You can get these headphones drenched in sweat

A lot of factors go into buying a new pair of headphones, and it’s easy to overlook the waterproof rating when shopping around. Whether you’re breaking a sweat at the gym or happen to get caught in a rainstorm, your headphones’ waterproofing will ensure they keep going, even if they happen to get a little wet. The Jabra Elite Active 75t earned their spot as the best overall waterproof headphones, though you do have other compelling choices to consider. Here are the best waterproof headphones you can buy right now!

Best Overall: Jabra Elite Active 75t

Ever since Jabra released the Elite 85t, these earbuds have become the company’s go-to rugged true wireless earbuds. There are other waterproof headphones out there, but Jabra’s Elite Active 75t are one pair that stand out as a reliable go-to that you won’t go wrong with. It now also has active noise cancelation (ANC) through a firmware update, which while not as good as built-in ANC would otherwise be, is still a nice perk.

As per usual with Jabra, the Elite Active 75t are just a little more ruggedized than the regular Elite 75t, thanks to their IP57 rating. That provides a decent level of protection against water, sweat, and dust, making the these earbuds durable to use while active. If they don’t quite hold up, however, Jabra does back them with a two-year warranty for some added peace of mind.

Comfortable to wear, and easy to manage because of the physical onboard controls, Jabra also made sure to make them sound good, too. By default, they’re a little heavier on the bass, but you can always adjust that using the equalizer in Jabra’s Sound+ app. The Elite Active 75t sound should be more than adequate for any form of exercise where you want tunes to keep you company and motivated.

As for battery life, you can get up to 7.5 hours per charge, which may trickle down if you use the ANC a lot, but you should have little problem getting through a workout or run. The included case adds another two and a half charges for an overall total over around 28 hours. The case itself charges via USB-C and does so quickly. It’s also small enough to make it easier to take with you wherever you go.

Pros:

• IP57 water and dust resistance
• Backed by a two-year warranty
• Excellent comfort
• Great and customizable audio
• ANC through firmware
• Long battery life

Cons:

• Lacks wireless charging case
• Mono mode only in right earbud

Best Overall

Jabra Elite Active 75t

• $150 at Amazon
• $150 at Best Buy

The gold standard

The Jabra Elite Active 75t do so many things right as waterproof earbuds, keeping them among the elite.

Best Value: TaoTronics SoundLiberty 53

TaoTronics makes a point of marketing the SoundLiberty 53 true wireless earbuds as an ideal choice for the active crowd. And why not when you can back it up with an IPX8 rating, a rarity for any pair of headphones. Note that there are variants going around, and the 2020 version is the one that brought in the new rating, and also included USB-C for charging.

Once again in the form of true wireless buds, the SoundLiberty 53 have a lot going for them. For one, they sound better than their price implies, so they get off to a good start as budget headphones that way. They support both AAC and SBC codecs, which is great. And they even let you use one earbud solo for mono listening, particularly if you prefer to do that for phone calls. It certainly doesn’t hurt that they’re comfortable to wear on top of all that. The only catch is that the touch controls can be finicky.

Plus, battery life enters ridiculous territory when the case can manage 44 hours on its own. Add up to six hours for the earbuds themselves, and you’ve got a pretty long way to go before you have to recharge the case. Put all of the pieces together, and you get a high level of value with the SoundLiberty 53.

Pros:

• IPX8 waterproof
• Bluetooth 5.0
• Playback touch controls
• 50 hours of total battery life
• Now have USB-C
• Incredible price

Cons:

• Finicky touch controls

Best Value

TaoTronics SoundLiberty 53

• $45 at Amazon
• $59 at Walmart
• $70 at Newegg

Get more for less

Stretch your dollars further with the SoundLiberty 53, offering an IPX7 rating and strong battery life at a low price.

Best Budget Pick: Mpow Flame

The Mpow Flame favors a more traditional wireless earbud design by using ear hooks to help with stability, especially if you plan to be really active with them. They’re also not true wireless earbuds, given the cable binding the two earbuds together, but they are a budget-friendly option that could be just the right fit for your needs.

With an IPX7 rating, including an “interior nano-coating” to keep everything safe and functional whenever the Flame gets wet. They are comfortable to wear over longer periods, with four sizes of ear tips to help get the best passive noise isolation. The company’s CVC 6.0 noise-canceling microphones do help with ambient noise and improving phone call quality. Battery life is rated between 7-9 hours, which fluctuates largely based on volume levels.

The sound quality is pretty balanced for something in this price range, though you should expect a skew towards bass. It’s not ideal that the Flame still uses the older Bluetooth 4.1, but it’s a small consolation when you factor in how cheap they are. Plus, we think you’ll get over that fast once you see how many colors you can choose from.

