In this video we’re here to talk about running headphones. Soundtracking your runs is a powerful performance enhancer so a good pair of reliable comfortable running headphones is often a staple. If you’re looking to replace yours – or buy a new set – you’ve come to the right place.
We’ve lined up our top picks to cover every running need. Hit play for our tired and tested selection of the best running headphones you can buy right now.
JUMPS STRAIGH IN:
0:00 – Intro
0:31 – Best for race day
4:12 – Best bone conduction & open ear
7:00 – Best for ultra
9:49 – Best for under £50
13:45 – Best all-rounders
16:32 – The Run Testers’ favourites
Did we miss your favourite running headphones? Want some more details on a pair we’ve discussed? Hit us up in the comments and let us know.
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Hey people welcome to the channel in This video we are here to talk about Running headphones now sound tracking Your runs is a proven powerful Performance enhancer and if a good pair Of reliable comfortable tweeters is Pretty much a staple in your running kit But you're looking to replace yours or You want to buy a new set well then You've come to the right place because We've lined up our top picks to cover Every running need so um yeah hit play For our tried and tested selection of The best running headphones that you can Buy right now [Music] So my pick for my race day or Marathon Headphones are the Beats Power Beats Pro These are the same as the Beats Power Beats but obviously they don't have the Cable around the back of your neck I do Love the Powerbeats but I find that that Cable bounces against the back of my Head when I'm running and it drives me Mad so I really love the kind of single Earbuds they fit really comfortably you Can still wear sunglasses with them and Because they're wrapped around your ear They're not moving you're not going to Lose one and I have found that on Marathon days sometimes I like to remove One headphone pop it in my pocket so I Can hear the crowd but I'm still my Music and these allow you to do that
They're super easy to control so you can Pause and play music by pressing the Button you can also answer phone calls Not that you do that on race day and you Can kind of skip tracks they've got a Little button here where you can skip Tracks so just really really simple and Easy to use they last for nine hours Playback but 24 hours if you keep them The case which obviously you wouldn't on Race day you wouldn't carry the case With you too but nine hours is long Enough to trust on a on a race day I've Worn them for every Marathon I've ever Run apart from the year where London it Was covered and you had to drop your bag Off two days before because without the Case I was a bit worried about the Charge time so I wore the Powerbeats for That one but yeah really comfortable Still wear sunglasses easy to control And I just I really really rate them Um because yeah these are my top pick For race day so another pick for Marathon and race day in general are These the JBL endurance Peak 3. now These are generally found below 100 Pounds 100 and it's dropped down even Lower than that since they first Launched now these are ear hook style Design headphones and these are an air Hook design that definitely do stay put And I have done it in our test now You've got built-in microphones here
You've got touch controls which some of The better touch controls we've seen Implemented on Sports headphones in General as well in terms of the sound That you expect to get from these it is Bright energetic definitely base forward But you do have a companion app or Companion JBL companion phone app that Will allow you to access some other EQ Modes to better customize it to your Preferred sound in terms of battery life You're getting up to 10 hours and you Don't have anything like active noise Cancellation to drain that battery so You definitely can get up to that 10 Hours even when you're listening at Louder volumes you're getting a quick Charge mode as well here too now you Don't have active noise cancellations We've said the case isn't the smallest Case you can find but if you can Overlook those things and consider what You're getting for the money these are Definitely air hook style Sports Headphones that are a great option for Runners on race day and for marathons so When it comes to picking a pair for race Today I've chosen the Jabra Elite Four Active they're a favorite set of running Headphones generally among the rung Testers mainly because they offer a good Value all-round package at a pretty Competitive price 120 pounds RRP but you Can also find really good deals for them
