We Found the Best Headphones for Swimming

 Even the most experienced swimmers can find lap-training days to be dull. Ralph Porrazzo, a master swim coach based in Pasadena, explains that staring at the black line on the pool bottom for too long can make your mind wander. To inject some motivation, he suggests listening to a fresh playlist through waterproof headphones.

Porrazzo emphasizes that good waterproof headphones can keep you motivated during a challenging swim session and help you relax during a cool-down. Like any other sport, it's nice to have something to listen to while working out. He advises that you don't have to spend a fortune on a quality pair, but they should be fully waterproof, safe to use, and free from distractions. Additionally, they should have a long battery life to last through multiple swim sessions and be designed to fit comfortably without interfering with your strokes.

To find the best swimming headphones, we conducted extensive research and even tested two pairs ourselves. We evaluated each set based on six key attributes: sound quality, comfort, waterproofing, battery life, safety, and value, rating them on a scale of 1 (not recommended) to 5 (highly recommended). We also sought advice from two experienced private swimming instructors, Porrazzo and Evan Rashby, based in Los Angeles, California, on what to consider when buying swimming headphones.

Finally, we had a triathlon coach from our Review Board review this article for accuracy and provide guidance on how to shop for high-quality, durable headphones that can withstand frequent use.

Wissonly Hi Runner

Wissonly bone conduction headphones are recognized by the market with its leading bone conduction vibrator technology. Their team has accumulated more than 10 years in the field of bone conduction technology, which has been affirmed in terms of product quality and hearing protection effect.

Wissonly Hi Runner uses a large-size bone conduction vibrator, which increases the vibration area by 35%. When you wear it, the diffusion direction of sound quality will be more comprehensive, the coverage will be wider, and the sound will be more stereo. Its sound will be deeper in low frequency and more transparent in high frequency. They have also made a lot of efforts in the technology of sound leakage reduction, including the built-in reverse sound wave system and the all-closed-body design, thus reducing the sound leakage by 90%.

It is comfort: Wissonly Hi Runner's whole body is made of high-tech and low-sensitivity silicone, which contains no chemical components to avoid allergy. The overall touch is as silky as baby's skin, which can avoid uncomfortable situations when worn for a long time.

wissonly Hi Runner bone conduction headphones are also equipped with a new Bluetooth 5.0 chip, which has stronger anti-interference ability, and can easily cope with various outdoor complex scenes, so as to ensure that the good mood during exercise will not be disturbed by disconnection. The stable connection also brings ultra-low delay performance. Listening to songs, chasing dramas and playing games meet all the daily demands for headphones.

NAENKA Runner Diver 2 Bone Conduction Headphones

These headphones with built-in storage can pack a whopping 32 GB of audio, or about 8K tracks, in a variety of formats (MP3, M4A, WAV, APE, FLAC) so you don’t have to constantly charge them between swim sessions. The RunnerDiver 2 is designed for safe training, using cheekbone conduction similar to others on our list for safer workouts. It also offers Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity to stream calls or music from a personal device after you hop out of the water—although Bluetooth connectivity is not supported underwater. 

Rated IP68 (fully dust-, sweat-, and water-proof) with a solid 10 hour battery life, this set is quick-drying and drop-proof. The soft silicone coating and flexible head-wrap band make these headphones comfortable, too–a very close contender to the streamlined OpenSwim, but with plenty more storage (and then some). There isn’t a storage case included with this set, but one is available for purchase.

FINIS Amnis Stream Swim Bluetooth Headphones

Keeping pace in the pool is easy with these swimming headphones that sync with your preferred Apple or Garmin watch to keep all your health and fitness insights up to date. Recommended by Porrazzo and dozens of others in the swimming community, the FINIS includes a set of clips that work with an Apple Watch 3 or newer, the Garmin Foreruner 645 Music and Vivoactive 3 Music, and the Garmin Fenix 5 Series. Just clip your waterproof smartwatch to the headphone or goggle strap, then pair the FINIS headphones to your watch to begin tracking your progress. 

You can then download your favorite tunes, podcasts, or audiobooks to your watch for underwater listening. And since the device you’re playing from is attached to your head, there’s less chance of Bluetooth connectivity issues, like alternatives that try to stream from a poolside source. 

Sony Walkman 4GB Headphone

Triathlon athletes and cross-trainers: this pair’s for you. These multi-sport headphones are ideal for land-to-water athletics, with their sweat, dust, and waterproof tech, rated IP68. Our top pick for versatility, these also come recommended by Porrazzo as a go-to, reliable in-ear option. Simple to set up and use, anyone who doesn’t want to mess with pairing their device before each workout will love the all-in-one MP3 player built into the Walkman. It’s easy to connect, drag, and drop jams from your personal computer. 