Pros:

• IPX7 waterproof
• Comfortable and secure ear hooks
• Free carrying case
• Available in a bunch of colors
• Dirt cheap

Cons:

• Older Bluetooth 4.1
• Micro-USB charging

Best Budget Pick

Mpow Flame

• From $19 at Amazon $38 at Walmart From $22 at Walmart
• From $21 at Newegg

Flame on

Despite keeping costs as low as possible, the Mpow Flame manages to be a worthy contender in the world of waterproof headphones.

Best for Running: Jaybird Vista

Jaybird has been down this path before through its portfolio of workout-focused earbuds, and the Vista are real standouts. Starting with the IPX7 waterproof rating and MIL-STD 810G durability, these earbuds manage to stay rugged within a reasonably small frame. Designed to nicely fit most ears, getting a tight seal makes a big difference in what kind of sound you get from them.

Despite only supporting one Bluetooth codec, they do sound good and can get loud enough to listen in louder environments. There’s good bass in the default audio, but Jaybird’s app takes that to whole other levels. There’s an active community on it who create EQ presets that you can apply to the earbuds, or create your own, to give them a new sound. There’s a lot to choose from, no matter what genres you like most. Save what you like and select them anytime. You don’t always see that kind of customization in most earbuds these days.

Battery life is decent at up to six hours, though the case is limited to just an extra 10 hours. It is reasonably small, and you can quickly charge them via USB-C. No wireless charging, unfortunately, but unlike many other earbuds cases, they have a lanyard to attach to your bag or person.

Pros:

• IPX7 waterproofing
• MIL-STD 810G durability rating
• Comfortable fit
• Decent battery life
• App-based EQ options
• Quick charge via USB-C

Cons:

• Only supports SBC audio codec
• No auto-pause feature
• No ambient sound mode
• No wireless charging

Best for Running

Jaybird Vista

• $100 at Amazon
• $100 at Best Buy
• $180 at B&H

Jog or sprint, these will stay with you

The Jaybird Vista comes out on top as the best waterproof earbuds you can buy — even if they aren’t the most affordable.

Best Design: Aukey Key Series B60

Aukey has been making some waves recently with its affordable earbuds, and the Key Series B60 stand out for their focus on being sporty. While you don’t get a true wireless experience with these because of the wire in between the earbuds, you do get a comfortable fit and IPX6 water and sweat resistance.

The sound quality is decent, with enough of a focus on bass to offer reasonably balanced output. They’re hardly audiophile-level but should sound good when you’re using them while staying active. Getting the right fit with a tight seal always helps, though you only get two sizes of ear tips and wings. They’ll fit most ears just fine unless you’re among the unlucky ones who find the fit lacking. Up to eight hours of playback isn’t amazing, though somewhat forgivable at this price.

One of the real standout features in the Key Series B60 is the Magnetic QuickSwitch. The back of each earbud is magnetic, so when you clasp them together, they automatically power off. When you’re ready to use them again, just separate them so they automatically turn back on. It’s the kind of feature that sticks to doing one thing, but it does it so well that you’re likely to find it super convenient to use every time you place these earbuds around your neck.

Pros:

• IPX6 water and sweat resistance
• Magnetic clasp
• Comfortable fit
• USB-C charging
• Good sound quality

Cons:

• Max 8-hour battery life

Best Design

Aukey Key Series B60

• $34 at Walmart
• $37 at Newegg

A comfortable bargain

You’ll love the magnetic clasp that seamlessly controls the power of the Key Series B60, and they’re a comfy fit to boot.

Best Sound: Sony WF-SP800N

Sony’s WF-SP800N were made for active users, though it would’ve been nice if it bumped up the IP55 rating a bit to make these even more resistant to water and sweat. They should still hold up well for runs and workouts, and there’s a good level of comfort when wearing them during those active sessions.

Fortunately, there’s good sound to play through your ears. The mids and highs are warm and bright, with a decent level of bass from the start. If you use Sony’s Headphones Connect app, you can utilize the equalizer in there to tailor the sound more to bring out the part of the spectrum you like most. Sony chose not to include the aptX codec or even its own LDAC, but you do get AAC, at least. The onboard controls are finicky because of how inconsistent the touch surfaces are, so the app also comes in handy for that reason, too.

If you do want to cancel out some of the background noise, you can do so by turning on ANC. The Adaptive Sound Control has four modes to apply the effect on its own, but you’re probably better off doing it manually. No matter what you do, battery life is going to be superb. You get up to nine hours per charge with ANC on — up to 13 hours with it off. The case only holds one extra charge, and can’t do wireless charging, so you’ll need to keep a cable handy when the time comes.

