Child in swimming pool wearing waterproof earbuds
Headphones

Best Waterproof Headphones and Earbuds 2023

Adventures in the water are all the better these days thanks to a wide selection of waterproof headphones, earbuds, and all-in-one headsets. From simple buds to MP3 players, you can enhance your marine activities with a soundtrack to suit.

Alternatively, you may just wish to relax to podcasts while taking a hot bath or belt out your favorite songs for the rest of the household to enjoy while you shower. Whatever your wishes, you’ll need a waterproof set of headphones to ensure you can do it all again another day.

Here are the best waterproof headphones and earbuds available today.

The Sony NW-WS623 Series Walkman is a top choice for anyone who enjoys water-based activities. It has an IPX5/8 rating meaning you can submerge it in up to 2 meters of water for around 30 minutes. It also has an Ambient Noise Mode, essential when participating in activities where it’s crucial to hear external noise for safety purposes. With this excellent headset, swimming, kayaking, white-water rafting, and many more activities can all be enhanced experiences with your favorite beats and rhythms.

The audio quality is good, though not particularly bass-heavy, and the frequency range is in line with regular headphones at 20 – 20,000Hz. It also has a 4GB capacity, which you can upgrade to 16GB. However, as it doesn’t have a screen, searching for songs through so many files can be inconvenient, meaning upgrading may be of limited value.

Uploading tunes is straightforward, and the device features simple play, pause, forward, and back buttons, as well as shuffle and Bluetooth options. The battery life is also good, providing 12 hours of playback with Ambient Mode turned off. There’s a quick-charge feature, too, offering an hour of listening from just a 3-minute charge.

Key Features

  • 2x earbud sets with four sizes in each
  • Ambient Noise Mode
  • Bluetooth connectivity
  • Quick-charge function
  • Hands-free calls via Bluetooth
Specifications

  • Connectivity Technology: Bluetooth
  • Power Source: Battery
  • Waterproof Rating: IPX5/8
  • Music Source: MP3 player
  • Battery Life: Up to 12 hours
  • Item Weight: 1.1oz
  • Color: Black
  • Brand: Sony
Pros

  • Water and dustproof
  • Comfortable and secure fit
  • Good audio quality
  • Saltwater tolerant
Cons

  • At the pricier end of the scale

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This MP3 headset from Tayogo is a popular choice for listening to your tunes while swimming. In fact, you can enhance any water-based activity by listening while snorkeling, kayaking, exploring waterfalls, or simply showering or taking a hot bath. This plethora of aquatic activities are possible thanks to its excellent IPX8 rating, which Tayogo claims can withstand submersion of up to 3 meters for around 30 minutes.

It’s a wraparound headset that you can wear on the neck or the back of your head and consists of durable and lightweight polypropylene. It’s flexible enough to bend into the shape of your head for ultimate comfort, and wearing it with goggles and caps isn’t an issue. Additionally, with three sizes of earbuds to choose from, anybody can get the perfect watertight fit, no matter their head or ear size.

Uploading your tunes is a cinch. You just connect the player to your computer using the magnetic USB cable and drag and drop your files. Connecting this way also charges the player, and you get an impressive 20 hours of listening time from a single 1.5-hour charge. Audio quality is also good for a player of this type and loud enough to keep you motivated while doing your laps.

Key Features

  • Three sizes of earbuds included
  • Magnetic USB charging cable
  • Silicon coated for comfort
  • FM radio
Specifications

  • Connectivity Technology: USB
  • Power Source: Battery
  • Waterproof Rating: IPX8
  • Music Source: MP3 Player, FM radio
  • Battery Life: Up to 20 hours
  • Item Weight: 1.1oz
  • Color: Black
  • Brand: Tayogo
Pros

  • 8GB of storage
  • IPX8 waterproof
  • Excellent battery life
  • Versatile wearing options

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Tayogo W16 Waterproof MP3 Player

Quality waterproof headphones needn’t cost an arm and a leg; the SwimBuds Waterproof Headphones are a testament to this. They are comfortable in-ear buds that offer fine audio at an agreeable price point. You’ll need to connect them to a waterproof source for your music, such as a waterproof smartphone or smartwatch.

