Best Swimming Headphones, Underwater-Tested by Fitness Editors
These picks do laps around the competition.
Our product picks are editor-tested, expert-approved. We may earn a commission through links on our site. Why Trust Us?
FOR MANY OF us, listening to music is a massive, if not critical, part of our workouts. But what if your workout calls for you to be submerged underwater for an extended period? You don’t need to be a tech expert to know that that isn’t going to work out well for your AirPods, even if you have the AirPod Pros. Don’t worry: The crew here at Men’s Health are tech experts, and we’ve personally put the best underwater swimming headphones to the test.
Best Swimming Headphones
- Best Underwater Earbuds: JBL Endurance Peak 3
- Best Battery Life Earbuds: Soundcore Sport X20 by Anker
- Best Underwater MP3 Player: Swimbuds SYRYN Flip Bundle
First, let’s familiarize you with some of the terminology you’ll see as a buyer looking for swimming headphones. Perhaps most importantly, it’s imperative to ensure that the headphones you take into the pool are “waterproof,” not “water-resistant.” There are a lot of headphones out there that are made water-resistant, but that only means they are designed to withstand gentle sprays, indirect rain, or perhaps a sweat session in the sauna.
The majority of swimming headphones you'll see use bone conduction, which sounds pretty gnarly but is entirely safe. These headphones are placed over your jaw, and the sound is transmitted to your inner ear via vibrations against your bones. In fact, if you also like to listen to music while biking or running, bone conduction headphones are a much safer option, as they help you maintain your awareness of sounds like car horns and pedestrian noise.
The Men's Health team tested numerous swimming headphones in open water and doing laps to find the best options to share with you. Scroll down to see all of our picks, or read through the text below to find all of the considerations to make when shopping for your next underwater audio device.
How We Selected
Starting with the extensive collective experience of our Men’s Health fitness editors, made up of certified trainers and passionate swimmers, we enlisted the help of a few professional openwater competitors, as well as Olympians. In addition, we sought insights from trainers from both our MH Advisory Board and our Strength in Diversity class of 2024 for further anecdotal and experiential perspectives on the top swimming headphones.
Some MH editors and collaborators spent hours of hands-on time testing swimming headphones for durability, fit, sound quality, and battery life, while others scoured the internet to compile and consider reviews, specs, and more. Ultimately, we ended up with the list below that represents our top picks for the best swimming headphones to shop in 2026.
Best Deal
JBL Endurance Peak 3
JBL Endurance Peak 3
Pros
- Great sound with powerful bass
- Excellent app experience
- Durable earhook design
Cons
- The tap controls can be finicky
The JBL Endurance Peak 3s are extremely durable and extremely secure, thanks to their earhook design. Given the brand’s impressive history and proprietary technology, it’s no surprise that the sound of these headphones is great. The app for these headphones is especially great compared to others on the market, which is no surprise from a long-standing technology brand like JBL.
Personally, I prefer earbuds most of the time when I am training and during daily life, so like many, that is the kind of headphone I am most comfortable with. But finding an earbud design that was legitimately waterproof was difficult, until I came across the Endurance Peak line from JBL. The 3s are the latest model in the line, and have all of the great features of previous iterations, plus a transparency mode that allows you to hear your surroundings when you take them on the road.
| Battery life | Up to 10 hours (Up to 40 hours with the charging case) |
| Water resistance rating | IP68 waterproof (up to 1.5 meters) |
Soundcore Sport X20 by Anker
Soundcore Sport X20 by Anker
Pros
- Flexible earhooks fit snug
- Great price for waterproof earbuds
- Lightweight option
Cons
- Bass not as loud as more expensive options
Finding the right fit is difficult when it comes to earbuds, but the extra flexible earhooks on these Sport X20s make it easy. The earhooks are also lower profile than other options if keeping the headphones light on the ear is important to you. Like the other Bluetooth options, you’ll need a device that can stay within range, whether that is a waterproof smartwatch or phone.
