Best Bluetooth Headphones and Earbuds for Running

Running with earbuds that have wired technology can be a real hassle as the cable cord can get in the way and make the experience uncomfortable. Therefore, it is ideal to purchase a pair of earbuds/headphones that utilize wireless Bluetooth technology. Here are a few features you should look at:

• Connection distance: the average connection distance for most Bluetooth devices is around 10 feet, which is ideal for runners as you are more than likely to keep your smartphone in your pocket.
• Battery life: battery life is another major factor you should look at, since this determines how long you can run with them. The average amount of life wireless headphones and earbuds have is around 8 hours, which is usually more than enough for marathon runners, crossfitters, and the casual jogger.
• Bluetooth version: for more stable connections consider getting an audio device with the latest Bluetooth technology. Bluetooth 4.2 and above is ideal to achieve good audio quality and a stable connection. However, going for something along the lines of Bluetooth 3.0 is not a good choice as the technology is outdated.

Running headphones should be ultra-durable compared to other options in the market, because they need to withstand drops, water, sweat, and dust. The chances of you dropping your headphones when running is higher than any other activity. As a result, you need to check the materials used to manufacture the product. Full metal housing is ideal, but a rubbery like design is also good as it absorbs the shock of the fall.

In addition, make sure to check that the earbuds are waterproof – otherwise sweat and rain can damage the drivers. This feature is a must have for joggers, since you never know when it can start raining. Make sure to purchase the product with a rating of IPX5 or higher as anything lower may not get the job done.

The audio quality should not be sacrificed just because the earbuds are made for running. Look at what drivers are installed and the frequency response to check if the headphones have great audio. Normally there are 8mm drivers installed in the headphones and the frequency range is usually around 20 Hz – 20,000k Hz.

Also, most earbuds have noise isolating eartips, which further enhances the experience as you won’t be able to hear your surroundings. Also, this means you can focus on running and enjoy the music with getting disturbed. However, not being able to hear your surroundings can be very dangerous – for example when jogging alongside a road.

Comfort is one of the most important aspects of any audio device, because if they are a pain to wear it ruins the whole experience. Therefore, it is important to buy earbuds that use super soft silicone that are comfortable to wear at all times. In addition, you can purchase eartips separately and put them on your newly ordered earbuds.

You can attach earwings to the earbuds to make them stay firmly in place when jogging, which means the chances of them falling out are drastically reduced.

When jogging it can get annoying having to grab your phone every time you want to skip a song or regulate the volume, therefore purchasing a pair of headphones with built-in buttons is a must. Having the option to customize your musical experience is a huge bonus and even saves time – plus you can focus more on jogging and not your phone.

Furthermore, you can take calls hands-free if your headphones have a built-in microphone. However, the quality of the microphone is usually not that great and the a noise canceling feature is required to reduce the impact of ambient noise.