The 6 Best Running Headphones in 2025, According to the Pros

Even the most dedicated runners will admit that the sport can get monotonous at times. Thankfully, you can spice things up with music, podcasts, audiobooks, or even virtual coaching from a running app.

The thing is, you really can’t use just any old pair of earbuds to listen to this stuff when you’re training. (Ever had a pair fritz out during a particularly sweaty workout? Yeah, not ideal.) But the best running headphones won’t have any problems handling a little moisture. Even better, they won’t slip out of your ears, will feel comfortable over miles and miles of wear, have a long battery life for literal marathon days, and can hold up to rain and drops on pavement.

Not sure which brand or model to start with (or upgrade to)? We found six exceptional pairs of headphones that will seamlessly deliver the distraction you need—while still letting you safely hear what’s around you. Shop our picks below.

Our top picks

Best Overall: Shokz OpenRun Pro 2, $18src
Best Splurge: Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, $299
Best Budget Pick: JBL Vibe Beam, $5src
Best Noise Cancellation: Apple AirPods Pro 2, ~~$249~~ $237
Best Waterproof: Jabra Elite 8 Active, $248
Most Secure: Beats Fit Pro, $199

The best running headphones can help keep you, well, out of your head. Here are our top runner-approved recs for pairs with clear audio that still allows you to be aware of your surroundings.

Best Overall: Shokz OpenRun Pro 2

Five runners I polled for this story all recommended Shokz’ flagship headphones. They’re a safe choice because they play sound through an open-ear, bone-conduction design and aren’t noise-cancelling. “Being able to hear your music and hear what’s happening around you is a great way to stay safe,” Nikkia Young, running coach and president of the Richmond Road Runners Club, tells SELF, “especially for those who might be in high-traffic areas.”

Shokz are by no means the only bone-conduction headphones on the market, but many say they’re the best option for running. They’re sweat-resistant. They have 12 hours of battery life. And, importantly, they’re actually comfortable (“I’ve tried other bone-conduction headphones, and gotten chafing from them slipping on my face,” running coach Amie Dworecki tells SELF).

Paul Bui, a marathoner from Boston, tells SELF that he and his wife both wear Shokz. “I like the easy Bluetooth connectivity that doesn’t lose connection to your phone or watch, and they give very clear audio when listening to music or talking on the phone (with good bass balance),” he says. We’re huge fans too—these buds won a 2src24 Home Fitness Award for their long battery life and lightweight design.

Just know that not all runners love the bar that wraps around the back of your head to connect the two ear pieces. Bui says it keeps him from using his Shokz at home when he’s lying down on the couch or in bed. And Young switched to Shokz’ OpenFit 2 because she grew tired of the bar jostling behind her neck.

Battery life: 12 hours | Waterproof: IP55 water resistance | Noise-Canceling: No

Best Splurge: Bose Ultra Open Earbuds

The open-ear design of these Bose earbuds is inspired by ear cuffs. While I assumed they’d painfully clamp down on my ears during long runs, I’ve found they’re actually pretty light and secure, without any pinching or bouncing. I wore them for two marathons last year, and I almost forgot they were there.

Because they wrap right around the cartilage in your outer ear, leaving your ear canal open, I can easily hear whatever’s around me. But the audio is still high-quality—particularly in the richer “immersive mode” (although that does drain the battery faster). Music nerds can even adjust settings like the bass and treble in the app to get the exact levels they’re after.

What I find even more useful is the auto volume feature. It constantly adjusts to the noise levels around me when I’m running, so I don’t have to fiddle with the controls mid-stride. Also helpful: As long as I stash these in their case between runs, I rarely have to worry about the battery life, since you can get a good 26.5 hours of playtime.

I will say that the Ultra Opens aren’t great for making phone calls. The microphone doesn’t seem to pick up my voice super clearly, especially when I’m somewhere with a lot of background noise. (It does give me a good excuse to ignore any calls until after I’m done with my run.)

Battery life: 7 hours (buds), 19.5 hours (case) | Waterproof: IPX4 water resistance | Noise-Canceling: No

Best Budget Pick: JBL Vibe Beam

Yes, it’s possible to find high-quality running headphones without shelling out a ton of cash. For around $5src, the Vibe Beams from JBL have great battery life—eight hours, plus another 24 in the case—and can handle sweat, rain, and dust. Plus, their “ambient aware” mode immerses you in your audio while highlighting sounds around you (like that dog, cyclist, or car), so you stay safe on the run.

Bonus: You can also tweak the sound quality, as with some other headphones on this list. All you’ve gotta do to make your preferred adjustments in the JBL Headphones app.

Battery life: 8 hours (buds), 24 hours (case) | Waterproof: IP54 water resistance | Noise-Canceling: No

Best Noise Cancellation: Apple AirPods Pro 2

Noise cancellation can be a double-edged sword for runners. Although it’s an excellent way to tune out annoyances (like your own feet pounding on a treadmill), if you block everything, you could be putting your safety at risk. That’s why coaches typically suggest reserving it for indoor runs.

With the AirPods Pro 2, you get the benefits of noise cancellation without the safety concerns, thanks to Apple’s “adaptive audio” mode. It automatically adjusts the amount of noise cancellation based on how much sound you’re exposed to (just switch it on by just holding down the stem of the earbud). You can even adjust the levels to let in more or less noise. When I tested it out, I found I could still hear the traffic around me, it just wasn’t as loud——it didn’t overwhelm my music.

