8 exercise headphones that will make it easier to work out

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It’s a new year, and with it comes millions of vows to get back to the gym. We salute you if you can exercise with nothing but random huffs and grunts as your backdrop, but for most people, a heavy workout requires a pair of headphones that’ll get you to the finish line.

After researching and testing a whole bunch of these sports headphones over the past few months, we can say that a handful stand out from the rest. Below are our current favorites —each has their flaws, but they should all feel good, survive your sweat, and make your playlists sound better to boot.

Koss Fitclips

Amazon

Maybe you’ve already dropped hundreds on a pair of high-end cans, but they just won’t work for the gym. If you don’t want to sink much more into something you’ll only use for a couple hours at a time, try the Koss Fitclips.

They go for as little as $10, and while you’re never going to get much fidelity from something that cheap, they’re clearer and louder than what’d you expect for the money. They’re also built well, with a lightweight, bendy, and sweat-resistant frame that stays in place and blocks out a nice amount of ambient noise.

Koss Fitclips (Lime), $9.99, available at Amazon.

Samsung Level U

Amazon

You have to learn to love the neckband. If you can tolerate its collar-style design, the wireless Samsung Level U will reward you with an impressively strong, balanced sound, a good 10 or so hours of battery life, and freedom from any sort of cord tangling. Its ear gels are secure, but just know that its unsealed, or open, so you’ll hear ambient noises while you’re moving around. (Though that’s not much of a negative for exercise headphones anyway.)

Samsung Level U (Black Sapphire), $34.99, available at Amazon.

MEE Audio M7P

Amazon

One of the newer models on this list, the MEE Audio M7P are a well-rounded, budget-friendly option on the sealed side of the market. Its relatively clear, bass-boosted sound is solid for what it is, and while its over-ear hooks don’t feel totally necessary, the whole thing fits very tightly in the ear without feeling like a nuisance. It, too, is sweat-resistant, and the bundle of included accessories is a nice touch.

MEE Audio M7P, $39.99, available at Amazon.

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