We reviewed and ranked highly-rated waterproof earbuds and headphones, choosing our top picks by using them for workouts on land (gym, running, cycling), on the water (kayaking, paddleboarding), and regular everyday use. Before we get to which one ranked #1 on our best waterproof earbuds and headphones list, here’s what we looked for:
- Sound Transmission & Fit: in-ear, open ear, over-the-ear, or bone conduction. They need to offer a lockdown, solid fit through the ups and downs of outdoor activity. And without saying, all headphones on this list are Bluetooth.
- Physical Buttons: with wet hands, what good are touch controls? Physical buttons are a must.
- Speaker Holes (or lack thereof): speaker holes are an easy way to let in moisture, especially during a workout. We’ve found that bone conduction headphones have an inherent advantage to eliminating speaker holes, because they work by vibration, without needing an opening to transmit sound.
- Charging Ports (or lack thereof): similar to speaker holes, if a “waterproof headphone” has a dedicated charging port, it’s a recipe for water ingress. The better waterproof ‘phones come with charging cases that work by just dropping each earbud into the case.
- Long Battery Life
- Non-Corrosive Construction: electronics need metal for conduction, but metal is a recipe for corrosion. Well-designed waterproof headphones are designed to eliminate exposed metal contact points.
WANFEI Bone Conduction Wireless Headphones, IP67
After giving many different “waterproof headphones” a go, these Open Ear Wireless IP67 Bone Conduction Headphones from WANFEI came out on top. Why? Well, for starters, they’re legitimately waterproof! They don’t have a large speaker hole, which means sweat and water don’t get into the body of the earbud, meaning they’ll hold up to intense workouts, whether running or at the gym.
They’ve got a grippy silicone area on the upper part of the earhook to keep them in place. Also, in our usage, the battery never dipped under 80%, even after 1.5 hours of use.
- Bluetooth 5.2
- IP67 waterproof and fully sweat-proof
- Long battery life
- Physical buttons
- USB-C charging case
- True Bone Conduction
- Grippy silicone upper ear area
- Bone Conduction technology may feel odd for some people
Xmenha In Ear Clip On Earbuds
These unique clip-on earbuds hug the outside of your earlobes and remain comfortable despite their unusual design, though the “clip-ons” are gaining in popularity. The silicone tip and wraparound hook keep them in place, and the physical buttons are clutch. They feature a 5-hour battery and are extremely lightweight.
These do not offer a waterproof rating. They appear like they’d keep sweat out, but in our tests we avoided using them in heavy moisture situations due to the speaker hole. On the plus side, the speaker hole is aimed directly into your ear, so they’re among the loudest open-ear headphones we’ve used.
- Bluetooth 5.3
- Very loud
- Physical buttons
- USB-C charging case
- No waterproof rating
- Advertised as “Open Ear,” but these are effectively in-ear
- Speaker hole allows moisture inside
Sotiepevs Open Ear Earhook Headphones, IPX6
A lightweight, comfortable earhook-style open-ear headphone with physical buttons. Though they are lightweight and useful around-the-house, these performed poorly in sweat and kayaking tests and wouldn’t charge after getting wet.
- Bluetooth 5.3
- Comfortable on ear
- USB-C charging case
- Speaker hole
- Not very loud
- Performed poorly in tests
- Stopped charging
ORANPID Open Ear Air Conduction IPX6 Headphones
Almost an exact replica of the Sotiepivs above – and who knows which one is copying the other nowadays – the ORANPIDs offer the same functionality. They’re lightweight and comfortable, with physical buttons, but are not a reliably waterproof headphone.
- Bluetooth 5.3
- Comfortable on ear
- USB-C charging case
- Speaker hole
- Not very loud
- Not reliably waterproof
MSTHOO Purpods Open Ear Headphones, IPX7
We thought these were the ones, but were quickly proven wrong after one side died from sweat during a 20 mile cycling workout and they repeatedly kept getting stuck in helmet straps. The speaker hole is clearly an Achilles heel for letting sweat in, and there also appeared to be a charging issue, as only one of them would take a charge.
Yes, they are usable if a single side works, but they’ll seem so quiet when listening to one that it’s a lost cause. On the positive, this is the only model we reviewed that features a wireless charging case, meaning the case itself can be popped onto a wireless charger just like your smartphone.
- Bluetooth 5.2
- Wireless & USB-C charging case
- Performed poorly in tests
- Poor fit
- Speaker holes