As a swimmer, you know how important it is to wear a good pair of waterproof headphones while swimming to enjoy listening to music/tunes. The swimmer’s headphones are designed with a hydrophobic coating to sustain underwater activities’ rigors and deliver exceptional quality sound. Besides durability, these headphones offer long battery life, great sound quality, Bluetooth connectivity, an inbuild MP3 player, and superior waterproofing.
It can be a daunting task to find the best headphones for swimming due to the availability of plenty of options in the market. To help you in making an informed buying decision, we have rounded up the best waterproof headphones for swimming (ranging from high-end options to budget-friendly models) that elevate your aquatic workouts.
Best Waterproof Headphones for Swimming Chart
1.Wissonly Hi Runner– Best Overall
This is the fastest growing brand in the past six months. It may not be much famous, but in the field of bone conduction headphones they are proper technical experts. Their team began to develop bone conduction headphones that do not hurt the ear as early as 10 years ago. With an excellent bone conduction vibration unit optimization program, It became famous very soon in the field of bone conduction. It has been recommended by the majority of otologists!
Due to the particularity of the technical principle, bone conduction headphones are more difficult to be improved in sound quality. Wissonly Hi Runner team subverted the traditional sound quality scheme, made a breakthrough to use large wire-frame vibration unit. They through structural optimization improved the effective vibration area, thereby improved the vibrator sound efficiency, made the sound more shocking and powerful, they optimized the sound transmission direction, reduced the sound loss during sound transmission, and made the sound quality more concentrated. In terms of comfort, the overall body of the Hi Runner is made of high-tech hypoallergenic silicone material, which does not contain chemical components to avoid allergies. The overall feel is as silky as baby's skin, avoiding uncomfortable wearing for a long time.
In terms of functions, as the flagship model of Wissonly bone conduction headphones, Hi Runner has an IPX8 waterproof grade which is higher than the industry standard. It is equipped with 32G body memory, and uses the latest Bluetooth 5.0 chip, which makes the connection more stable. The battery life is also very good, lasts 8-10 hours of continuous playback at normal volume, and supports magnetic fast charging. It only takes 2 hours to fully charge.
2. Relxhome Waterproof Headphones
– Best Bluetooth Bone Conduction
Relxhome X7S Bluetooth swimming headphones are simple, cool, and the most popular swimming headphones on the market that are preferred by those who are highly advanced tech, swimming monsters, and sportspersons. Its open-ear design will allow the user to wear them comfortably for a long time.
So, whether you are an athletic swimmer or fitness freak preferring swimming as your workout, then the Relxhome X7S Bluetooth swimming headphones are the best option. They deliver the best sound quality, decent battery life, lighter & comfortable on-ear design, and noise cancellation feature. However, its clunky buttons, charging issues, and cheap case are some drawbacks stated by most users.
3. JBL Waterproof Headphones
– Best Budget-Friendly
The next product on our list is from a renowned JBL brand. Their JBL Endurance Jump Waterproof Headphones are one of the best options for those who seek to keep up with their active lifestyle.
Looking for affordable swimming headphones that offer excellent sound quality, then this JBL Endurance Jump Waterproof Wireless Sports in-ear Headphones. They are comfortable, easy to use, and durable option. However, lacks bass quality and its IPX7 rating makes it a bit less waterproof compared to other models in our list.
4. Hamuti Waterproof Headphones
– Best Sports Headphones
The Hamuti bone conduction earphones are the perfect option when you are looking for headphones to use outdoors. They are designed to hear the music along with the surroundings to keep the user safe and aware while performing outdoor workouts or swimming.
The Hamuti Bone Conduction Headphones can be used for various indoor and outdoor scenes, making them perfect for travel, fitness, running, or swimming. Even though they deliver lossless sound quality, long battery life, 32GB memory, and IP68 waterproof feature. However, it offers lesser battery life than other models.
5. H2O Audio Waterproof Headphones – Best Wide Compatible MP3 Player
If you love swimming while listening to podcasts or music, then the H2O Audio Sonar Headphones are the best option, as they come with an MP3 player and Bluetooth.
The H2O Audio Sonar Headphones with Bluetooth and MP3 and bone-conduction design deliver a great audio performance with decent battery life. However, the charging issue and Windows compatibility is the main drawback faced by most of its users.