They have an IPX8 rating, making them suitable for just about any water-based activity. You can submerge them in up to three meters for extended periods, and they stay secure in the ear when performing flips and tricks in the pool. They are an excellent budget choice for swimmers, surfers, paddleboarders, snorkelers, kayakers, or any other marine adventurer.

The sound quality is much better than you might expect in this price range, with clear and crisp audio, while the package includes three sizes of earbuds to get the perfect fit. There’s also a fourth bud that doesn’t have an ear seal you can use for activities such as kayaking, where you still need to be aware of your surroundings.

Key Features

  • IPX8 rating
  • Three sizes of sealed buds
  • One pair of buds that allow ambient noise
  • FitGoo lubricant for a better seal
  • Extension cord included
Specifications

  • Connectivity Technology: Wired
  • Power Source: N/A
  • Waterproof Rating: IPX8
  • Music Source: N/A
  • Battery Life: N/A
  • Item Weight: 2.4oz
  • Color: White
  • Brand: Swimbuds
Pros

  • Affordable
  • Secure fit
  • Good audio
  • Short-cord design
Cons

  • Require maintenance for longevity

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Swimbuds Waterproof Headphones

The SHOKZ OpenSwim Headset features bone-conduction technology for an open-ear and comfortable audio experience. Its wraparound titanium frame doesn’t cause any issues with a swim cap or a cycling helmet, while there is no added discomfort thanks to the absence of earbuds. Additionally, its IP68 rating ensures you can go underwater as deep as two meters and for as long as two hours.

With 4GB of internal storage, you can fit over 1,000 of your favorite songs and podcasts to listen to while participating in aquatic adventures. Drifting off into the sunset while paddleboarding to some blissed-out ambiance or pumping the adrenaline with frantic beats while white-water rafting has never sounded so good.

While the battery life is below average at eight hours, the PremiumPitch 2.0 Stereo Sound offers high-quality and rich audio. It enhances surfing, kayaking, and snorkeling with your chosen tunes and will even provide superior sound to go with your fantastic shower voice.

Key Features

  • PremiumPitch2.0 Stereo Sound
  • 7th-gen bone-conduction technology
  • Open-ear design
  • Nose clip and earplug included
Specifications

  • Connectivity Technology: USB
  • Power Source: Battery
  • Waterproof Rating: IPX8
  • Music Source: MP3 player
  • Battery Life: Up to 8 hours
  • Item Weight: 1oz
  • Color: Black
  • Brand: SHOKZ
Pros

  • 4GB internal storage
  • IP68 waterproof rating
  • Swim cap and helmet compatible
Cons

  • No Bluetooth
  • No fast charging option

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Another excellent all-in-one headset featuring bone-conduction technology is this set from Gogailen. It features a colossal 32GB of storage for stockpiling a huge amount of tunes. Uploading the tracks is as easy as connecting the cable to your computer and dragging and dropping the files. It also features Bluetooth 5.3, although swimmers should only listen using the MP3 function, as water will interfere with the signal.

With an IPX8 rating, this set is dust and waterproof. Although Gogailen doesn’t specify how long you can submerge them underwater, this IP rating typically offers at least 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes. It’s a fine headset for swimmers, and it laughs in the face of sweat. Additionally, bone-conduction headphones are open-ear, which makes them safe for kayaking, cycling, and other activities requiring you to remain aware of your surroundings.

The memory titanium alloy frame is robust and flexible, while the headset has a secure fit and stays in place during exercise. It’s lightweight, too, at just over one ounce, and battery life is also decent. With ten hours of continuous playback, you’ll have enough motivating sounds to get you through any workout or activity. Finally, the sound quality is impressive, as long as you don’t expect it to be at home-theater level.

Key Features

  • Magnetic charging
  • Bone-conduction tech with safe open-ear design
  • Bluetooth 5.3
  • Memory titanium-alloy frame
Specifications

  • Connectivity Technology: Bluetooth, USB
  • Power Source: Battery
  • Waterproof Rating: IPX8
  • Music Source: MP3, Bluetooth
  • Battery Life: Up to 10 hours
  • Item Weight: 1oz
  • Color: Black
  • Brand: Gogailen
Pros

  • IPX8 waterproof
  • Good sound
  • Huge storage space
  • Decent battery life and quick charging
  • Lightweight and durable
Cons

  • Not ideal for bass-heavy tunes

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Gogailen Bone Conduction Headphones

The JBL Endurance Dive offers something that other JBL Endurance waterproof headphones don’t—an integrated MP3 player. This addition makes them the best headphones from this line for the pool because Bluetooth alone doesn’t cut it when you hit the water. With an IPX7 rating, you can also submerge this MP3 headset in up to one meter for around 30 minutes.