Now now what you get here is a winning Race day combination of good sound good Fit for the most part a marathon Friendly seven hour battery life that Largely lives up to its billing there's Transparency and awareness mode that's Okay it's not as good as bone conductors In terms of awareness but it will do a Job that's adding noise cancellation as Well if you want to block out that race Cacophony the case as you can see is Nice and portable though it's not IP Rated so you wouldn't want to get caught Racing in crazy rain with it exposed now We chose these over the elite 7 active Because you get a similar Sound Performance just a slightly shorter Battery life and we felt these Represented better value overall [Music] Foreign Conducting headphones we all picked These it's the shocks open run these are The mini so they're smaller they're Designed for a smaller head if you are In between if you're not sure what size To buy shocks have a really helpful kind Of measuring thing on their website so You can just measure your head and make Sure but yeah these are the mini ones They do not bounce they stay put on my Head and I have you know a smaller head So they fit really nicely they're really Really lightweight they weigh in at 26
Grams which is just great you don't Really notice them on your head and the Best thing about bone conducting Headphones is that obviously you can Still hear everything else going on Around you so when I'm running on my own I like to be able to hear someone coming Up behind me and you can in these you Can you can hear everything but still Hear a musically podcast through Audiobook I have found they work better With music sometimes with a podcast or An audio book if it's like a windy day And you have to turn it up quite high That vibration doesn't does get a bit Annoying but you don't notice it as much With me music but yeah total Awareness On the Run they are sweat and waterproof These are not made for swimming there Are another pair that are made for Swimming but for running you can wear These in the rain you can wear them Everywhere and they're gonna they're Gonna survive and they have got really Good sound quality and an eight hour Battery life so long enough you're not Charging them every single run and they Come in a little case you can kind of Keep them safe but yeah really really Rate these we all picked these as our Best bone conducting pick if you're Looking outside the shops range for bone Conduction headphones then our favorite Pair is the majawa Run plus they're
Fairly expensive 160 so similar in price To what you're getting from shocks but They are both Bluetooth and MP3 Headphones so you can use the mp3 mode On your swimming or when you're racing And don't want to carry a phone with you Or the Bluetooth mode when you've got Your phone with you and just want to Play music back from that in the other Option in this area are open headphones That use air conduction basically means They put a speaker near your ear without Blocking the ear canal got a couple of Options here got the clear Arc 2 which Offer really good sound quality for open Headphones quite a nice secure fit Thanks to the clip design that they clip Onto the top of your ear so not going to Budge during any kind of runs they've Also looked at the shocks open fit which Also have very good sound quality for Open headphones much better than bone Conduction headphones the fit of these Is a bit more hit and miss it works very Well for me but not so well for Mike and Kieran but they are another really solid Option here that if you want almost a Crossover bud that's an open headphone That does have good enough sound quality To use in lifestyle scenarios and but Still allows you some Awareness on the Run these are both good options but they Are expensive they're a lot more Expensive than the shocks are open run
Bone production headphones we've picked Out you're looking at nearer 200 pounds 200 for these so that's the thing you Have to make now they are slightly more Practical in terms of the sound quality They offer but they're also not quite as Good for awareness and they're still not As good in sound quality as in earbuds [Music] Now when it comes to picking a set of Headphones for going Ultra battery life Is obviously key and while for marathons And shorter race days I chose the jabber Elite 4 Active when it comes to running Ultras you really want that Max battery Life that you can get and the elite 7 Active offered just a little bit of Extra staying power with a 30 hour buds Plus case combined battery life that Should be ample to conquer most Ultras Even up to the 100 Miler what's really You can also use the buds independently So you can be listening to One Bud and Charging the other in the case at the Same time and that'll extend the Listening time overall if you need it Durability of these buds is solid with Sweat and waterproofing and you've got Active noise cancellation here through Awareness modes and custom EQ to boot The sound quality is good the fit is Nicely reliable and crucially it's Comfortable even over longer hours when You're going to be wearing something for