6. Ray-JrMALL Waterproof Headphones – Best Headphones with Long Battery Life & Flexible Fit
The last product on our list is from Ray-JrMALL. Their X9-Pro wireless headphones have the latest patented technology that can be switched between air conduction, bone conduction, and in-ear type as required to deliver a superior audio experience.
The Ray-JrMALL X9-Pro waterproof swimming headphones are the most preferred option due to their easily switchable 3-in-1 design, 32GB internal memory, Bluetooth connectivity, comfortable wear, and long battery life. The sound quality is great and the overall build is good.
Buying Guide for Swimming Headphones
You will end up purchasing the right pair of waterproof headphones for swimming whenever you know the key factors, which distinguish various options and help you make your purchase worthwhile.
Here are the key factors to check while shopping for these swimmers’ headphones.
1. IPX Rating
The ingress protection (IP) rating will indicate the level of protection against dust and water/liquids of a particular object. The first X after IP determines the dust protection, whereas the second X indicates the waterproofing protection. So, it is essential to check the IPX rating of the headphones before making their selection to ensure that they can be used underwater while swimming.
Selecting headphones that offer a higher IPX rating like IPX7 or IPX8 that will sustain the prolonged submersion in water and works properly without damaging the product. However, water-resistant devices come within the IPX rating of IPX3 to IPX7, whereas waterproof devices have rated IPX7 to IPX9K, allowing for full immersion in water.
We recommend you read our IPX Rating article for more information on this waterproof rating.
2. Connectivity Technology – Wired Vs Wireless
Most people prefer Bluetooth connectivity for its effortless and tangle-free wireless headphones, yet have limited Bluetooth range (<10m). While on the other hand, some swimmers choose wired headphones to connect via its 3.5mm jack offering sound fidelity from a strong & stable connection, yet there are some slight compatibility issues.
Irrespective of choosing the proper connectivity type, it is essential to check the compatibility of the headphones with your device that offers a stable connection.
3. Build Quality
The build quality of any product is a crucial factor that must be considered, especially while shopping for waterproof headphones for swimming, as it determines durability, reliability, and longevity.
Since these are waterproof headphones and have to combat corrosion or mineral deposits due to their high alloy content, people prefer to use headphones with high-quality plastic housings or steel housing made for underwater pressure operation. Also, you can find wired models with thick wire insulation and gold-plated output jacks (as protection) for extended underwater usage.
So, choose the models offering reinforced cables, sturdy construction, and high-quality materials to withstand even rough usage.
4. Battery Life
The headphones with a long battery life will allow the swimmer to use them for extended periods in the water, especially those having integrated MP3 players that rely on the batteries. Look for headphones with a minimum of 8 hours battery life and invest in headphones offering a quick charging feature for easy and fast recharging.
Besides the runtime, it is essential to check the proprietary connectors, which should be unique and compatible with any conventional ones. So, choose waterproof headphones with universal connectors.
5. Integrated MP3 Players
Instead of having a separate, standalone waterproof MP3 player for wired headphones, you can go with headphones having integrated MP3 players. In general, the 8GB memory is enough to fit around 2000 tracks, whereas some MP3 players offer expandable storage space with memory card slots. Ensure to look for waterproof headphones that offer controls over playback, power, and volume control to make it easy to operate underwater. Its outstanding built-in MP3 player is another great feature for swimmers that won’t carry a phone or MP3 player during swimming.
6. Style
Waterproof swimmer headphones are available in different styles, which include over-ear, earbuds/in-ear, and bone-conduction headphones. We suggest you consider the style and pick that one whose style fits you comfortably and securely while swimming.
For instance, choose headphones with Eartips that are made of silicone, rubber, foam, or hybrid materials. Eartip styles have flanged designs, ranging from the standard single flange to the extreme triple flange. Some other styles include fin Eartips that contour your ears for a proper watertight seal, whereas some models enhance the comfort while wearing swim caps.
So, it’s all a matter of preferences where you must try out multiple types and sizes to find the right/perfectly fit ear tip styles.
7. Bone Conduction Headphones
If you are looking to listen to music without causing any blockage to the ear canals, then prefer to choose this Bone Conduction style of headphones. This type of headphone is used widely for swimming, as it transfers the sound using vibrations, and the sound gets transferred from the cheekbones to the ears. This style is quite beneficial for those who are hard to hear, as they won’t rely on the ear cavity to transfer the sound.
Verdict – By considering all these features, you can easily make an informed buying decision about the Best Waterproof headphones for swimming as per your preference.
