Best Waterproof Headphones – Top 8 Rated to Purchase in 2023 Review

Most modern headphones boast some form of waterproofing, especially earbuds. Their form factor makes them the perfect carry round earphones. So, getting caught in the rain or splashing something over them becomes a common occurrence. Thus, waterproofing is quite important.

They also make great companions at the gym, especially if your gym has horrible taste in music. Whether you want a pair of gym buds, or a daily driver that can withstand the wear and tear of daily use, here are the best waterproof headphones money can buy.

So, let’s go through them…

Top 8 Best Waterproof Headphones for 2023 Reviews

1 Jaybird X4 Wireless Earbuds – Best Value for the Money Waterproof Headphones

Jaybird has been at the forefront of fitness headphones since its inception. The Jaybird X4 packs in everything you want from a pair of waterproof headphones. It has an IPX7 rating, meaning it can withstand strong jet streams of water and can be fully submerged in up to one meter of water.

Work that body…

These earbuds have been designed with fitness in mind and come equipped with wingtips to keep them tightly secured. The fit is a little awkward and not super comfy, but once you get used to the fit, they won’t bother much. They sport a boosted low-end and sound consumer-friendly. Nothing gets the blood pumping like some thumping bass before a workout.

The earbuds have a battery life of eight hours and charge via a proprietary charger that has fast charging built-in. It can charge an hour’s worth of playtime in ten minutes. As a result, these are some of the fastest charging waterproof headphones on the market.

2 Jabra Elite Active 75t – Best Waterproof Sports Headphones

Jabra has been in the telecommunication market for decades and has only in recent years branched out into the earbud market. The Jabra Elite 75t sports an IP57 rating, which means they can be fully submerged for half an hour underwater as well as being dust resistant.

Built to last…

These are some of the most rugged waterproof headphones you can buy. They are more expensive than the Jaybird X4, which is why these are our second pick.

As true wireless earbuds, there are no cables to be found. The case is nice and small, and easy to put in your pocket. The earbuds are also compact and fit nicely into your ears. They have active noise canceling, which requires a tight seal, so trying on the different ear tips is recommended.

They don’t come with wingtips…

This is unfortunate because we prefer them for sport earbuds. Wingtips add an extra layer of security when being active by keeping the earbuds tightly secured. We never had an issue with these, but still wanted that extra bit of security to keep our minds at ease.

As with the Jaybird X4, these are some of the best waterproof workout headphones. It also means the sound is catered towards that market. The low-end is raised quite a bit, with some boosting in the mid-range as well to make up for it. What you get is an energetic-sounding pair of earbuds that get you through the toughest workouts.

3 Sony WF-SP800N – Best Noise Canceling Waterproof Headphones

Coming off hot on the heels of the WF-1000XM3, Sony’s flagship, the SP800N takes the same ANC, but wraps it in a sportier coating.

The WF-SP800N is the follow-up to the SP700N earbuds, which were some of the first ANC earbuds Sony put out. Taking everything they’ve learned from the SP700N and XM3, Sony built an excellent, sporty pair of earbuds with active noise canceling.

An initial gripe…

The oddly-shaped case is a bit of an eyesore. It’s not fully round, nor fully square. It is small enough to fit in a bag easily, but maybe not your pocket.

But there are plenty of positives…

These come with two sizes of silicon wingtips and three different sizes of ear tips, making it easy to find the perfect fit. Once in, these are super-comfy and won’t fall out, no matter how much you throw at them. As a result, these are some of the most secure fitting waterproof headphones around.

This is a new release and comes jam-packed with the latest features you’d expect to find. It has fast charging USB-C, NFC pairing, and supports AAC codec. The earbuds come with an IP55 rating. Meaning they are sweat and water-resistant, but these can not be submerged underwater.

Crystal clear…

They sound great and have excellent clarity. The battery can last up to nine hours with ANC on and up to 13 hours with it off. The case can provide another full charge.

4 Bose QuietComfort Earbuds – Best High Resolution Waterproof Headphones

Bose has built a solid reputation for excellent headphones over the years. They have taken that quality and sound to the next level offering the same in their earbud range. The QuietComfort earbuds borrow their name from the excellent QuietComfort 35 from Bose’s over-ear headphone range.

What you get here is a stellar-sounding pair of earbuds that come with an IPX4 rating. This means they are sweat-resistant and can be used at the gym. They fit well and are super-comfy. The small wingtips that lodge in your ear keep them stable no matter what you are doing.

The signature Bose sound…

It there, along with some extra bass added and clear highs. These are excellent daily driver earbuds with about five hours of battery life. Charging is done with USB-C, and they also support quick charge.

The reason these aren’t our top pick is because of their price. They retail for over $200, which is a lot. That said, if you want to buy a single pair of earbuds that can do everything, look no further. These are some of the most versatile waterproof headphones currently out there.

5 TREBLAB Z2 – Best Music Streaming Waterproof Headphones

These headphones are truly a steal at their price. The TREBLAB Z2’s can be found for under $100 and have a large list of excellent features. Yes, there are certainly some caveats, but they are still worth the money.

These over-ear headphones come with an IPX4 rating. As a result, they are sweat and splash resistant but cannot be fully submerged.

What’s great about them?

The fact that they come packed with ANC technology. While not as great as higher-end brands, it still does a decent job. It also comes with Bluetooth version 5 and aptX codec compatibility. Therefore, you can listen to Hi-Res music streaming services, making them some of the best waterproof headphones for Spotify.

The only issue is that the build quality is not the best. It feels cheap, plastic, and creaks a lot. The carrying case that is included is nice, though, and for the price, we’d rather take the extra features than a super durable build.

