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The best waterproof headphones 2024

The best waterproof headphones 2024

If you like swimming, there’s not much better than listening to your favorite tracks, podcasts or audiobooks while clocking up laps in the pool. Waterproof headphones provide assurance that your tech will continue to deliver motivational tunes time after time, even while submerged.

Our best headphones guide has some incredible options, but not all of these are waterproof. To have that label they must have an IPX7 rating or higher, a test that means they can be submerged in water to varying depths. 

Many headphones designed for everyday wear are described as water-resistant, which can be confusing. Our waterproof vs water-resistant headphones explainer will help you identify exactly what you need, but for context, the headphones in this guide are specifically designed to be able to be worn while swimming. If you’re looking for sweat resistance then have a look at our best workout headphones and best running headphones guides. 

There are two types of waterproof headphones. The first connects directly to your phone, via Bluetooth, and therefore plays whatever your phone is playing. This has the downside of needing your phone to be as close as possible for uninterrupted sound, as Bluetooth does not travel well underwater. The second type are basically mini MP3 players that store music files as well as play them. It’s the simplest setup out of the two, and possibly the more reliable. 

The decision you make depends on whether you’re happy being tied to your phone or if you prefer to be more independent while exercising. Our list includes in-ear headphones as well as bone conduction headphones and we’ve tested all the products so you can be sure you’re getting the best possible advice. We’re currently testing the Shokz OpenSwim Pro, a likely candidate to add to this list.

The quick list

If you don’t have time to read our full guide to the best waterproof headphones, you can read the round-up below for a shortcut to the top options for your needs and budget. You can use the jump links or scroll down to see our more comprehensive overview of the headphones and click through to a full review.

The best waterproof headphones in 2024

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Below you’ll find full write-ups for each of the best waterproof headphones in our list. We’ve tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.

The best waterproof headphones overall

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

The best waterproof headphones overall

Specifications

Waterproof standard: IP68

Battery life: 8 hours (earbuds), 24 hours (with charging case)

Storage: Charging case

Audio formats: Any

Additional info: Saltwater safe, Bluetooth

Reasons to buy

+

Great waterproofing, IP68

+

Easy to control

+

High-quality sound

Reasons to avoid

Better for listening than phone calls

Low-quality Active Noise Cancelation

The JBL Reflect Aero are top of our buying guide because, quite simply, they’re the best-sounding truly waterproof headphones. Even though they still rely on Bluetooth connectivity to play you your favorite tunes, which doesn’t work as well underwater, they beat every other product on this list if we’re solely talking about waterproofing. That IP68 rating means these can stay submerged for 30 minutes in 1.5 meters of saltwater or freshwater, which is impressive for a pair of headphones that doesn’t use bone conduction technology and are pretty affordable. 

The only thing holding these back compared to the rest of the headphones in this guide is that Bluetooth doesn’t travel well underwater. Sadly, it might not fare well when doing laps, as one of our readers has experienced. But so long as you’ve got your phone nearby, it’ll keep on playing those tunes, and if you’re using them for all-weather runs, no rain, sleet or snow will cause these little buds to fritz. 

The Active Noise Canceling feature here isn’t particularly stellar, but the Ambient Aware (transparency) feature is great, letting you hear enough of your surroundings to have a conversation with another person while music is still playing at about 50% volume. If you’re looking for an affordable pair of waterproof headphones that you can use in water and on land, this is the first pair of buds to consider.

Read our full JBL Reflect Aero review

The best multi-sport waterproof headphones

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

The best multi-sport waterproof headphones

Specifications

Waterproof standard: IPX8

Battery life: 8-9 hours

Storage: 8GB

Audio formats: MP3, WMA, and Apple iTunes’ M4A

Additional info: Bone conduction, submersion to 12 feet underwater for an unlimited time

Reasons to buy

+

Bone conduction technology leaves ears free

+

Combination of storage and Bluetooth offers options

+

IPX8 waterproofing

Reasons to avoid

Controls difficult to operate quickly

Heavy bass

The H2O Audio Tri Multi-Sport waterproof open ear headphones make listening to music underwater feel like a party with its bass-heavy audio and their 8GB storage, that lets you store your favorite tunes for pool workouts. Compared to the JBLs above, these bone conduction headphones are terrific swimming options as they leave your ears free, mostly without compromising on sound quality.

