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Most fitness types prefer wireless earbuds for working out, but work out in any gym in America, and you’ll find folks who prefer the more traditional over-ear headphones. Why? Myriad reasons, but it mostly comes down to one (or all) of the following: comfort, audio quality, and noise cancellation ability. But what are the best over-ear headphones for working out? That’s tougher to answer, because almost all headphones are explicitly designed for scenarios in which the wearer isn’t moving much and moisture isn’t present—aka an office or desk setting, not a gym. Here’s everything you should know before shopping for a pair.
Hone Health is a team of health-obsessed journalists, editors, fitness junkies, medical reviewers, and product testers. I’ve been testing, reviewing, and writing about fitness and fitness tech for nearly a decade now. When it comes to the best gym headphones, I will always recommend a waterproof wireless earbud setup instead of an over-ear headphone, but having worn a dozen different full headphone sets through all sorts of workouts, there are some I don’t mind recommending.
Why You Should Trust Us
Hone Health is a team of health-obsessed journalists, editors, fitness junkies, medical reviewers, and product testers. I’ve been testing, reviewing, and writing about fitness and fitness tech for nearly a decade now. When it comes to the best gym headphones, I will always recommend a waterproof wireless earbud setup instead of an over-ear headphone, but having worn a dozen different full headphone sets through all sorts of workouts, there are some I don’t mind recommending.
A Warning on Workout Headphones
Before buying any over-ear headphones for working out, but especially more premium headphones, know this: working out in your new headphones almost certainly voids their warranty, as there are very few over-ear headphone options designed specifically for—or would be reasonable to wear during—working out. This doesn’t mean you’re going to break your over-ear headphones after a couple of sessions, but it does mean you should consider what kinds of workouts you’re wearing them through.
In testing, we found that they’re simply not worth the trouble to wear during extended cardio sessions—running, elliptical, rowing, etc.—as the constant movement unseats them from your ears, and the accumulation of sweat (which is enhanced because of the headphone itself) is simply much greater than, say, a weightlifting session.
Why Do People Wear Over-Ear Headphones While Working Out?
Comfort
Maybe you have weird ears, maybe you don’t like the feeling of an earbud lodged in your acoustic meatus, or maybe you enjoy the cozy head hug an over-ear headphone provides. It doesn’t really matter, because most people who opt to wear over-ear headphones working out instead of earbuds cite comfort as the primary concern.
Noise cancellation
Do you work out in an obnoxiously loud gym? Are you easily distracted by the conversations of other gymgoers? Does your gym blast the absolute worst Top 40 music imaginable morning and night? These reasons, and more, provide ample justification for going over-ear headphones rather than earbuds. Some more premium earbuds offer solid active noise cancellation (ANC), but, generally speaking, over-ear headphones have more capacity for this kind of thing purely due to the hardware onboard.
Audio quality
If audio quality is a concern, over-ear headphones are a solid bet for the same reason noise cancellation is generally better with headphones rather than earbuds. It’s not that AirPods Pros or the latest Bose earbud don’t pump quality sound—it’s just that headphones don’t have to sacrifice nearly as much hardware in the name of physical product real estate.
The Best Over-Ear Workout Headphones
Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones
Best workout headphones overall
The best combination of stability, sound quality, noise cancellation, and fair pricing belongs to the Beats Studio3 over-ear headphones. They have the advantage of being designed for, at least ostensibly, working out and athletics whereas most over-ear headphones are not—and it shows.
They’re fitted with a W1 chip, which means they pair with Apple and Android devices seamlessly (the same cannot be said for every pair of over-ear headphones). From an audio perspective, expect heavier bass tones and a fairly high volume range, but less fidelity on vocal-focused tracks. Basically, they’re great for blasting music to push you through a hard workout. Battery life is about standard for wireless headphones—22-23 hours, extended significantly beyond this with noise cancellation switched off—which should be plenty to push you through several workouts before you need to recharge. These noise cancelling headphones are adequate, but several reviews suggest that it’s not the totally silent experience you might have with some other headphones on this list (more on that in a moment).
- Battery life: 22hrs
- Noise cancellation: Yes, ANC
- Microphone: Yes
Anker Soundcore Life Q20
Best budget option / Best battery life
While these $60 headphones do feature noise cancellation and a few other “high-end” features, what you’re really buying these for is the price and, critically, the extremely long battery life. Do enough Googling and you’ll find most wireless headphones last about 20 to 25 hours of battery life on volume level, noise cancellation, and how often you’re fiddling with the physical controls on the device. Anker’s Q20s can run for up to 60 hours continuously. Yes, that is 60 hours of operating with minimal interference and no noise cancellation, but that is still absurd. On the low end, expect them to last more than a full day on a single charge. It also comes with necessary features like a built-in mic and a reasonably good head fit.
- Battery life: 30-60hrs
- Noise cancellation: Yes, ANC
- Microphone: Yes
Bose Quiet Comfort 45
Best high-end option
You’ve definitely seen people wearing Bose’s iconic Quiet Comfort headphones around (though maybe not at the gym). They’re a staple for frequent air travelers due to their best-in-class active noise cancellation, which allows you to quite literally hit the mute button on a noisy gym. But despite all the plaudits Bose QC headphones have received over the years, the most important feature has nothing to do with their technical prowess. Bose QC 45s are just really damn comfortable to wear—that’s whether you’re sitting at a desk, jogging on a treadmill, or lifting serious weight. The ear pads are light and fitted without feeling like they’re squeezing your skull, and the headband isn’t weirdly thick like many headphones. The result of this is less extra sweat from wearing headphones while working out, and less discomfort overall.
If you plan to jog at faster paces, though, we still wouldn’t recommend them. For that you should still consider an earbud of some kind.
- Battery life: 22hrs
- Noise cancellation: Yes, ANC
- Microphone: Yes
Jabra Elite 85H Over Ear Headphones
Best for a snug fit
Think of Jabra as a slightly less “branded” Beats, or a slightly more athletic Bose. It’s immediately clear what the Jabra Elites are designed for movement. The fit is significantly more snug than any other headphone on the list, making these the only pair of over ear headphones we’d recommend for running or other long duration cardio. From a tech perspective, they’re on par with our top pick, the Beats Studio3s, but because they’re a bit more expensive and some reviewers have said they find the fit too tight, we only recommend them for people looking for a secure fit.
- Battery life: 35hrs
- Noise cancellation: Yes, ANC
- Microphone: Yes
FAQs
Does water resistance matter?
Unless you’re Michael Phelps—or would like to be—full-blown waterproof headphones probably aren’t necessary.
If you’re a heavy sweater, water resistant headphones can give you peace of mind. But some people—like this runner on Reddit—don’t think it’s totally necessary.
Is it better to work out with earbuds or ear headphones?
It depends. If you’re sprinting on the treadmill or sweating through a HIIT circuit, earbuds may be more secure. But if surround sound EDM beats are your jam while you lift to failure, over-ear headphones could be your best bet.
Will sweating while working out ruin your over-ear headphones?
Sweating at the gym is about as inevitable as death and taxes. So you’re probably concerned with whether your over-ear headphones will take a beating after a strenuous workout.
Sweat can degrade the ear cushions on your headphones over time, but waterproof headphone covers can make your set more gym-friendly. Just remember to clean them frequently to avoid build-up.
