The best waterproof headphones for swimming, tried and tested

Featherlight and with an ergonomic design that fits comfortably under a swim cap, these were a joy to wear. As the headband is made from silicone, there was no friction when we used these in the pool – when the music wasn’t on, we had to keep checking the headphones hadn’t slipped off, as their presence was barely noticeable.

It was super simple to load tracks to and from the player by inserting the charging cable into our laptop’s USB port. There, an OpenSwim hard drive popped up and we just had to drag our audio files across. Once that was done, we couldn’t fault the sound quality. Shokz is an industry leader in bone-conduction technology (where sound is transmitted via the skull, rather than being directed at the eardrum), first making headphones that leave the ears free in 2011.

There’s truly not that much difference in sound quality between these and the brand’s openrun headphones for running, which feels pretty miraculous given there’s a whole mass of water to cut through.

A budget-friendly option for anyone looking to venture into waterproof headphones, these have a solid 16GB of storage, so you can load them up with front-crawl-motivating power ballads as well as something slower for winding down at the end of the swim.

These waterproof headphones are also fuss-free to use. We just popped them in, used the side buttons to adjust the volume and didn’t need to touch them again until the end of our swim session. They stayed in our ears without slipping or feeling too rigid and were more comfortable than some pricier earbud headphones.

For the price, we didn’t expect Bluetooth connectivity, so we were very impressed to find it included, which was great for use when running. Weighing just 20g and with a strap made from liquid silicone, these feel super lightweight, both in the pool and on dry land.

With 32GB of internal music storage, which can hold around 8,000 songs, these are headphones for people who don’t like messing about with tech. We were able to transfer every single song we’ve ever downloaded onto these, so there was no need to worry about whether we’ve got our favourites locked and loaded.

There’s also no need to worry about how long you stay in the water, as these headphones have an IP68 waterproof rating to cope with being submerged up to 2m for two hours. Weighing just 31g, they’re comfortable enough to wear for that length of time, too.

The headphones fit well around the head with no drag, and we liked the compact and streamlined shape and size of the bone-conduction elements. Sound quality is decent across all music genres, and we liked how these sounded during the faster, motivational tracks.

These waterproof headphones also worked well while running, when we could use the Bluetooth mode to play Spotify and iTunes audio. There’s an impressive eight hours of battery life, too, so you can get out of the pool and go for a run straightaway, should you feel fit enough. A built-in mic means we could stay connected and take calls during long exercise sessions.

If you’re looking for waterproof headphones that enable you to switch between playing stored songs and streaming music or podcasts, Naenka has made just the pair for the job.

Complete with Bluetooth connectivity and MP3 storage, the runner diver2 swimming heaphones look similar to the Shoxz openswim pair, with a thin black headband and bone-conduction pads, but Naenka’s pair offer extra flexibility when you’re on dry land, so you’re not forced to constantly change up your playlist.

While in MP3 mode, music tracks play either in the order you added them or shuffled. We recommend using the earplugs included, as it enhances the playback through the bone, making songs sound clearer and louder.

The only downside is there’s no way of adjusting the headband, so, those with a smaller head may find they drag a bit in the water, unless they’re locked in place with a swim cap.

This may look like another pair of bone-conduction waterproof headphones, but Sony’s NW-WS623 pair features ear buds, providing a more traditional headphones experience.

For running and gym workouts, Bluetooth connection was excellent, even in a basement gym, and we were able to enjoy our music while still hearing a little of the ambient noise around us, so we didn’t feel completely cut off. With a variety of ear tips included for dry-land workouts, we were able to ensure a snug fit inside the ear, so music sounded louder and richer.

However, when it came to using these waterproof headphones while swimming, things became a bit fiddlier. There’s only one size option of waterproof ear tips, which have a seal to stop water leaking in. We found this meant they were prone to falling out when we moved too fast in front crawl and we had to end the first session early, as we couldn’t get them to stay put. Once we’d revisited the instructions, though, we realised that putting the strap of our goggles over the wings was enough to fix them securely. Just remember, if you want to adjust your goggles during a swim, be careful to make sure you put them back in the right spot.

Compared with other waterproof headphones we tested, these have a unique design. Instead of hooking over the ears, they slip inside the ear (like normal buds) then you rotate them, so the ‘wings’ lock them in place, preventing them from falling out. The secure fit did a great job of isolating the audio, offering excellent sound quality. We were impressed by the 5.9g lightweight feel, and it was refreshing not to have to worry about a strap around our head.

Within our round-up, these are also the only waterproof headphones with antibacterial technology, killing 99.9 per cent of germs when you pop the buds in the charging case. Battery life is also among the best on test – 10 hours plus another 20 held in the charging case.

The two downsides, however, are that the IP67 waterproof rating means these headphones are only recommended for use up to 30 minutes when fully submerged in water, and they don’t have internal storage. The second issue is easier to solve as it was simple to connect these to both our smartwatch and iPhone to play music via Bluetooth, but this was only effective when we did breaststroke above water.

These are great headphones for anyone coming from the gym to cool down in the pool, though, especially as you can get into your own zone with noise cancellation and shut out the sounds of other people splashing and chatting. Extra bonus points are awarded for the fact they work in the sauna, too.

With an IPX8 waterproof rating, you could swim at a depth of 3m in these, so, in theory, you could take them snorkelling as well as swimming. Out of the box, there’s not much difference between these and the Shokz bone-conduction headphones, except for the price – these are almost £50 cheaper. However, the strap on these feels a little flimsier when in the pool, which meant we needed to make sure they were firmly under our swim hat, otherwise, they felt a little distracting.

The controls on the side of each ear piece are generously sized, so it’s easy to turn up the volume mid session when a good tune comes on. Battery life lasts up to six hours, which would appeal to triathletes who are planning to bike to the pool, smash out a swim then go for a run.

If you’re running, you don’t even need to take a phone with you. These can connect via Bluetooth to a smartwatch, so, we were able to play music and podcasts that way. There’s something about exercising without a phone that makes us feel liberated, and these headphones helped fuel that.

These may be the heaviest of all the waterproof headphones we tested, but they also have the biggest controls, making them easier to use. Another positive is you can clip the headphones onto your goggles, meaning they’ll never dangle off the back of your head in the water or rub against your swim hat. We felt that clipping them in place added an extra level of security, and made them more streamline. They stayed in place next to the jawbone, with the sound coming through nice and clear.

The downside is there’s no Bluetooth mode. This might not be an issue for you but it’s something to bear in mind before parting with more than £100.