During testing, we found it easy to download and organize files how you want, so, if you’re apprehensive about using an MP3 player in this day and age, don’t be. The hardest part is finding decent MP3-downloadable podcasts! 

If you do want to keep it to streaming, the headphones do have Bluetooth connectivity too, but Bluetooth still doesn’t work as well underwater. Still, it does give you options to play around with, and allows you to use Spotify and other music streaming services on land and near the water surface. 

The main button controls play, pause, toggling between Bluetooth and memory modes, and a few other functions, which need to be annoyingly precise and takes some getting used to. But in general, the headphones are excellent.

Read our full H2O Audio Tri Multi-Sport review

The best premium waterproof headphones

(Image credit: Jamie Carter)

The best premium waterproof headphones

Specifications

Waterproof standard: IP68

Battery life: 3 hours

Storage: N/A

Audio formats: Any

Additional info: Bone conduction, saltwater safe, streams to 50 meters

Reasons to buy

+

Streams underwater with FM

+

Simple to operate

+

Included audio workout guidance

Reasons to avoid

No playback button on headphones

No internal storage

The Zygo Solo is the only waterproof headphones we’ve tested that can stream music and podcasts from a phone sitting by the side of the pool. As mentioned above, Bluetooth signals can only penetrate water for a very short distance, and the Zygo Solo gets around this problem using an FM radio transmitter – an unusual but effective approach.

The transmitter is quite large, but the ability to enjoy music, podcasts and coaching tips (provided by the Zygo app) without messing around with MP3 files is a real bonus. The headset itself isn’t as compact as the others in this guide, but in our tests, it proved comfortable and remained secure even when making turns underwater. The sound quality is impressive, too. 

The Zygo Solo uses bone conduction to transmit sound to your auditory nerve, and while it sounds a bit tinny on land, once you’re in the pool, the sound has an impressive amount of bass.

We’re also big fans of the Zygo mobile app, which offers instructor-led workouts and drills to give you training some variety. In the future, the company plans to add Peloton-style interactive sessions, which will make use of the headset’s built-in accelerometer to track your progress in the pool. The best premium waterproof bone conduction headphones you can buy today.

Read our in-depth Zygo Solo review

The best waterproof headphones for music storage

(Image credit: Jamie Carter)

The best waterproof headphones for music storage

Specifications

Waterproof standard: IPX8

Battery life: 10 hours

Storage: 16GB

Audio formats: MP3, FLAC

Additional info: Bone conduction, 40 minutes underwater use, Bluetooth 5.2

Reasons to buy

+

Solid battery life

+

Double the storage of the H20 model above

+

Supports MP3 and FLAC

Reasons to avoid

Sound quality could be better

Earplugs are recommended

The Naenka Runner Diver sets itself apart from other bone conduction headphones on this list by doubling the storage of the H2O Audio Tri Multi-Sport above, while still offering Bluetooth streaming options. Unlike the Zygo Solo, which uses FM transmitters to stream underwater, these waterproof headphones are limited to Bluetooth.

Still, it’s a step closer in the right direction, and it means that you can own only one pair to use for both land and water-based audio enjoyment. Adding to its versatility is its 16GB storage, double the other options here. As for its performance, we found during testing that it works beautifully in and out of water – although the sound quality is much better in water when you’ve got the earplugs on.

Since it uses bone conduction, expect bass-heavy audio that lacks treble detailing. But, we didn’t find that particularly deal-breaking. Not for everything else you’re getting.

Read our in-depth Naenka Runner Diver review

The best waterproof headphones for stability

(Image credit: Future)

The best waterproof headphones for stability

Specifications

Waterproof standard: IPX68

Battery life: 8 hours

Storage: 4GB

Audio formats: MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV, FLAC

Additional info: Bone conduction, saltwater safe

Reasons to buy

+

Light and secure fit

+

Excellent ambient sound perception

Reasons to avoid

Lack of Bluetooth connectivity

Only 4GB storage

An excellent choice for all-around sporty types, these slim-fitting bone conduction waterproof headphones work both in and out of the pool. Containing an inbuilt MP3 player, they let you take your tunes with you when swimming while also allowing you to exercise to music away from your phone. The Shokz Openswim only packs 4GB storage, much less than some of the products on this list. 

