“You’re always moving” A dad friend once told me as I was rapidly disappearing over the horizon. As a working dad of two, I don’t disagree. Fancy over-ear headphones are great if you’re primarily using them at work or for meetings, but for the rest of your life (when you’re working out, traveling, or doing stuff around the house pretending you’re putting things away), you probably want something much more practical and durable.
Since I started testing workout headphones years ago, the sound, comfort, variety, and features have all improved dramatically. I almost always have a pair with me or near me during the day, whether I’m biking errands, running, rock climbing, or following along with mildly embarrassing yoga videos on my laptop in my bedroom. If you also need the distraction of music or podcasts while you clamber up rocky slopes or mow the lawn, here are a bunch of WIRED’s favorite pairs. We’ve worn and sweated in them all. Don’t see anything you like? Check out our best wireless headphones , best cheap earbuds , best Bluetooth speakers , or any of our other buying guides for more.
Updated June 2024: We added the Jabra Elite 8 Gen 2, Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer, and Shokz OpenSwim Pro. We also updated links and pricing.
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