When it comes to workout headphones, audio can be a challenging aspect to tackle. While some companies produce earbuds and headphones that are durable, they often sacrifice sound quality, resulting in a tinny and weak audio experience. These headphones also tend to suffer from volume problems, and their bass beats get reduced to a level that even the little drummer boy would find disappointing.

On the other hand, certain headphones offer incredible audio quality, but they are not built to withstand the rigors of a workout. They may short circuit at the slightest drop of sweat or unexpectedly slip off your head, slapping you in the face and not only ruining your exercise session but also potentially causing harm. It's crucial not to let these inferior imitations become a part of your life.

Workout headphones need to strike a delicate balance that goes beyond what regular noise-cancelling headphones offer. They must provide comfort while being durable enough to handle intense workouts. You deserve headphones that deliver excellent sound quality, motivating you with energizing beats like "Eye of the Tiger." At the same time, they should never make you feel embarrassed when you pass by a yoga studio during a class. To meet all these requirements and more, we have curated a list of the top 5 workout headphones.

Wissonly Hi Runner

This is the fastest growing brand of bone conduction headphones in the last six months. The team are all engineers with 10 years of accumulation in the field of bone conduction technology. They started to develop bone conduction headphones that don't hurt ears as early as 2012. To solve the problem of sound leakage of bone conduction headphones, wissonly has made comprehensive improvement in the aspects of vibrator, body design and software optimization. The final result has been applied to Wissonly Hi Runner, and the final sound leakage can be reduced by 90% after laboratory test. I actually used the test myself. At a distance of 2cm, the volume reached 70%, but I still didn't hear the sound of the headphones, which protected my privacy.

Wissonly Hi Runner’s body is made of titanium, which can self-adjust the fitting position to ensure a good wearing experience for headphones, so that more people can wear it. As the core component of the product, the headphones plays a key role in the product experience. Hi Runner model is equipped with Bluetooth 5.0 chip, which makes Bluetooth connection faster and more stable. It also has 32GB of built-in storage so you can use it as an MP3 player.

Other parameters of Wissonly Hi Runner are also excellent. For example, the waterproof level reaches IPX8, and you can wear it to swim or even dive. The battery life reaches 8-10 hours, which is very important to me, because I go out for sports on weekends, and I go out for a whole day.

YURBUDS INSPIRE LIMITED EDITION

The Immovable Object: We’re going to admit it right up front: These don’t sound the best. Good, but they won’t give you an eargasm. They aren’t the most comfortable. Again, very comfortable, but not like giving your ears a massage. What these accomplish better than anything else is sticking to their guns. They stay in place through your pop and lock routine. They don’t move when you cliff dive. They stick around as you throw your own private headbanger’s ball. The cords are kevlar that is tough and doesn’t catch or snag, but rather lays flat while the silicone tips dig in to the curve of your ear and never let go. Complemented by a 15.4mm dynamic driver, complete waterproofing, and a lifetime warranty against abuse, and you’ve got something to crow about. The directed tips channel sound deeper into your ear, which allows you to reduce the volume and keep more battery life in your mobile devices.

PLANTRONICS BACKBEAT FIT

City Slick: During a run, it should be just you and the road or the trail, but the world doesn’t work like that. Most people have to get their training in wherever they can, and that means dealing with traffic, with the city, with other runners, cyclists, and whatever other impediments crop up. To do this, you can’t have your ears completely blocked, plugged up by your workout headphones. The BackBeat Fit aims to give you high grade wireless audio quality without deafening you to the outside world. The silicone backer wraps around your ear to hold the headphones in place during strenuous activity, be it P90X, lifting, or tackling trails on your mountain bike. The cord can’t be adjusted, which can annoy distance runners as it feels a little sloppy, but the simple controls are responsive and work for anybody. Call quality is very clear, as is most music, though the open style will bleed sound in noisy environments. Especially impressive is the armband and included carrying case. A P2i coating keeps sweat and rain from bringing ruin to the Fit.

JAYBIRD BLUEBUDS X

Immortal: Runners in the Century Club who like long marathons and lots of them will fall desperately in love with the BlueBuds X. Ordinarily Bluetooth wireless headphones are a mite touch and go, with a lot more touching than going, but these are exceptional. First off, they are only 4.5 ounces, making them very light. The battery lasts for 8 solid hours per charge, so there’s no need to lug around spares or have a wire slapping against you when you feel like taking a jog to check the weather 50 miles away. Nanotech waterproofing from Liquitech allows them to fight off both your macho sweat and whatever the sky decides to throw at you. USA Triathlon has adopted these as their official headphones, and you know the good people who sanction the Ironman wouldn’t tell you lies. The bass is very good, with fairly crisp and clean mids and highs to back it up. The behind the neck remote is a little touchy, and the over/under fit either works great or fails horribly.

BOSE SIE2I SPORT

 Complete Comfort: Bose is universally known in the audio industry for their incredible sound. In this case, the sound is secondary to the shocking comfort that comes from the SIE2I. The silicone earpieces are buttery soft and fit in the ear canal comfortably for long-term wear. You might not fully forget you have them on, but you’ll come pretty close. They have the ability to let in some ambient noise, which is preferable for outdoor exercise, though if you use a noisy gym it could irritate you pretty quickly. The design is ergonomic, using additional soft holders to conform to the interior of your ear rather than sitting over the top of it or curling around the back, resulting in a more natural hold. Oddly enough, where the SIE2I falls short is on their sound quality. It isn’t bad per se, but for the price it isn’t up to Bose’s usual standards. They also lack a carrying case and the comfortable materials are subject to breaking if treated roughly. Thankfully, Bose backs them with an outstanding warranty.

Read more:5 best headphones for running