Athletes have known for a long time that music has the power to increase concentration and endurance. Whether your favorite sport is physically demanding like lacrosse or mostly mental like chess; the best sport headphones will help you keep your head in the game by keeping the music flowing.
There are lots of headphones to choose from, but only some of them will have what it takes to keep up with your active lifestyle. And we’re here to help show you the difference.
We’ve researched the market to find the absolute best headphones, then used that information to create this easy-to-use guide. With it, you’ll be able to decide which are the best sport headphones for you.
Things to Consider
- Lightweight. Heavy headsets are a problem whether you’re running on a field, riding a bike, or swinging a racket. We’ve narrowed down our choices to products that won’t weigh you down no matter what you’re doing.
- Durable. As an athlete you want headphones that last as long as you do, not something that breaks under pressure. Although no set of headphones is completely indestructible, we’re sure the ones we’ve chosen will be able to handle whatever you throw at them.
- Comfortable. There’s a good possibility that you’ll wear your headphones for extended periods of time, and while on the move. No one likes cords that get in the way, or bands that don’t fit so we made sure to find a variety styles sure to match your needs.
- Sound Quality. However you decide to play, you want that inspires and excites, and not something that sounds like it uses soup cans for speakers. You want quality headphones that deliver excellent sound reproduction, deep accurate bass, and clear vocals.
Your Guide to Choosing the Best Headphones for Sports
[ws_table id=”27″]5 Best Sport Headphones Reviews
1. 66 Audio BTS+
The BTS+ Sports Headphones are one of our favorite headsets for people who spend lots of time exercising or engaged in sports. They earned a top spot here as well as the number one choice for Best Workout Headphones and Best Bluetooth Headphones for Running.
What makes these such a good find is that they’re easy to use and sound great. The BTS+ pairs to almost any device, features large controls and superb sound.
Unlike most headphones, these can pair to two devices at once. This is helpful if you like to carry music on a device other than your phone but still need to be able to answer calls. You can leave your phone safe on the sidelines while enjoying music up to 30 feet away, and still answer calls that come in.
Large strong buttons on the outside of each earcup make answering or rejecting calls a snap. These buttons also control volume, Bluetooth connectivity, and track shuffle. Your controls are within reach no matter how sweaty and tired you get.
The BTS+ delivers phenomenal sound without the characteristic hiss of other noise-canceling headphones. No matter what we listened to – classical, dubstep, or reggae – our ears loved their balance and clarity.
The BTS+ is the best sport headphones you will find. They’re lightweight, sound great, and are simple to use.
2. Jaybird X2 Sport
If you’re looking for great sound in a slightly different package than the BTS+ then we’ve found your match with the Jaybird X2 Sport. They easily earned our second spot for their unbeatable sound and versatile fit, and are also ranked as out best Bluetooth earbuds.What makes the Jaybird X2 one of the best sports headphones is that they sound just as good as their wired counterparts. Jaybird packs major musical punch inside the Jaybird X2. It’s high-quality audio performance keeps songs sounding as clear and punchy as the artist intended.
We found no distortion at high volumes, and Jaybird X2’s secure fit maintains equalized sound in both ears. There are very few things less frustrating than when earbuds move around and change the dynamics of your music.
That secure fit can also be customized. The rubberized band that connects the two earpieces is kept short so that it can fit under the chin or behind the neck. And the cable can be adjusted to sit above or under your ear. This versatility is great if you’re trying to get around any kind of headgear.
Jaybird definitely had athletes in mind when they included a hard case in the box. The headphones are durable, sure, but it’s nice to have that extra protection once they’re in your bag with other things like cleats or baseball bats.
Jaybird X2 are a great option if you really like wireless sport headphones and the sound of the BTS+ but prefer the fit of earbuds. These are an overall top performer.
3. Arm Pocket Yurbuds
The first thing you notice about the Inspire is their oddly-shaped eartips. They’re designed to fit deeply into your ears but not fall out. The material is soft and flexible allowing the tips to be placed at various angles to fit your unique shape. Rigid eartips tend to puncture parts of your ear the deeper you try to place them; these don’t do that.
The Inspire sound pretty good in spite of being designed to allow more ambient noise than most other products. Hearing ambient noise helps you remain aware of your surroundings. The high-mids are dialed back so that they don’t overshadow environmental noise; this causes some instrumentation to sound just muddied enough to bother sound purists but it shouldn’t interfere with the over musical experience.
Music is sure to follow you when you purchase the Yurbuds Inspire. Sound and comfort haven’t been compromised in these headphones that you can surely use anywhere.
4. Monster iSport Freedom
Monster’s iSport Freedom combines sleek styling and rugged construction into one unbelievable set of headphones.
The iSport Freedom is Bluetooth compatible but includes a detachable cable to allow them to function as a traditional pair of headphones, for those times you run out of battery power or just don’t mind being tethered to a device.
Its sturdy one-piece frame, antimicrobial ear cushions, and reflective trim indicate that these headphones aren’t afraid of a little work. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see them at lacrosse or football practice.
The sound on these work hard as well. The on-ear cups bath your ears in music. Bass heads will like the equalization, but we think they tend to add a bit too much bass. Some songs sounded unnatural and clunky.
The iSport Freedom is a great companion when you need rugged good looks. It’s stylish without being flashy, and performs well. You can’t ask for more.
5. Bose SIE2i
Bose products tend to perform well and the SoundSport is no different. It deserves being named one of the best sports headphones because it’s durable enough to take on the road yet sounds like the music surrounds you.
There are two kinds of people: those who like long cords, and those who like short cords. Bose appeals to both of them by equipping the SoundSport with a short cable but including an extension.
Like most Bose products, the sound focuses on low-mid frequencies but offers comparable bass tones. It’s clear orchestral-like sound even at top volume.
Bose SoundSport satisfies, period. They offer top-notch sound in a simple design. You can almost never go wrong by choosing a Bose product.
Why can’t someone make earbuds w/ or w/o a wire that stay in my ear with earplug material? Earplugs grip and conform to the ear. When I ride, I keep the buds in with a plug behind it. The plug consumes the whole ear cavity, but it’s really light, comfortable, and no adjustment needed for 40 miles. Even with a wire, it takes a good yank to free the bud.