There’s nothing better than listening to your favorite tracks, podcasts or audiobooks while clocking up laps in the pool. Waterproof headphones provide the assurance that your tech will continue to deliver motivational tunes time after time.
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.
There is also a water-resistant category which can be confusing. Our waterproof vs water-resistant headphones explainer will help you identify exactly what you need. If you’re looking for a little bit of 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. The second type are basically mini MP3 players and provide by far the simplest setup out of the two.
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.
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.
Best overall
Excellent sound performance, good touch controls and reliable waterproofing makes these buds our top pick for most people.
Read more below
2. H2O Audio Tri Multi-Sport
Best multi-sport
There’s bass-heavy sound and 8GB of memory here, and a mode that lets you use the headphones both in and out of the water.
Read more below
Best premium
These top premium bone-conducting headphones use an FM radio transmitter to stream music and podcasts from your phone.
Read more below
Load the next three products…
Best music storage
With 16GB storage, these headphones offer double the other options here. You can also stream music via Bluetooth when you’re on land.
Read more below
Best stability
Our top pick for stability, these bone-conducting headphones deliver a light and secure fit that’ll see you through workouts and swim sessions.
Read more below
Best cheap headphones for streaming
The YouthWhisper SuperQ3 does a lot of things well within its limitations, as it doesn’t have any onboard storage so you can’t listen without a phone. However, Bluetooth works surprisingly well, and it’s below $50 with good sound.
Read more below
The best waterproof headphones in 2024
Why you can trust TechRadar
We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
link