Pros:

• Bass-heavy sound
• ANC support
• Comfortable fit
• App-based EQ options
• Decent IP55 protection
• Long battery life

Cons:

• Finicky touch controls
• No wireless charging
• No aptX or LDAC codecs

Best Sound

Sony WF-SP800N

• $148 at Amazon
• $148 at Best Buy
• $148 at Walmart

Block out the world around you

Want earbuds that can silence annoying ambient noise? That’s exactly what you get with the Sony WF-SP800N.

Best On-Ear: Adidas RPT-01

Earbuds usually make the most sense for waterproof headphones because of their smaller size and they’re simply easier to find. On-ear headphones may not be as common under this niche, so if do you like this kind of style, you may want to give a serious look at the Adidas RPT-01.

Adidas probably isn’t the first company you think of when it comes to headphones, but the popular brand put some thought into making the RPT-01. For starters, it made the knitted ear cushions and inner headband removable and washable, ensuring all that built up sweat won’t stay there. The IPX4 water resistance is enough to not be shy in breaking a sweat with them, so it’s a wise move, though a more durable body would’ve been awesome.

The bass-heavy sound signature was expected, though you can go a different direction through the equalizer in the Adidas Headphones app. There’s even an option to integrate Spotify Premium into it. The onboard control knob is pretty easy to manage onboard controls. Battery life is excellent at up to 40 hours per charge, and a USB-C port for those times when you need to refill it.

Pros:

• Gorgeous, unique design
• Comfortable on-ear fit
• Easy-to-use control knob
• Up to 40-hour battery life
• Washable, removable fabric

Cons:

• Only IPX4 water-resistance
• Fabric can be tight to remove

Best On-Ear

Adidas RPT-01

• $100 at Amazon
• $100 at Best Buy
• $170 at B&H

Yes, that Adidas

If you prefer wearing on-ear headphones, the Adidas RPT-01 has a unique design, bassy sound, and long battery life.

Best Bone Conduction: AfterShokz Aeropex

Bone conduction headphones may be something of an acquired taste, but should you be into that — and looking for some durability — the Aeropex may be just what you had in mind. These have an IP67 rating for resistance to both dust and up to one meter of water (for no more than 30 minutes).

Since bone conduction headphones don’t cover the ears, sound spreads out across the entire pad when wearing these so that more of the audio comes through. That design improves the bass, which is usually the hard part for headphones like these. Even with that, it can’t match the kind of performance you’d have with in-ear and over-ear headphones, but it’s going to be the best you can find right now.

Battery life holds up well with up to eight hours per charge. Onboard controls do their job, so you can play/pause or bring up Google Assistant without much fuss. It’s just that turning the headphones off or trying to redial the last phone number feels more complicated because of the squishy buttons and their combo functions. You might encounter unintended presses and functions because of it.

AfterShokz uses its own “Audrey” voice assistant to set up pairing, which works also works well with non-Android devices, but Android’s Fast Pair may have been the simpler option. Beyond the few drawbacks, the Aeropex cover the right bases, which is why they’re the best pair to go with if bone conduction is your thing.

Pros:

• Comfortable fit
• Good audio quality
• Lower pad vibration
• Works with Google Assistant
• Solid battery life
• Water resistance

Cons:

• Squishy buttons
• Voice pairing assistant is just OK
• No customization options

Best Bone Conduction

AfterShokz Aeropex

$125 at Amazon $125 at Best Buy

Stay alert, wet or dry

Runners and cyclists might like the Aeropex’s bone conduction, which works just fine with water and sweat in the mix.

Bottom line

Your options for waterproof headphones are far from limited. You just have to look for an IP rating on your headphones of choice, and luckily, a lot of options have one these days. This list just highlights a few of our favorite ones — including the Jabra Elite Active 75t as our overall top choice.

So much about these headphones work incredibly well, be it their waterproofing or something else. The IP57 rating offers ample day-to-day protection, Jabra’s warranty adds another layer of coverage, and the long battery life means you can rely on the 75t to get you through any run, walk, hike, bike ride, and more. Add the sound quality, comfy design, and Jabra’s Sound+ app, and it’s easy to see why the buds are so great.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Ted Kritsonis loves taking photos when the opportunity arises, be it on a camera or smartphone. Beyond sports and world history, you can find him tinkering with gadgets or enjoying a cigar.

Joe Maring is Android Central’s Senior Editor and has had a love for anything with a screen and CPU since he can remember. He’s been talking/writing about Android in one form or another since 2012 and often does so while camping out at the nearest coffee shop. Have a tip? Reach out on Twitter @JoeMaring1 or send an email to joe.maring@futurenet.com!