With the best swimming headphones, you can listen to your favorite tracks, audiobooks, and podcasts while you’re swimming. But while you’re looking for a good pair of wireless earphones for swimming, it’s not just the waterproof rating that matters.
Of course, there’s no denying that a pair of waterproof earbuds for swimming can’t be a good pick without having a good IP rating, preferably IPX7 or higher. But there’re many other factors that you need to consider while looking for underwater headphones.
To start with, the waterproof headphones for swimming should come with an ergonomic design. It should be comfortable to wear. In addition, the underwater earbuds need to offer a secure fit. Otherwise, you’ll need to take multiple dives in the water to find the headphones.
Secondly, the headphones should offer a reliable wireless connection. Make sure that the pair comes with one of the latest Bluetooth chipsets, preferably Bluetooth 5.0 or higher. Otherwise, there’ll be a lot of cutouts and disconnection when you take a deep dive into the water.
On the note of taking a deep dive, the drivers must offer an immersive audio experience. The sound must be clear and distortion-free even when fully submerged. Also, you should get the option to easily control the playback. Properly placed controls on the headphone will play a major role in this regard.
The battery life of wireless earbuds should be reliable. You don’t want to charge the headphones in the middle of the swimming session. So, check the overall runtime of earbuds before making a purchase.
Last but not least, if the wireless headphones come with a charging case, check the carrying case’s water resistance and durability. It must’ve the right IP rating to protect the inside from water splashes.
3 Best Swimming Headphones
Shokz OpenSwim
TL:DR;
Don’t keep your smartphone around when you’re swimming? In that case, the Shokz OpenSwim is the right pair of swimming headphones for you. But how do you listen to audio when there’s no phone or other audio source around?
Well, Shokz has integrated an MP3 player into this headphone. With built-in storage capable of holding up to 1200 songs, you can have redefined device-free audio listening. It even has support for playing WAV, MP3, WMA, FLAC, and AAC.
The great part is that the headphones have easy controls. You can easily skip tracks, play and pause the playback, and control the volume. And most importantly, it can run for up to 8 hours with a single charge.
What about comfort and fit? Shokz has done a great job in this regard too. It has a bone conduction design that ensures comfortable listening all day. The headphones even come with a Shokz nose clip, which lets you get a highly secure fit. You don’t need to worry about the headphone coming off when you are in the water.
The Specs
- Battery Life: 8 Hours
- IP rating: IP68
- Bluetooth Version: None (built-in MP3)
- Type: Open-ear
What’s in the Box?
- USB Charging Cradle
- Swimming Earplugs
- Silicone Rubber Carrying Case
Stuff I like
- Lightweight and highly comfortable
- Open-ear and bone conduction design
- Reliable battery life
- Easy controls
- Built-in MP3 player
Stuff I like less
- Can’t wirelessly stream music to it as there’s no Bluetooth
Where to get it
H2O Audio Sonar
TL:DR;
You don’t need to spend a lot to get the best swimming headphones. Take the H2O Audio Sonar, for example. It’s less pricey than most waterproof earbuds for swimming. But when it comes to features, it’s on par with the top-rated underwater earbuds.
So, what’s so great about the H2O Audio Sonar? First of all, it comes with a bone conduction design, just like the Shokz OpenSwim. As H2O Audio has executed the design perfectly, it’ll clip securely to the swimming goggles, which’ll eliminate comfort and fitting issues.
Like the Shokz OpenSwim, you get a built-in music player in the H2O Audio Sonar. It comes with 8GB of onboard memory, offering you more than enough space to store all your favorite playlists. But unlike the Shokz OpenSwim, you get Bluetooth, allowing you to wirelessly stream music from your phone.
Controlling this pair of underwater headphones is pretty easy, thanks to the large-sized buttons with raised markings. You can quickly change the track and control the volume while you’re under the water. Also, it has great build quality, especially for the price. So, you can expect to get an extended use out of it.
The Specs
- Battery Life: 7 Hours
- IP rating: IPX8
- Bluetooth: Yes
- Type: Open-ear
What’s in the Box?
- Earplugs
- Charging cable
Stuff I like
- Built-in MP3 player
- Generous 8GB of onboard storage
- Has Bluetooth for wireless streaming
- Great build quality
- Easy and large-sized controls
Stuff I like less
- The Bluetooth range could’ve been better
Where to get it
JBL Reflect Aero
TL:DR;
While many of us think of bone-conduction headphones while talking about waterproof headphones for swimming, in-ear earbuds can also be a great pick. For example, the JBL Reflect Aero.
As a matter of fact, the JBL Reflect Aero is the best in-ear wireless earbuds for swimming. It comes with a great design, which does a proper job of keeping the buds in your ears. And even though Bluetooth doesn’t work that well underwater, as long as you have your phone nearby, the connection is dropless.
On the note of being underwater, the JBL Reflect Aero has an IP68 rating, meaning it can withstand 1.5-meter submersion for 30 minutes. That’s more than enough for a swimming session. And the buds can offer up to 8 hours of runtime with a single charge. With the charging case, you get up to 24 hours, which is great.
There’s Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) too. With it, you can swim in total peace. It even comes with an Ambient Aware feature, letting you hear your surroundings when you need to.
The Specs
- Battery Life: Up to 24 hours
- IP rating: IP68
- Bluetooth: Yes
- Type: In-ear
What’s in the Box?
- 3 sizes of ear tips
- Charging cable
- 3 sizes of POWERFINS enhancers
Stuff I like
- Great sound performance
- Waterproof and highly durable
- Good touch controls
- Active Noise Cancellation and Ambient Aware
- Comfortable and offers a secure fit
Stuff I like less
- The bass is a bit weird on the drivers
Where to get it
Quick Summary of the Best Swimming Headphones
All in all, you need to narrow your search to Shokz OpenSwim, H2O Audio Sonar, and JBL Reflect Aero. These are perfect for swimming, and the OpenSwim and Reflect Aero are even great for regular use.
Slava is a man of mystery and no-one seems to know exactly where he is at any point in time. When he isn't enjoying writing about all things audio and technical he can be found researching his next project of interest. The man never rests.
This post was last updated on 2025-02-09 / Some images from Amazon Product API & some links may be affiliate links which may earn us a commission from purchases.