Maybe 12 hours you need it to fit right And feel good all in all these are a Great option for long-haul Adventures These are the Jabra Elite 7 active now Next up is mono comes a surprise because Mentioned these in our pick are the best Race day headphones and I've selected The Jabra Elite 4 Active here in Ultra For the same reasons really they Basically offer all-round great value With a package of sound quality features And fit that make them a great choice Over any distance but what makes them Ultra friendly in my book beyond the Lightweight fit the comfort is the case Plus buds battery life that will last For around 28 hours on paper and it Lives up to that building pretty well When you put them out in the real world If you're not rinsing the ANC in the Transparency modes now it's slightly Shorter than the elite seven active That's why they didn't win this category But by not that much and they're still a Good option the durability is the same As well as the elite seven actives I Wish the case was IP rated threaded Protection but it's light and portable Enough it's quite slim and it slips into A running belt really nicely doesn't pop Out so these are a good option next up We've got the nothing here too when you Look at the design of the nothing here Too you might not immediately think
Ultra endurance Adventure running Headphones they're definitely styled More for the everyday but these have Become a go-to running headphone for me And I've used them for many many runs Beyond six hours now they tick that All-important box of offering a Good Buds plus case staying power you get 35 Hours on paper overall they largely live Up to that billing the other benefit Here is the case and the buds are IP Rated so they're protected against sweat Water and dust so you don't have to Reach for a dry bag to stash your case If the heavens open when you're out one Of those long day Adventures The Sound Performance is pretty solid as well it's Not World beating but I found it loud And Rich and Lively enough the controls Are really easy to use when your tired Brain the fit is light and reliable They've got a really good disappearing Kind of feel in the ears that you won't Notice them that much if you keep Wearing them for longer hours so a Really good option these are the nothing Here too [Music] Foreign If you're on a budget and you're looking For a cheap pair of running headphones Then it's definitely worth looking at These These are the sound Pete Run free Light now these are available for 35
Pounds or 30 dollars so they're Definitely cheaper than a lot of Headphones what you featured in this Video now these are open ear headphones But they use air conduction as opposed To bone conduction what that essentially Means is it's putting a small set of Speakers near your ears so they're not Blocking them up but offering something That's bigger in terms of the Sound Performance but also something that's More customizable as well in terms of The design you're getting something that Weighs around 28 grams so around about The weight of what you expect for a pair Of shocks or headphones kind of the open Run the open run Pro you're getting Physical controls which is always Something we prefer to see on running Headphones or Sports headphones in General and you've got microphones on Here to have the ability to take calls As well too now in terms of the sound Quality that you're getting here you are Getting something out of the box that Doesn't feel particularly great but then You also have the companion phone app Which if you download you have access to EQ modes that definitely gets you Something more rewarding more balanced In terms of that zone profile and Something that worked for Bassy music But also something where you need that Little bit of extra finesse or you'll
Listen to podcasts and audio books in Terms of battery life now sound pets are Saying you can get up to 17 hours here Now in reality we think if you're Listening at louder volumes that's going To be a lot less and it's probably Closer to 10 hours but that's still a Good showing and up there with a kind of Top end running headphones that cost a Lot more as well so if you're looking For a cheap pair of running headphones Ones that keep you aware of your Surroundings and offers good big Customizable sound and good battery life As well the Run free light are well Worth looking at my top pick for cheap Buzz is the jlab go Air Sport now these Are just 30 pounds or thirty dollars They are ear hook headphones and they're Obviously ridiculously good value They're very very cheap they offer a Really good battery life of eight hours On the buds and then another 24 in the Case the case also has a built-in Charging cable which I really like you Can't lose the charger for these because It's built into the case the fit's Obviously very secure because you've got That ear hook and then obviously the Sound quality is not the best in the World but it's not awful you can enjoy Your music on the Run perfectly fine With the jlab go Air Sport there are Obviously a lot better headphones out
There for sound quality but 30 pounds It's more than acceptable in my opinion And it does have quite a base forward Profile so it's generally quite good for Running we want a bit more bass to add Some oomph to the music you're listening To when you're trying to motivate Yourself during runs the only real Noticeable downside that I had with These headphones was that if you're Connecting them to a phone that's in a Short side pocket so dropped into the Side of your shorts and sits against Your thigh connectivity can be a little Bit unreliable depending on how tall you Are how long your torso is I guess I Found if I had my phone in a running Belt or an arm belt that connectivity Was fine to these headphones but I don't Think they have the longest range for a Reliable connection so that might be Something to think about if you do carry Your phone in a short pocket by the side Of your leg a couple of other really Cheap headphones that we like the first Is the jlab go air pop now these are Very similar to the goess sport except They are in-ear headphones without an Ear hook so you lose a little bit of the Security of the fit of the earhook but These are even cheaper they're just 20 Pounds or 20 dollars the case is a Little bit smaller though it still has a Built-in charging cable that just makes