These headphones work great for above-the-surface training as well as underwater swims. The sound might not slap as hard as other options, but given their ability to work in so many locations, they bring great value for the price. I was very impressed with their performance, and their versatility makes it a great buy.
| Battery life | 12 hours (48 hours with the charging case) |
| Water resistance rating | IP68 waterproof (up to 1.5 meters) |
Swimbuds SYRYN Flip Bundle
Swimbuds SYRYN Flip Bundle
Pros
- Best earbuds for swimmers
- Easy to use controls
- 8GB storage
Cons
- MP3 player can feel bulky on swim googles
This waterproof MP3 bundle is a great option for lap swimmers who want easier controls and an earbud design. The larger control panel may be a big selling point for those who don’t want to struggle or fumble when they want to skip a track. The package comes with a number of different earbud sizes so you can find one that fits tightly, and it even includes ear tip goo to ensure no water can slip through.
Loading the MP3 player is easy, and you can store up to 2,000 songs with its 8GB of memory. Unless you’re training to cross the Atlantic Ocean, that should be plenty. The player attaches fairly easily to the back of your swim goggles, and with that positioning, it isn’t disruptive to your paddle.
| Battery life | 10 hours |
| Water resistance rating | IPX8 waterproof (up to 3 meters) |
What to Consider
Battery Life
Let’s be honest, there are few things worse than having your workout flow interrupted by your source of entertainment, whether it’s songs or podcasts, suddenly disappearing. There are plenty of studies showing that music is a huge motivator during exercise, and if you are planning to swim for long periods, it can get pretty monotonous without some musical motivation. Since you are taking these headphones into the pool or open water, plugging them in mid-swim is not an option, so finding a device with great battery life is important.
Sound Quality
Nobody wants to spend their hard-earned money on headphones that don't sound great. Your favorite track just isn't going to slap the same and get you hyped if it sounds tinny or flat. A few decades ago, we had to take what we could get when it came to listening to music underwater, but with recent innovations from the biggest names in audio, we can afford to be a little picky about sound quality. Don't worry, every one of our picks passes the gym playlist test.
Durability
The introduction of underwater use adds another variable to the wear and tear your headphones will experience. Since you’re likely going to be hopping into the water and back out again, whether you are training for a triathlon or not, they are probably going to get thrown around a little bit. That is why we made sure to find products with hard shells and well-wired mechanisms inside.
Fit
Not all ears are created equal, and certain designs just don’t work for some people, like earbuds. Having a loose or ill-fitting headphone might be an annoyance on dry land, but in the water it’s insurmountable. Be sure to take your personal preferences into account and make sure the sizing will work with your head shape.
Multifunctionality
For some of these headphones, the pool is the only environment in which they make sense to use. But if you’re not planning on getting in regular swims, you might want to focus on one of our open-ear picks that can be used during runs and jogs as well. The bone conduction options are especially great for outdoor activities as well, because they allow you to keep your awareness up for road traffic.
Look
Nobody wants to look uncool at the pool, including the Men’s Health team. There are a few underwater swimming products that might do the job, but look ridiculous in and out of the pool. Don’t expect to find them on this list, but if you decide to go out on your own to find your pair of headphones, be sure they’re both comfortable and aesthetically pleasing to you.
Why You Can Trust Us
At Men's Health, we take great pride in providing our readers with reliable and trustworthy product recommendations. We believe our readers deserve the best, which is why we always conduct thorough research and testing before making any recommendations. Our writers and editors thoughtfully select experts to collaborate on product recommendations, and they are experts in their own right, using their informed opinions to select products and ensure that our content is of the highest quality.
Our product recommendations are purely editorial, and while we may receive free products to test and review, we only recommend the products we are most impressed by. We never let retailers or public relations contacts dictate our content or product coverage, which is why you can trust us to provide reliable, unbiased product recommendations.
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Charles Thorp is the Fitness and Reviews Editor at Men’s Health, where he shares the best product recommendations in gym equipment, recovery tools, supplements, and more. Following an early life in athletics, Charles became a NASM-certified trainer and began writing programs alongside the most respected coaches in the world. Since entering the world of fitness content, Charles has had the opportunity to learn from and train alongside high performance individuals from the NFL, UFC, NBA, Formula 1, CrossFit, US Olympics, and Navy SEALs. When he’s not writing about training programs or gear, he can be seen at the gym or in the wild, putting them to the test.
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