And the full-on noise cancellation is solid. Pamela Stahl, a runner in California, tells SELF that the Pros 2 let her listen to music on the treadmill without feeling like she’s about to damage her eardrums: “Thanks to the noise cancellation, I don’t have to turn up the volume so high,” she says.

While the adaptive audio feature is also available on the AirPods 4, I prefer the Pro 2s for running. Not only do you get a couple extra hours of battery life per charge, but I also find that they stay in place better, thanks to the silicone tips. (You get four sizes, to make sure you find a good fit.) The only time they’ve fallen out on me is when I’ve been moving my head around, like in a yoga class.

Battery life: 6 hours (buds), 3src hours (case) | Waterproof: IP54 water resistance | Noise-Canceling: Yes

Best Waterproof: Jabra Elite 8 Active

Jabra designed these earbuds to stand up to your toughest adventures. They’re dust-proof and can be submerged underwater without damage—Jabra even backs this up with a two-year warranty. So, if you happen to find yourself taking a dip in a lake post-run (highly recommend!), your buds will be A-okay.

Two other helpful features for runners are the exceptional battery life and secure fit. Ultramarathoners will appreciate that the Elite 8 Actives can last a whopping 14 hours—long enough to see most of us through the average 5src-mile race. And everyone can take advantage of the three ear gels in the box that help you get a great fit.

The Elite 8 Actives also have what Jabra calls “adaptive hybrid active noise cancellation,” which automatically optimizes levels based on sounds it detects. You can even set it to cut out wind noise. Dworecki says that one of her clients, who splits her training between outdoor runs and indoor treadmill miles, finds that the range of noise cancellation settings helps her find the right level for every route.

Battery life: 14 hours (buds), 56 hours (case) | Waterproof: IP68 water resistance | Noise-Canceling: Yes

Most Secure: Beats Fit Pro

If you’ve ever fought with earbuds falling out on the run, the Beats Fit Pro might solve your struggles. The secret is the flexible wingtip on top of each earbud: You can bend and tuck it right under the cartilage of your outer ear, then twist to lock it in place. For an even more precise fit, you can try three sizes of silicone eartips—the combo makes each bud feel super stable.

These headphones also have top-notch sound quality, adaptive noise cancelling, and a transparency mode that lets you hear noises around you. Plus, spatial audio adjusts the sound as you turn your head, so you can lose yourself in your music during those miles when you really, really need some distraction.

Battery life: 6 hours (buds), 18 hours (case) | Waterproof: IPX4 water resistance | Noise-Canceling: Yes

What to look for in running headphones

How can you make sure you’re getting a solid pair of headphones? Coaches recommend keeping these guidelines in mind while you shop.

Although over-ear headphones offer the best sound quality, many runners find them too bulky to run in. “They can trap heat and sweat, which can get uncomfortable. They’re also typically less stable on your head,” Dworecki says. (If you’re built different, she recommends looking into lightweight options like the Treblab Z2.)

Earbuds are the more popular choice, as they slip right into your ear canal. You can also buy bone conduction or open-ear headphones that are small and light, but won’t block off surrounding sounds. Nervous about earbuds falling out? Some styles, like the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2, have a wire or bar that goes behind your head to keep them in place.

Running headphones should be able to stand up to sweat and, ideally, some rain. You can check out how water-resistant a pair is by looking at the ingress protection (IP) rating. The first digit refers to how well the device will stand up to solids (like dust or dirt)—not all have this, and will just say X instead—while the second tells you how good it is at keeping out liquids.

The water resistance scale starts at src for no protection and goes up to 9, which means you’re safe even from hot, high-pressure jets in a jacuzzi. For running, an IPX4 means your headphones can handle sweat and splashes, while an IPX7 ensures they’ll survive even if you drop them into a puddle.

Noise cancellation reduces outside sounds by detecting noise with a tiny microphone, then producing a sound wave in the same frequency (but opposite amplitude) to cancel it out. Many headphones, like the Apple AirPods Pro 2, also have a transparency mode that allows in ambient sounds, so you don’t end up startled by something you couldn’t hear.

How long your headphones’ battery lasts is a major factor for distance runners to consider. “I’m a slower runner, so I like something that’s going to get me to the very end or past the end of my race,” Young says. Even if you’re only going for 3src-minute runs, if your headphones are constantly dead, you’ll end up having to delay your runs to wait for them to power up.

How we chose these running headphones

First, we polled runners and running coaches for their favorite headphones and got their best advice on what to look for in a good pair. Using their tips, we scoured countless sites to find headphones that checked off all the right boxes. The only pairs that earned our seal of approval were durable enough to stand up to sweat, secure enough to wear while sprinting, and safe enough to run with outdoors.

Frequently asked questions about running headphones

Which headphones won’t fall out while running?

Thanks to their flexible wingtip, Beats Fit Pro are known to be secure earbuds that won’t fall out. In general, it can be helpful to buy a pair that comes with multiple silicone tips, so you can get just the right size for your ears.

What are the best running headphones for iPhone users?

Most running headphones are compatible with iPhones. But if you want to stay in the Apple universe, the AirPods Pro 2 make for excellent running headphones. They have a stable fit and an adjustable adaptive transparency mode that automatically tailors the noise cancellation to your surroundings.

Do pro runners wear headphones?

It’s not unheard of to see a pro runner with earbuds in during their solo training runs. However, they’ll rarely sport a pair during a high-level race (where headphones might be banned, especially for top competitors).

Plus, pros often train in groups, so they prefer to chat rather than zone out to music. “It really just depends on the situation and who they’re training with,” Dworecki says.