It a little bit more practical for using And I found during a marathon wearing These that they did stay in my ears Pretty well uh but they are a little bit More loose than the jlab headphones with An ear hook of course and another really Good cheap option is the trivet flybuds 3. these are 40 pounds or forty dollars They are in-ear headphones with wings a Nice variety of wings it's very easy to Get a really secure fit with these Headphones I found despite the fact that I don't always get on within-ear Headphones they are fully waterproof and The battery life is pretty amazing on These it's eight hours on the buds and The case takes you up to a total of 150 Hours it's a pretty heavy case and it's Not one that you probably want to carry With you on the go but the weight has Been put towards a good purpose in that You've got a lot of battery life with These Buds and overall I'd say the sound Quality is the best I've come across in The sub 50 pound bracket so yeah the Trivet fly buds are a really good option For cheaper headphones [Music] Thank you now if you're looking for a Pair of headphones that you can use While you're sitting at your desk Working and also grab when you're going For a run we think the Apple airpods Pro 2 are well worth looking at now these
Aren't cheap but we do think what you Get in return makes them well worth the Money now primarily they are designed to Be used with iOS Mac OS and watch OS Devices they can be used with Android Phones as well but ultimately you're Going to get the full gamut of features When you use it with Apple's own Hardware now in terms of design to Improve that reliability of fit you're Now getting four sets of silicone ear Tips so it's an extra small version That's added with the airpods pro 2. in Terms of controls you now have touch Controls who are built into the stems Which make it easier to adjust the Volume up and down when you are on the Move and running now in terms of that Sound Performance it's a massive Improvement in terms of the active noise Cancellation you are getting compared to The previous Apple airpods Pro now if You're the kind of person that likes to Drown out the world then these are some Of the best in terms of doing that you Also have that kind of transparency mode As well when you let world back in so if You don't want to use ANC you do have Another option there as well in terms of That overall sound quality we'd say it's Very well balanced overall we'd say that Bass is very well reproduced you're Getting plenty of clarity and detail and Finesse in that sound as well so whether
You listen to Bass heavy music or you Want something more delicate for Podcasts and audio books then they will Deliver on that front as well too in Terms of battery life you're getting up To six hours battery life ultimately Enough to last a marathon a pretty long Marathon and we have used these at a Marathon as well too so they have passed That test as well so if you're looking For some everyday headphones that work As running headphones as well too we'd Say go for the Apple airpods Pro 2. my Favorite crossover headphones are the Bose quiet Comfort earbuds two these are Really expensive as you might expect From both they're 300 or 280 pounds but I do think they are the standout option In this crossover area because they Offer the best fit alongside amazing Sound and ANC so on the ANC front There's nothing better than these on the Market that I've tested they filter out The most noise it really is amazing Amazing when you're traveling to use These headphones given how small they Are how much they can filter out sound Quality is also absolutely Top Notch as You'd expect from Bose and then what Makes them stand out for me compared to Things like the airports Pro or the Nothing buds is the fit they they come With three sizes of wings and you can Actually buy larger or smaller wings so
I've been using the extra large Wings on These headphones and it just creates a Really secure fit for running which I Don't get from things like the airpods Pro or the nothing headphones they just Slip out of my ear a little bit so with The Bose you get almost The Best of Both Worlds in my opinion because you have Got that amazing sound chords you know And see but a really reliable fit as Well you're gonna spend a lot of money To get that but then you do have I think A fantastic pair of headphones that you Can use for running as well as all your Other uses especially traveling thanks To that really impressive ANC [Music] Thank you So if you're looking for some of the Best running headphones to buy right now We think as a team you should be looking At these shocks open run mini now unlike The standard version the Mini version Gives you a smaller band and what that Ultimately means is that it sits a Little bit more closely and more Reliably around your head and we have Found that compared to the standard open Run in our testing now in terms of Design you're getting something that Weighs less than 30 grams you're getting Something with physical controls which Are easy to access on the run as well You're getting built-in microphones here