Sure, it offers less storage than some players, but 4 GB of storage (roughly 1,000 songs) is still plenty of uninterrupted play to get you through hours of swimming, running, biking, and more. It sounds excellent and even has an ambient sound mode to hear traffic, lifeguards, and other environmental sounds. One of the best features of these headphones is their 12-hour battery life and rapid charging cradle, which can get you a full hour of juice in about three minutes. 

Swimbuds Flip Headphones

Designed specifically for aquatic environments, SYRYN’s Swimbuds are a popular choice for swimmers, thanks to their durability and straightforward functionality. The set consists of an MP3 player with 8 GB of storage for up to 2K audio tracks and allows you to store almost any common music file type.

To ensure a secure fit for swimmers, and to keep ear canal water at bay, these headphones come with three, triple-flange ear piece options in three different sizes. The player clips to the back of your swimming goggles, and the headphones’ wires feed under the goggle straps to remain out of the way as you swim. 

What to Look for in Headphones for Swimming

Waterproof Rating

Unfortunately, you can’t bring just any set of headphones to the pool deck for a swim, says Porrazzo. “They must be designed in a certain way to withstand varying depths of water,” he says. This will help prevent you from unintentionally ruining your investment, or worse yet, shocking yourself. 

Waterproof electronics should mention an IPXX (Ingress Protection) rating, set by the International Electrotechnical Commission, where the first “X” stands for resistance against dust and particles, and the second “X” indicates the level of waterproofing. In other words the higher the second number in the rating, the more waterproof the device will be.3 Headphones rated IPX7 or IPX8 are considered fully waterproof, and swim-proof, capable of withstanding varying depths and durations of submersion. 

Safety 

As mentioned, headphones are safe to swim with if they have an IP waterproof rating of IPX7 or IPX8. A safe sound level is also an important precaution to take for your hearing. A pair with adjustable decibel levels or presets can help keep audio at a safe volume level. 

Sound-canceling headphones can be awesome for focus and quality of music since water has its sound and earbuds might prevent some distraction, says Rashby. But opting for a pair that allows ambient noise in can help you hear other swimmers or lifeguards alerting you of danger. Bone conduction headsets, like Shokz’s OpenSwim, resonate sound vibrations through the head and jaw bones so that surrounding sounds can be heard. While the sound quality isn’t as clean, our experts find it the safest. 

Rashby says that the water itself can also present a hazard to your ears and the quality of sound, so you should choose a pair that fits snugly in your ear canal, like those with triple-flange ear tips. You should also wear a swim cap to keep everything snug. This will preserve the sound and prevent water from entering, which can cause swimmer’s ear, a bacterial ear infection caused by water trapped in the ear canal for long periods. If you opt for a bone-conduction headset, wearing earplugs will protect your eardrum from prolonged water exposure and still allow you to hear your surroundings and the audio through vibrations.

If you opt for corded headphones, be sure they have a shorter cord, fit snugly, and are clipped onto and tucked under your goggles to prevent accidentally catching on your hands when swimming laps.

Price

Let’s face it–no pair of underwater headphones is going to emit truly pristine sound, not even the most high-end on the market. This is because water is a strong conductor of environmental sound and makes a lot of noise, Rashby says. But while it might be tempting to skimp on your pair, you risk sinking your investment if they break in the water or pose a safety hazard. Our experts recommend buying exclusively from reputable brands, like those featured in this guide, made with high-quality materials rated for water resistance and backed by a warranty. 

Comfort 

Your swimming headphones should fit properly, securely, and comfortably without causing head, ear, or neck pain as you swim. Rashby recommends looking for a triple-flange earpiece or a lightweight, non-bulky ergonomic headset with earplugs designed to fit snugly. This will prevent water from entering the ear canal and causing discomfort or worse, a bacterial ear infection.

Regardless of the style of swimming headphones you choose, they shouldn’t pose a hazard or distraction to you as you swim. It’s normal for earplugs and earbuds to make your ears ache after wearing them for a bit, but proper-fitting headphones shouldn’t cause continued discomfort over a long period of time.

Battery Life

“There’s nothing worse than showing up to the pool with the motivation to swim and finding out the battery [of your waterproof headphones] is gone,” says Porrazzo, who recommends a headset that can hold a good, long charge for multiple training sessions. Headphones that can charge quickly and have a long battery life will make your life easier. 

Just like everyday headphones, swimming headphone batteries often recharge with a USB or USC cord and adapter, or a portable quick-charging case. Make sure whatever you choose comes with everything you need or is compatible with the equipment you have.