HAVING a decent pair of running headphones can help you power through long training runs a little easier.
Finding the right rhythms for your run can help you perform better, going longer, harder and faster.
Some wireless headphones might look the part, but if they’re not made for the road they can let you down when the going gets tough.
When choosing the pair of headphones, there's a few things you should consider before splashing the cash.
Battery life is all important if you don't want to have to charge your headphones after every run.
True wireless headphones usually have charging cases included (similar to what Apple did with its Airpods), to make sure you're not always worrying about losing your music mid-run.
Good running headphones should be waterproof (or at least water resistant) which will protect them against sweat, plus, you never know when you might get caught in a downpour.
Some headphones come with an app that includes an AI trainer to motivate you along the way.
If you're willing to spend a little more, you can even get heart rate monitors included that can help measure your performance as you go.
Using a mix of our own expert opinion and customer reviews, we've rounded up the best running headphones you can buy right now.
1. SoundSport Free Wireless Headphones
- £179. 95 from Bose – buy here
Bose SoundSport Free Wireless Headphones are one of the most solid sport headphones on the market right now.
They provide you with clear and powerful sound, and features sweat and water-resistant properties:, perfect if you love high-intensity workouts.
They come in three different colours: Black, Midnight Blue and Bright Orange, featuring up to 5 hours battery life, and up to 10 extra hours with a charging case.
You'll need to download the Bose Connect app to track your headphones if you can't find them, and to connect to your device via Bluetooth.
With these headphones, you'll get a sleek and solid case to safe keep and charge your headphones.
They are specially designed and engineered to stay in place, and we've tested that out ourselves: they are very secure and fits perfectly in your ear, and you have three different fit sizes to choose from.
2. J-Lab Epic Air Elite Headphones
- £149.99 from Amazon – buy here
The Epic Air Elite headphones are a perfect compromise if don't want a cable hanging between your running headphones, but you don't trust truly wireless buds either.
The over-ear hook means that it's very tricky to shake these headphones loose, and in our testing they were a comfortable fit.
Sound quality is decent and the battery life is a real plus, as the headphones themselves will do six hours on a single charge, with the charging case providing an additional 32 hours.
The charging case itself is a little bulky, and we're not sure having the option to charge your (micro USB) phone is particularly useful.
But, ultimately, the Epic Air Elites are among the top running headphones we've gotten our hands on and you should be able to find them a little cheaper than rival models from Jabra, Apple and Bose.
3. House of Marley Uprise
- £59.99 from Amazon – buy here
If you want an extra layer of security, you might like the Uprise headphones from House of Marley.
Not only do they hook over your ear to prevent them falling to the pavement, they also include an in-ear silicon coil which is comfortable and prevents the headphones from wobbling around.
Like most of the kit from House of Marley, the Uprise headphones have an awesome look that's a world apart from a lot of tech brands.
They're IPX5 rated, which means they're sweat resistant and will handle adverse weather as well, so you don't have to worry about rain on the run.
Battery life is decent (but not great) at eight hours and the sound quality is fine, although lacking a bit of bass.
House of Marley tries to use recycled and sustainable materials where possible in its products, which is a nice touch.
It's worth noting that some customers around the web have complained they struggled with the fit of the Uprises, but when we tested them we found them to be a comfortable and secure fit.
4. MONSTER iSport Victory
- MONSTER iSport Victory, £99.99 from Currys – buy here
The MONSTER iSport Victory headphones boast an innovative earpiece that stays in place whatever your pace.
Reasonable sound quality and a robust build, they’re a perfect entry-level pair. If garish green isn’t your thing then they come in black too.
5. AfterShokz Trekz Air
- AfterShokz Trekz Air, £140.00 from Amazon – buy here
Bone conduction transducers transfer audio through your cheekbones, leaving your ears free to hear the world (and the road) around you.
The choice of the England Athletics, these award-winning headphones give a respectable 6 hours of playback.
6. Jabra Elite 65t
- Jabra Elite 65t, £169.99 from Argos – buy here
The Jabra Elite 65t enables you to make and take calls on the run, with four in-built microphones enabling interference-free calls.
The 6mm speakers are loud and the ear fitting is good too. Best for the those who want to take their work on the road.
7. Soundcore Spirit
- Soundcore Spirit, £27.99 from Amazon – buy here
Sweatguard technology means your headphones won’t succumb to the sweat (or rain) on your workout. Multiple fittings make them easy on any ear.
The sound quality isn’t great, but they’re perfect for the all-weather runner.
8. Jabra Elite Sport
- Jabra Elite Sport, £166.00 from Amazon – buy here
These intelligent in-ear buds include a personalised coach, race pace calculator and recovery advice.
Pair them with the Jabra Sport Life App for heart rate monitoring for intelligent in-ear monitoring.
Comfortable, sweat proof and with a built-in heart rate monitor, the Jabras Elite Sports are hard to beat.
9. Lifebeam VI
- Lifebeam VI, £149.00 from Amazon – buy here
The future of running tech? Maybe. A decent set of headphones packed full of features? Definitely.
The VI Trainer app is the world’s first AI-powered fitness coach that uses real-time tracking to help you optimise your exercise. Log-in, lace-up and get on it.
What headphones stay in your ear the best?
Of the headphones we've tested, we reckon the most secure models you can buy include an over-the-ear hook.
Models including the J-Lab Epic Air Elite and the Marley Uprise headphones are both tricky to shake loose.
Can you wear headphones while running?
Of course! We reckon the in-ear variety are better on the move as they'll be lighter and less restrictive.
Over-the-ear headphones tend to get pretty sweaty when you're working out, but can be used in emergencies.
Looking for more roundups like this? Head to our Sun Selects page to stay up to date.
For more tech recommendations, check out our Sun Selects Tech page.
Or if you're looking to update your gym gear, take a look at our health and fitness section.
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