As well to be able to handle calls and You're getting an IP67 waterproof rating Which actually means that it's sweat Proof and can handle a little bit of Rain as well it's not for swimming Ultimately Um in terms of that sound quality that You're getting here the emphasis is Definitely on delivering something That's clear and more detailed and if You're a bass film you're not going to Get massive amount here but it's still Pretty balanced on that front as well so If you like listening to something more Bass heavy then it does do a pretty good Job on that front but ultimately if you Are listed a wide range of Music you're Listening podcasts and audio books these Do a very good job on that front now in Terms of battery life We're getting up to eight hours battery On the shocks uh open run mini which Again is similar to The Standard Version And it really depends on how loud you Listen to your music and audio in General you do also have a quick charge Feature as well so if you charge them For 10 minutes you get one and a half Hours of play time as well too so in Terms of that design in terms of the Controls the Sound Performance you're Getting out of these headphones the Price and ultimately the battery life You're getting as well too we think as a
Package your shocks open run mini are Well worth your money and they are some Of the best running headphones to buy Right now Now I could have chosen five or six Different sets of headphones here for This overall but if push comes to the Shove and I have to pick one pair that I'd recommend above all the others I'd Go for the nothing here too I think they Offer an excellent all-round package There's good fit there's solid sound Good enough simple controls they've got A decent battery life there's okay Durability for the case and the buds You've got some extra features like Custom EQ as well I really like the Design the case is nicely portable and It's a bit more interesting than the Black box kind of soap bars that other Headphones opt for to me they're just a Really unfussy set of headphones They work on runs they're brilliant in The office when I'm editing and I think You get good value here for the price Tag you know they're a good budget Apple IPods alternative that make for a happy Run partner and that is why I've chosen Them as my best overall so then my Choice for my best pick headphones I'm Gonna go for the Powerbeats Pro I do Love this shocks I do love the Powerbeats but I think these are just Such a great pair of headphones I use
Them every single day I use them walking The doggies them in meetings I use them For everything because you kept like you Know as much as I enjoy the bone Conducting ones on the run in an office You'd hear everything it would be Distract thing I love these headphones I Really really rate them they are Expensive but they last I've had this Pair I have I've had two pairs of these The first pair I would say because you Put them back in a case don't put them Back in wet it sounds obvious but I Think we've all come back from runs and Just Chuck them in the case and my first One's got water damage so I'm now Careful about ripping them off but they Last for years and I really really rate Them so these are my These are my top pick and of the case Means that I'm not I'm probably charging Them once a week because when you put Them back in the case they start Charging again so you're not having to Remember to charge them all the time and They've got the fast charge where I Think you charge them for like five Minutes and they get an hour playback so If I'm going out for a run and I've Forgotten to charge them within five Minutes I'm heading out the door so These are the ones I write So there you have it that's our pick of The best running headphones you can buy
Right now hope you've enjoyed it has Ever hit us up in the comments with any Questions tell us which headphones you Use if there's something you've missed Here tell them tell us also why you love Them we'd love to hear that it really Helps a lot of Runners select their Headphones as well now if you found this Video useful we'd really appreciate it If you'd hit the like button perhaps Even share it with other Runners who Need better Tunes in their lives better Headphones maybe even subscribe that Really helps us if you do so yeah we Love it when you do all of those things Otherwise it's been a pleasure chatting To you and we hope to see you again soon On the Run testers happy running Everyone and good luck with whatever it Is that you're trying to achieve with Your running out there go and get it