When swimming, we found the Shokz OpenSwim (known as the AfterShokz Xtrainerz until the company rebranded in December 2021) best paired with swimming goggles or a swim cap to keep them in place. With a dedicated swim mode, the sound provided is clear enough, while not only will your ears be free from potential irritation incursions, you’ll be able to hear ambient noise, like the lifeguard blowing their whistle at you for excessive splashing. 

Although offset by the other benefits, the lack of Bluetooth does mean you’re left to plug the headphones in to upload songs or podcasts, they’ll be no pairing with your phone to take calls. Still, if swimming is your main concern, these are an excellent choice.

Read our in-depth Shokz OpenSwim review

The best cheap waterproof headphones for streaming

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

The best cheap bone conduction headphones for streaming

Specifications

Weight: 34g

Water resistance rating: IP67

Battery life: 8 hours

Storage: No

Reasons to buy

+

Streams close to the surface

+

Very cheap

+

Good design and easy controls

Reasons to avoid

Works better with earplugs

No internal storage

Even though the YouthWhisper SuperQ3 doesn’t have any internal storage, it works perfectly well in the pool – provided you stay close to the surface. If you’re happy to leave a streaming device poolside, you can use the YouthWhisper headset perfectly well for lengths in even large pools. 

During our texts, we found the controls were intuitive and easy to use even when wet, and you can take hands-free calls in and out of the pool. It’s a swim-friendly headset, but it suffers from the same problem all Bluetooth headsets do: Bluetooth doesn’t travel well underwater. 

Nevertheless, the sound quality is great and especially good for podcasts, as long as you wear the earplugs in the pool for best results. The fit is comfortable and the whole package works really well within Bluetooth technology’s limitations. It’s very cheap right now too. 

Read our full YouthWhisper SuperQ3 review

How to choose the best waterproof headphones for you

The style you prefer is the first thing to consider when buying a pair of waterproof earbuds or headphones. If you like the fit and feel of regular in-ear headphones, a couple of earbuds might be your best bet. However, a pair of bone-conducting headphones will work best if you want to keep your ears free to tune into your environment.

It’s also worth thinking about how you want to access your music. If you want to keep your phone by the side of the pool, a pair of swimming headphones with a built-in FM transmitter like the Zygo Solo are your best option – regular Bluetooth earbuds just won’t cut it underwater.

If you don’t want to rely on your phone, you’ll need a pair of swimming headphones with a built-in MP3 player. You’ll just need to be sure to look into how much storage you’re getting. For example, the Naenka Runner Diver headphones in our guide above have an onboard MP3 player with 16GB worth of storage – that’s (very roughly) between 3,000 and 4,000 MP3s.

Can you use Bluetooth headphones while swimming?

Not usually, because Bluetooth signals don’t travel far through water. If you can attach your smartwatch to a pair of swimming goggles, you may be able to use it to stream music to a pair of headphones, but not all watches and headphones support this.

Can you swim with Apple AirPods?

No, the Apple AirPods, AirPods 3, and AirPods Pro aren’t fully waterproof. Only headphones specially designed for swimming should be worn in open water or the pool.

How we test the best waterproof headphones

We’ve tested every pair of waterproof headphones in this list and in order for them to be included in this very select and specific roundup, we needed each pair of headphones to excel at a number of things. 

The first thing, of course, is effective waterproofing – you need these swim-specific headphones to survive multiple dunks in the drink. But that is closely followed by audio performance, battery life, wearer security, comfort and ease of use. An IPX7 rating should not mean poor sound quality and we made sure to check for that.

From there, we looked at Bluetooth connectivity – or alternatives to it, such as onboard storage or (anyone familiar with smartphones knows that generally, they don’t play well with water) or FM radio transmitters. Elsewhere, on-device controls, comfort, value for money and of course decent sound quality helped us to reach our verdicts. 

Our testing is independent – there are no sales teams involved in our review process. That is why if you take the plunge (see what we did there?) and buy a set of waterproof headphones from this buying guide, you can rest assured you’re purchasing a TechRadar-approved product. For more information, you can check out our page on how we test. Happy shopping – and safe swimming. 

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