The fit is also very comfortable and secure. The TwistLock and FlexSoft technologies ensure they wrap around the back of your ear with ease and comfort. Uploading music is similar to other MP3 headsets; simply plug in the included cable to your computer and drag and drop the files. However, this headset has a relatively small 1GB of storage, although you should still get around 200 songs stored at a time. The audio is pretty good, too. Although, those that favor bass-heavy genres might not be too enamored with its high-frequency focus.

Battery life is comparable to others at eight hours, while a quick-charging option allows you to get an hour of listening pleasure from only a 10-minute charge. Additionally, its Bluetooth option will enable you to take calls when you get out of the pool.

Key Features

  • IPX7 waterproof
  • Auto power on/off
  • TwistLock and FlexSoft technologies
  • Bluetooth hands-free calls
Specifications

  • Connectivity Technology: Bluetooth, USB
  • Power Source: Battery
  • Waterproof Rating: IPX7
  • Music Source: MP3 player, Bluetooth
  • Battery Life: Up to 8 hours
  • Item Weight: 1.1oz
  • Color: Black
  • Brand: JBL
Pros

  • Secure fit
  • Good audio
  • Decent battery life
  • Quick charge option
Cons

  • Bluetooth 4.2
  • 1GB storage

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Another set of budget-friendly and simple earbuds designed for swimmers is the H2O Audio Surge+. It’s an IPX8 set of wired earbuds that won’t cost an arm and a leg, and you simply connect them to a waterproof device or one in waterproof housing for listening to while swimming or playing in the pool. You can also use them for any other water-based activity that doesn’t require you to go deeper than 3.6 meters.

The watertight earplugs offer sound isolation and help improve bass quality in the audio. With five sets of buds to choose from, from extra-small to extra-large, you’ll easily get the perfect fit to keep the water out and the sound in. There’s also the bonus of three sets of tree-tip buds for a more secure fit whenever you need them.

They’re comfortable and secure, while the wire isn’t at a bothersome length. Additionally, they are relatively lightweight at 1.6oz and can connect to any device with a standard 3.5mm headphone jack.

Key Features

  • 5x sets of different-sized buds
  • In-ear buds
  • Sound isolation
  • 3x tree tip earbuds
Specifications

  • Connectivity Technology: Wired
  • Power Source: N/A
  • Waterproof Rating: IPX8
  • Music Source: N/A
  • Battery Life: N/A
  • Item Weight: 1.6oz
  • Color: Blue and black
  • Brand: H2O
Pros

  • Affordable
  • IPX8 waterproof
  • Good bass
  • Comfortable
Cons

  • Occasionally slip out of the ear

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FAQ

Q: Can You Use Bluetooth Headphones While Swimming?

Some manufacturers advertise their swimming headphones as being Bluetooth enabled. But the reality is that Bluetooth doesn’t penetrate water effectively, and the signal will likely constantly cut out. An integrated MP3 player is much more effective in the pool or when doing other activities where you will submerge in water.

Alternatively, a standard set of in-ear waterproof buds connected to a waterproof music source will also do the trick. However, this has the problem of where to put the device. Some solutions include attaching an iPod mini to your swim cap or waterproof housing to your arm.

However, if your MP3 headset also has Bluetooth, you can use it when sitting by the pool to take calls or chill out to tunes. It’s also a good option for aquatic sports like kayaking or paddleboarding.

Q: Are Waterproof Headphones Really Waterproof?

Always check the manufacturer’s specifications before buying. Anything below IPX7 is water-resistant and not waterproof; you cannot submerge them in water. If you want a pair of waterproof headphones that you can use for swimming or other activities where you will go under the water for periods of time, they must be at least IPX7, but preferably IPX8.

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