6 Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro – Best Premium Waterproof Headphones

Samsung’s Pro variant of their Galaxy Buds comes with an IPX7 rating, meaning they are fully waterproof. They also have active noise canceling, which isn’t much of a surprise considering they have to compete with brands like Apple and Sony.

Design-wise it is very much up to your taste, but we find the “beans” to look stylish, although a little slippery. This makes inserting them a little awkward, but once they are in, they stay put for the duration of your workout or listening session.

The biggest surprise is how great these buds sound…

They have a very accurate sound. There is a bit of a boost in the low range to help give the bass some warmth. This is needed with such small drivers, but Samsung boosts a bit of the high end as well, balancing the sound nicely.

Battery life is decent, but nothing to write home about. You get around five hours of playback with ANC on, and the case provides an additional two charges.

Expensive, but worth it…

They are priced higher and are usually found around the $200 range, which makes them one of the more expensive headphones on the list.

7 Mpow Flames Headphones – Best Budget Waterproof Headphones

Our first budget option is Mpow’s Flames headphones. These wireless earphones can be found under $20 and come with an IPX7 rating. They can withstand heavy rain and sweat, perfect for users who are on a strict budget or don’t want to spend a lot of money on a pair of workout headphones.

A superb budget workout option…

Furthermore, they are equipped with Bluetooth version 5 and even have multi-point connections. These are not the comfiest pair of headphones but never fell out during use. We had some ear strain after a few hours, but as a workout set, they won’t ever be used for more than that anyway.

Upon testing the battery, we got seven hours of playback before they needed recharging. Audio and build quality are both serviceable but not great. This is to be expected at the price, but we were still surprised by how well it sounded. It won’t please audiophiles, but if you want a cheap pair of workout headphones, then these are for you.

8 TOZO T10 – Best Bass Heavy Waterproof Headphones

Our last pick is TOZO’s T10 earbuds. These were a real dark horse. They are a great budget option and sound good. Yes, they are extremely bass-heavy, but in a good way. If you are looking for some of the best EDM waterproof headphones, then these will get the juices flowing.

They are true wireless earbuds and come with an IPX8 rating. Therefore, no matter what sort of situation you find yourself in, be it submerged or getting soaked in the rain, these earbuds will hold up.

Quick as a flash…

Pairing is easy and quick. The charging case is also great and comes with easy-to-read LED lights indicating battery. Battery life is the only downside, with four hours of playback before they need to be charged. The good thing is charging is done using USB-C. These can be purchased for $30 to $50, making them the perfect alternative workout earbuds.

Best Waterproof Headphones Buying Guide

Before picking up a new pair of waterproof headphones, it is important to know what to look out for. So, let’s go through some of them…

IP ratings

IP ratings indicate the dust and water resistance of a pair of headphones. The higher the number, the better. They consist of two digits (or an X and a digit); the first one indicates dust resistance, and the second indicates water resistance.

This will be the most important thing to look at before purchasing a pair of headphones. Usually, if you want a pair for working out, they only need to be water-resistant. A rating of 4 or 5 is sufficient for keeping sweat out. If they will be subjected to high jet streams of water or fully submerged, buying a pair that is rated 7 or higher is important.

When you see an X, as in IPX, the X represents a 0. This means that the manufacturer has not tested it for dust or foreign object intrusion. Usually, manufacturers focus on waterproofing and don’t spend much money or time on dust-proofing. Essentially, if a product is waterproof, it will be IPX7 or higher. If it is water-resistant, it will be lower than 7.

How about headphones for swimming?

Headphones for swimming are scarce. Bluetooth signals don’t do very well underwater, and you’d probably just end up losing connection. However, some companies are working on finding solutions like H2O audio.

They have created earphones that have little aerials that stay above the water whilst your head moves side to side. This helps keep the signal strong, but they do come with a hefty price tag.

How much should I pay for waterproof headphones?

This all depends on how you will be using them. We thoroughly believe in owning an extra pair of earphones or headphones for working out. Most studio monitor headphones, or even Sony’s WH-1000XM series, are not waterproof at all. They sound great and are super-comfy but should not come near any water.

They also cost a lot. This is where a cheaper pair of headphones come in. You can still buy that expensive pair of headphones as your daily drivers and keep a cheaper pair for the gym floor.

If your goal is to buy a single pair of headphones to use everywhere, then it is best to settle for something like Jabra’s Elite Active 75t. You sacrifice some sound quality but get the benefit of a sturdy pair of headphones that still sound decent.

Looking for Something Else?

If you need some new headphones or earbuds, we’ve got you covered. Check out our in-depth SteelSeries Arctis 7 Review, our Bowers & Wilkins PX5 Review, our Skullcandy Indy True Wireless Review, our Monolith M1060 Headphone Review, and our Sennheiser HD1 Free Bluetooth Wireless Review for awesome items you can buy in 2023.

Also, take a look at our review of Best Workout Headphones and Earphones Review, our Best Earbuds with Microphone Review, our Most Durable Earbuds review, our Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO Review, and our Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds review for more amazing products currently available.

What are the Best Waterproof Headphones?

Both our top pick and runner-up are excellent choices for waterproof headphones. For some excellent durability and features, as well as decent sound quality, we would choose the…

Jaybird X4

It is also priced competitively and makes the perfect workout headphones. However, if you want an all-around daily driver, your best bet is the…

Jabra Elite Active 75t

They are more expensive but have a good sound quality and excellent durability. Perfect for office use, gym use, or outdoor use.

So, until next time, happy listening.