a few aspects that you should consider before buying your pair:
- Comfort. This is one of the biggest aspects to look at as you don’t want to worry about the wire of your headphones getting tangled while running, your earbuds dropping or having uncomfortable buds on.
- Sound quality. If it’s a windy day or you’re running in a noisy environment, you want to be sure that you can hear the music over the elements, so always look for a pair that boasts a strong sound output.
- Your own preferences. Maybe you prefer to have in-ear silicon buds, wireless, hook over ear, connecting wire or sweat resistant headphones. Don’t be gaslit into believing that one kind is better than the others, go with what style feels most comfortable for you!
Top 5 headphones for running:
1. Jaybird Vista True Wireless
These are rated by Runner’s World one of the best options out there. Jaybird brings in all the most wanted qualities: high sound quality, 6 hours of charged battery life, water resistance, lightweight, noise cancellation and easy volume control. Plus, they do not budge in your ears.
2. JLab Audio Epic Air Sport
Jlab brings the in-ear buds with a hook to the next level. These headphones stay in place even on the rocky roads and give you active noise cancellation and wireless charging.
3. JBL Reflect Mini 2 Wireless
If you’re someone who loves the ease of a connected headphones but doesn’t want the fuss of messing with the wires, the JBL wireless is exactly the right pair for you. They have a silicone ear tip to secure the fit and a remote microphone with voice control.
4. Bose SoundSport Free
If you’re a long distance runner and need high quality sweat resistant earbuds, these are the pair for you. With 5 hours of battery life and wireless comfort, you won’t even realize you have them in.
5. Jaybird Tarah Pro
For the sweatiest runs in challenging weather conditions these Jaybird Tarah Pro headphones are your lifesaver. They have added comfort with a connecting fabric cord and silicone ear gels. You get 14 hours of fully charged playtime and with only a 5 minute fast-charging battery you get full 2 hours more lifetime!
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