If you’re anything like me, you’ve come close to ripping your ear off a zillion times because the so called “workout headphones” cord got caught on something. Nothing kills the flow of a good workout like having to stop everything to fix your headphones several times. So let’s face the facts, finding the right pair of workout headphones isn’t easy. Well hopefully I can make it easy for you, or at least narrow down your selection.
Let’s face it, the cheap earbuds that came with your mp3 player just aren’t going to cut it. Equally useless are most standard headphones. Your workout starts and they just bounce off, let everyone hear what you’re listening to, or don’t shut out all the distracting sounds around you. Lastly, and from my own personal experience, my last pair of headphones were comfortable and shut out everything around me, but my ears felt like they were 200 degrees because they weren’t vented at all… definitely NOT workout headphones.
Depending on what you are doing, there are several things to keep in mind when hunting down the perfect workout headphones.
What Defines a Good Pair of Workout Headphones
A good pair of workout headphones should:
- Adjustable – You should be able to adjust your headphones to fit comfortably and securely.
- Well Ventilated – No one wants sweaty ears under their headphones.
- Moisture Resistant – Consider how much you sweat during a typical workout. A decent pair of headphones should be able to resist sweat and moisture.
- Noise Canceling – Noise canceling headphones can potentially cause problems for runners outdoors but are great for working out in the gym.
- Quality Sound - Decent sound quality.
- Budget – The best pair of headphones are ones that are within your budget.
Ultimately, what defines a good pair of workout headphones is whatever works best for you. There are many options out there, but even a $400 pair are worthless if you aren’t comforable when working out.
So What Are Your Options?
You’ve got plenty of choices now that you know what to look for in a pair of workout headphones. Here are a few ideas of where to start looking.
Go to your local electronics super store, like Best Buy, and ask someone there what they think the best workout headphones are. Most major stores like Best Buy have large headphone selections.
Next time you go to the gym, take a look at what other people are using. The best way to find out what workout headphones work and which don’t is to ask them about the pair they are using. What do you like about them? Do you have any problems with them? If you were to buy another pair, would you buy those ones again?
Amazon carries a huge selection of just about everything you could possibly want, and they are cheap! Even better, most products have a detailed spec list and Customer Reviews. Amazon gave us a cool little tool for our websites so you can search right from here. Try this tool:
Lastly, use other helpful online resources to find the best workout headphones. Other sites like mine have already done all the research for you. A few other websites recommended by Google are listed at the top and below this article.
You Decided On Your Workout Headphones… Now What?
Price shopping! A decent pair of workout headphones can be expensive, but you can find great deals on the internet. If you’re lucky, you might find your workout headphones listed on eBay or Craigslist, but not usually. One place I usually check is Amazon.. there are unbelievable deals there. If all else fails or you just can’t wait a day or two for a pair of workout headphones to be shipped to you, take a drive over to Best Buy or check their website.
Best of luck on your workout headphones shopping!
