1.
Whether you listen to music in the gym for inspiration, or as a way to cancel out all the crazyness going on around you at any given moment, one things for sure: we could all use a pair of headphones that can be relied upon to do what they're meant to do without any distractions. Easier said than done right? It doesn't have to be.
Surely you, like countless other athletes, have experienced the dreaded headphones-popping-out-of-ear issue far too long. And while you may have given up hope at this point on finding the "perfect" headset to get you through your workout without a hitch, we're here to let you know that there is hope. Check out this breakdown of the 10 best sport headphones to give and receive this holiday season. You'll know what we're talking about.
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2.
Polk Auido UltraFit 500
The Polk Audio UltraFit 500 is a minimalist-friendly headphone designed specifically for a various types of fitness activities, including running and training. The unique earpiece fits snuggly in the ear, while the around-the-ear design keeps the headphones from slipping out while you pump out those reps. The UltraFit 500 doesn't include a mic, however its moderate noise suppression allows athletes to be aware of their surroundings. A great bargain for any athlete.
$40
3.
Sennheiser adidas OCX 685i Sport
Sennheiser knows its headphones, and adidas its sports. Pair the two together, good things are bound to happen. The CX 685 brings great-sounding music to the gym, outdoors, or wherever your workout takes you. The headphones provide exceptional sound and stay in the ear comfortably thanks to a patent-pending, slide-to-fit holding mechanism. It's also waterproof and mic-enabled.
4.
Yurbuds Focus Pro
Yurbuds has dedicated itself to providing athletes with headphones that, not only put out a good sound, but tackle the one main issue that we all know a little to well about: falling earbuds. Case in point the Focus Pro is. These around-the-ear buds feature a 3-button sweat and water resistant microphone that gives you complete control of your music and phone calls (not that we recommend answering the phone while you're pumping iron). The Focus Pro can be used with any mobile device, though they are specially formatted to cater to iPhone users, as they can be fully integrated with Siri for hands-free use.
5.
Aftershokz Sportz M2 with Mic
The idea of the Aftershokz Sportz M2 headphones may be tough to wrap your head around, but try them on and you'll see what the hype is all about. Using a military special ops bone construction technology, these revolutionary headphones rest in front of the ear, rather than in it, to deliver music through the listener's cheekbones to the inner ear—talk about high-tech. The state-of-the-art technology lets your ears focus on your surroundings, and lets your cheekbones absorb sweet sound waves. Talk about innovation.
$80
6.
Beats by Dre Power Beats
The Beats by Dre Power Beats are the perfect for athletes looking to step up their street cred in the weight room without putting on huge over-the-ear headphones that make you look like a tool. With an ergonomic around-the-ear design, the Powerbeats do a much better job of staying put than standard in-ear buds. Of course, you still get the high quality bass you'd expect from any Beats by Dre headset. The only knock on these is that they don't seem to be very moisture proof. The price is a little steep too.
7.
Sennheiser adidas PMX 680
No matter how intense your workout is, the Sennheiser adidas PMX 680 is up to the task. With an ergonomic design to match its brilliant sound quality, the PMX 680 locks securely in and around the ears to deliver your music of choice. A Kevlar cord is designed to take a thorough beating, but just to be safe, don't go dropping a 50 lb. free weight on the headset (assuming you can lift that much to begin with). The headset is sweat and water resistant, and comes with a 2-year warranty.
$80
8.
Philips ActionFit Sports Headband
The harder you work out, the more you're going to sweat it out. And while many headphone brands tend to ignore the sweat factor, Philips has put it at the forefront with their ActionFit Sports Headband. Along with its 40mm neodynium drivers for mega bass and open acoustic design for improved awareness, the ActionFit Sports Headband features unique ear cushions that are covered in a moisture wicking fabric that helps keep athletes cool, comfortable and dry through the toughest of workouts. Better yet, the ear cushions can easily be detached and washed for a thorough cleaning. The Kevlar-reinforced cable is also a nice touch.
9.
JayBird Sportsband Bluetooth
There's a reason why JayBird's bluetooth-enabled Sportsband continues to be featured on numerous best-of-the-best headphone roundups here on SR. It look sweet, stays out of your way and is simple and easy to use. Oh, by the way, it puts out some nice tunes. The Sportsband features premium music & call quality, with warm bass, tuned to “eliminate listener fatigue” during long workouts. It connects wirelessly to your music device, making tangled cords are a thing of the past--perfect for new-age media devices (like the adidas Smart Run watch) that use Bluetooth connectivity.
10.
Monster iSport Freedom
You get loud sound and loud aesthetics with Monster's new iSport Freedom workout headphones. While these seemingly overpriced headphones have the potential of breaking the bank, in turn, you get what you pay for in terms of durability, style and performance. The Bluetooth-enabled headphones connect wirelessly to your music device, making tangled cords a thing of the past. Powerful sound and and a sweat-proof design make these an all-around solid choice for athletes who like to turn up the intensity in the gym.
11.
Bose QuietComfort 20i
Bose knows a thing or two about audio. After decades of making some of the speaker systems on the market, the company has taken what it knows and incorporated it into headphones designed specifically for athletes. Sure you get that amazing Bose-quality sounds, but what you also get with these in-ear headphones is noise cancelling capability, comfort and versatility. Their low-key design makes them perfect for the gym, but the eabuds are versatile enough to be used outside of the weight room on a daily basis.
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