1
Best Overall
Shokz OpenRun Headphones
Pros
Can hear your surroundings
Long battery life
Lightweight
Cons
Pricey
Key Specs
- Style: Neckband with bone conduction
- Battery Life: 8 hours of battery life
- Weight: 0.9 ounces
- Volume Control: Yes
These headphones are quickly becoming the gold standard for runners, bikers, hikers, and other outdoor athletes. The bone-conducting technology enables you to entirely hear your surroundings while jamming out on your run. No longer do you have to listen with one earbud in or keep your volume low enough to hear a car or person coming up behind you.
Additionally, they have excellent sound quality, are rechargeable, wireless, and have volume control on the headphones. These are an amazing option for runners and athletes across the board.
2
Best Active True Wireless Headphones
JBL Endurance Race TWS Active Spot Earbuds
Pros
Exceptionally long battery life with charging case
Comfortable fit
Voice assistance available
Cons
Pricey
Easier to lose
Key Specs
- Style: True wireless
- Battery Life: 30 hours of battery life
- Weight: 5.6 ounces
- Volume Control: Yes
When wearing true wireless headphones, it’s easy to forget they’re still in once you turn the music off. This pair is exceptionally comfortable and minimalistic, making them perfect for endurance running.
These JBL headphones are top of the line, with great sound quality and all the bells and whistles you'd expect from bulkier headphones in a smaller package. They come with a voice-activated assistant that allows you to control volume, answer calls, and more. This is the perfect pair of headphones for runners who want barely-there feeling headphones without sacrificing sound quality.
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3
Best Audio Jack Headphones
JBL Endurance Run Wired Headphones
Pros
Inexpensive
No charging or Bluetooth required
Cons
Wire can be a hassle
Key Specs
- Style: Wired with audio jack connection
- Battery Life: Unlimited
- Weight: 1.92 oz
- Volume Control: No
Maybe you don’t want to deal with headphones that need to be connected via Bluetooth or charged every week. These sweatproof JBL earbuds, which connect to your phone via audio jack, are still built for sports, with a waterproof and comfortable design that does not budge. Though they’re just $20, they still have excellent sound quality and durability. If you have an iPhone, you’ll need to also purchase a dongle to connect to the Apple-specific port.
4
Luxury True Wireless Headphones
Sony WF-1000XM4 Noise Canceling Truly Wireless Headphones
Pros
Built-in Alex voice activation
Noise canceling
Exceptional sound quality
Cons
Expensive
Average battery life for the price
Key Specs
- Style: True wireless with bone conduction
- Battery Life: 8 hours of battery life
- Weight: 1.45 ounces
- Volume Control: Yes, with built-in Alexa
If you’re looking for one pair of headphones to love for the rest of your life, these are it. Everything that could possibly be packed into one tiny wireless headphone is available in these Sony earbuds. They’re noise canceling, so you can drown out the sounds of busy streets while running or traveling.
Additionally, they have built-in Alexa functionality to handle volume control, phone calls, and more. With bone-conducting technology, you’re still able to hear and conduct phone calls in loud areas with nothing more than these small buds in your ears.
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5
Best Budget True Wireless Headphones
Skullcandy Dime True Wireless Earbuds
Pros
Inexpensive
Fun colors available
Cons
Decreased sound quality
Key Specs
- Style: True wireless
- Battery Life: 12 hours
- Weight: 1.1 ounces
- Volume Control: Yes
Unfortunately, true wireless headphones are easy to misplace. It’s very disappointing to splurge on a pair of luxury headphones, only to have one fall out of its case a month later. If you’re someone who frequently loses smaller items, it may be best to start with an inexpensive pair of true wireless headphones, like these ones from Skullcandy.
These earbuds come in a variety of fun colors, and still feature volume control and a microphone for under $25.
6
Best Bone Conduction Headphones
9 DIGITAL Bone Conduction Waterproof Headphones
Pros
Ability to hear your surroundings
Inexpensive
Lightweight
Cons
Average battery life
Key Specs
- Style: Neckband with bone conduction
- Battery Life: 6.5 hours battery life
- Weight: 0.9 ounces
- Volume Control: Yes, with microphone
Wanting to test out bone conduction technology before splurging on a pair of Shokz? This pair of headphones offers many of the same features for less than half the price.
Bone conduction technology allows you to hear both your music and your surroundings with an open-ear design. This technology is becoming increasingly popular with outdoor athletes, as it promotes safety while still allowing you to enjoy audio entertainment in the great outdoors.
These don’t have quite the battery life or sound quality as the more expensive Shokz, but they're a great way to enjoy bone conduction technology without breaking the bank.
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7
Best Neckband Headphones
Mpow Flame2 Bluetooth Sport Headphones
Pros
Inexpensive
Comfortable
Good battery life
Cons
Sound quality isn’t ideal
Bulky
Key Specs
- Style: Neckband
- Battery Life: 13 hours
- Weight: Not listed
- Volume Control: Yes
Guilty of losing and abusing expensive electronics? If you’re anything like me, budget earbuds are a better option for this reason. For just $25, these headphones connect to your phone via Bluetooth, feature volume control on each bud, and have earwings to keep them securely in place while you run.
Furthermore, they come in a carrying case with extra silicone tips, just in case you lose your first set. With budget headphones like these, however, you do sacrifice some durability and sound quality.
8
Best Budget Wired Headphones
Amoner Wired Waterproof Sport Headphones
Pros
Inexpensive
No need to charge or connect to bluetooth
Cons
Sound quality isn't ideal
Not super durable
Key Specs
- Style: Wired with audio jack connection
- Battery Life: No charging required
- Weight: 0.6 ounces
- Volume Control: No
Having an extra pair of headphones to throw in the car or travel bag comes in handy. This pair is waterproof and comes with extra silicone tips and costs under $10 at the time of this writing. Though they don’t have the best sound quality and they're not the most durable set on the market, they’re a reliable pair of extra headphones to use in a pinch or loan to a friend.

Katie Kommer is a freelance writer who specializes in the outdoor industry. Her expertise and experience lay specifically in any hiking, camping, trail running, and backpacking related topics. As a writer for multiple backpacking and hiking-related websites, Katie uses her hands-on experience on the trails to share how-to articles, gear guides, and personal essays. Her work has been featured on The Trek, AdventureAlan.com, Garage Grown Gear, and many other sites. After thousands of miles accumulated over years of hiking, she has a strong understanding of the best gear recommendations for beginners, how to push our comfort zones, and how to enjoy time outdoors. Katie happily lives in Salt Lake City, Utah where she romps around in the Wasatch Mountains every possible day.
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