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BEST HEADPHONES AND EARBUDS FOR RUNNING IN 2023

A few runners venture out onto the trail or road, fully prepared to immerse themselves in the soothing sounds of nature (or the bustling traffic) as they cover their miles. On the other hand, for some, listening to music is an absolute must-have for every run. The ideal running headphones and earbuds are lightweight, secure, and resistant to water, ensuring that you can comfortably wear them regardless of the environment, duration, or intensity of your workout. While most runners prefer discreet earbuds, others rely on the noise cancellation feature offered by over-ear models. Meanwhile, some seek a more unique experience, opting for bone-conduction headphones that allow them to stay aware of their surroundings without sacrificing their pace. With a thorough assessment of the available options, we aim to assist you in selecting the perfect pair of running headphones to enhance your running experience.

WISSONLY HI RUNNER

Wissonly team has relatively strong technical strength. They have 10 years of experience in bone conduction product research and development, which is the basis for making good products. Wissonly focuses on the concept of healthy enjoyment of good sound quality. The headphone brand features no harm to the ears, and it is also the first brand to propose the concept of not listening to songs in the ear. Wissonly’s completely not-in-ear design reduces the damage to the eardrum. Its surface is made of silicone skin-friendly material, which is very safe and comfortable to wear.

Wissonly Hi Runner bone conduction headphones have made a lot of improvements in sound quality and anti-sound-leakage. The official claimed that its sound quality has reached the Hi-Fi level. I have measured it and think that the sound quality is indeed good, but that it does not really reach the Hi-Fi sound quality, and that it can only be said it is very close the level. Such sound quality,in the field of bone conduction headphones,it is good enough that I have not yet encountered a product that can surpass it in sound quality. In order to solve the problem of sound leakage, Wissonly developed fully closed anti-sound-leakage technology. It improved the vibration unit, body design, software optimization and other directions, and finally it reduced the sound leakage effect by 90%.

Other configurations are also very good, such as its 32G memory, IPX8 waterproof level, 5.0 Bluetooth connection protocol, 10 hours of ultra-long battery life, etc.. You can go to its official website for this.

SHOKZ OpenRun Pro

We are constantly praising the Shokz OpenRun Pro for being one of the best in the business when it comes to bone conduction. We also believe any outdoor runner should consider trying a bone conduction model. The primary concern here is safety; running outside with noise-canceling headphones or earbuds (including passive isolation) means you might not be aware of any threats, including warnings from others on the street. Bone conduction leaves your ear canals totally open, so you can remain aware of your surroundings while listening to your music.

The pair fits comfortably around your head, resting gently on the top of your jaw and outside your ears, which means you won't get overheated by plush earcups; a weight of 26 grams (0.05 pounds) makes them ideal for long-term wear. An IP55 rating lets you sweat it out without risking damage. This model features 9th-generation bone conduction technology, which produces slightly more present bass and more consistent audio quality as your face moves.

Cleer Audio ARC II

The Cleer Arc Audio II debuted this past May and are a great option for runners who want an open-ear experience without the wrap-around band from our favorite bone conduction model. One of our editors personally attests to the success of this pair, and many other user reviews support this claim. The open-ear design rests gently in front of the ear canal as opposed to inside it doing away with any active or passive noise cancelation; you're still able to hear your surroundings. This also means maximum comfort as long as the stabilizing ear hooks fit well over the ear.

The individual buds have intuitive touch controls as well as a "6-axis motion sensor" which allows you to control playback with head gestures. The Arc II carry eight hours of playtime on a single charge with an additional 27 hours provided by the case. The open-ear design is certainly unique but overall sounds pretty great. Volume is slightly limited compared to in-ear models but should be loud enough to get you through your 5K and beyond. You can use the Cleer+ app to adjust EQ and music playback as well as customize controls.

Jaybird Vista 2

Okay, we've discussed sweat and water resistance a lot thus far, and many of our models have at least an IPX4 rating, however, the best of the best when it comes to durability is the Jaybird Vista 2 with a very impressive IP68 rating. This means you can fully submerge the earbuds in up to 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes. They are also protected against sand and dirt, so you can bring these earbuds with you anywhere. The charging case is also durable with an IP54 rating. The buds are lightweight with a wingtip design for added stability. The one thing to note, here, is ear tip selection which some users can find tricky; the ear tips are proprietary, so you won't be able to swap them out for another model.

The Vista 2 support active noise cancelation and Surroundsense technology (essentially Transparency mode) with an option to adjust wind filtering particularly on calls. These settings can be altered with the Jaybird companion app which will also let you customize EQ, check the battery, and more. Sound quality isn't exactly award-winning, but overall, it's consumer-friendly and can easily be improved with EQ presets and customization options.

JLab Rewind Wireless Retro Headphones

As previously mentioned, it's hard to recommend a pair of over-ear headphones specifically for runners. While we love them and all that they do, we find that running and a bulky high-end headset don't exactly go hand in hand. There are other workout models that are well-suited to handle a variety of exercises, but if you want a cheap, supplementary pair that you can throw on specifically for a quick run, consider the JLab Rewind Wireless.