This has also triggered a series of discussions about swimming headphones. Are swimming headphones really necessary? Among so many brands, which one is more trustworthy? How to choose an affordable and durable swimming headphones under a limited budget?
In order to provide you with a more comprehensive reference, I specially selected 5 popular swimming headphones at different price points for detailed testing.
Which Type is Better, Bone Conduction or In-ear Headphones?
Over the past few years, I invested a lot of time in reading materials and summed up a wealth of knowledge about swimming headphones. In this process, I found that the price difference of swimming headphones is large and the market is relatively vague. So before all that, let’s get to know how bone conduction headphones works, which type of headphones should we choose, and why should we choose it for swimming use.
Bone Conduction Headphones for Swimming
Advantages:
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Waterproof design: Bone conduction headphones areusually waterproof and can be used in water without compromising the performance of the headphones. This makes them an ideal choice for swimmers, whether in a pool or open water.
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No blockage of the ears: Bone conduction technology allows sound to be conducted to the inner ear through the skull without passing through the ear canal. This means that the ears are not blocked and swimmers can maintain awareness of their surroundings while listening to music, enhancing safety.
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Stable wearing: Bone conduction swimming headphones usually adopt an ear clip or headband design to ensure that they remain stable when exercising in the water and are not easy to fall off. This is especially important for users who engage in intense water activities.
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All-weather use: Since they do not rely on the ear closure effect, bone conduction headphones are also suitable for activities other than swimming, and can be used for other outdoor sports such as running and cycling.
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Comfort: Since they do not need to be inserted into the ears, bone conduction swimming headphones are usually more comfortable and are not prone to ear fatigue or discomfort.
Disadvantages:
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Higher price: The advanced nature of bone conduction technology and waterproof design make this type of swimming headphones relatively expensive. For consumers with limited budgets, price may be a factor to consider.
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For music lovers with high requirements: If you are a music lover with high requirements for sound quality, bone conduction swimming headphones may not provide a sufficiently satisfying audio experience.
In-ear Headphones for Swimming
Advantages:
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Lightweight design: In-ear headphones are usually lightweight and comfortable to wear.
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Sound quality performance: Since the in-ear design can better isolate external noise, these headphones usually provide better sound quality performance, allowing users to enjoy clearer music or sounds.
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Stable wearing: The in-ear design can fit the ear more firmly, avoid falling when exercising , and provide a more stable wearing experience.
Disadvantages:
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Poor adaptability: The in-ear design may not be suitable for all users, as some people may feel uncomfortable or do not like to use earbud-type headphones in their ears.
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Cleaning and maintenance: After swimming, special attention may be required to clean and maintain the in-ear swimming headphones to ensure a long service life.
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May affect auditory perception: The in-ear design may isolate external sounds, which may be considered an advantage in some cases, but may become a disadvantage when auditory perception needs to be maintained.
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Adjustment required: Some users may need to spend some time adjusting the position of the headphones to ensure the best wearing condition. This may have some impact on the user experience at the beginning.
After understanding the differences between different styles of swimming headphones, let’s check into some of the more popular swimming headphones on the market.
5 Best Swimming Headphones Recommendation
Recommendation 1: Nank Runner Diver2
Rating: ✨✨✨✨✨
Reason for recommendation: An all-around flagship with the best value for money.
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Price: $111.99
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Tech and sound: Nank Runner Diver2 usesNank 3rd ResoVibe™Technology to present balanced and excellent sound quality. The low frequency has a strong sense of rhythm, the mid frequency is transparent and clear, and the high frequency has excellent ductility, with amazing sound quality.
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Comfort: It adopts a seahorse fluid design structure to provide swimmers with extreme wearing stability and resistance. It remains stable even when swimming vigorously. The shell is wrapped in aviation-grade silicone, which has excellent touch feel, skin-friendlyness and breathability, and will not cause discomfort when worn for a long time.
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Product premeters: What’s more, this headset has super IP68 waterproofing, a Bluetooth 5.3 chip that performs well, and a battery life of up to10 In addition, Nank Runner Diver2 is also equipped with 32GB of memory. Totally a perfect waterproof bone conduction headphones.
Nank Runner Diver2 performs well in terms of materials, wearing comfort, sound quality technology, and other configurations. It far exceeds most headsets of the same level and can be said to be the leader in the same price range. Definitely a must-buy.
Recommendation 2: Sony Walkman NW-WS413
Rating: ✨✨✨✨
Reason for recommendation: Great glob brand influence. Nice choice for swimming and water sports enthusiast.
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Price: $99.99
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Tech and sound: The Sony Walkman NW-WS413 boasts impressive waterproof capabilities, making it a reliable companion for underwater activities. Sound quality is decent, with clear vocals and balanced mids, but bass response could be improved. The ambient sound mode is a useful feature for maintaining awareness of surroundings.
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Comfort: The ergonomic design ensures a secure and comfortable fit, even during intense workouts. However, some users may find the earbuds a bit bulky for extended wear.
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Product premeters: IP68 waterproof rating, up to 12 hours battery life, 4GB internal storage (expandable via microSD).
The Sony Walkman NW-WS413 is a solid choice of waterproof headphones for swimming. You may notice that it does not support Bluetooth connection, so it’s more of an MP3 player headphones, and this might be a flaw. But overall, if you are seeking reliable waterproof headphones, it offers a good balance of features and performance for its price point.
Recommendation 3: Lenovo Creative Outlier Free Pro
Rating: ✨✨✨✨
Reason for recommendation: Budget-conscious users seeking a balance of features and affordability.
Price: $123.49
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Tech and sound: The Creative Outlier Free Pro offers a decent audio experience with a focus on clarity and detail. While bass response might not be as pronounced as some competitors, it delivers balanced sound overall. The open-ear design allows for situational awareness, making it suitable for various activities.
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Comfort: The lightweight and ergonomic design ensures a comfortable fit for most users. However, extended wear may cause discomfort for some due to the pressure points around the ear area.
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Product parameters: IPX8 waterproof rating, up to 10 hours battery life, 8GB internal storage, Bluetooth 5.3.
The Lenovo Creative Outlier Free Pro presents a compelling option for budget-conscious consumers seeking bone conduction headphones. While it may not excel in every aspect, you can’t deny that it is an affordable winner in the field.
Recommendation 4: Shokz OpenSwim Pro
Rating: ✨✨✨
Reason for recommendation: Premium quality and good after-sales service.
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Price: $179.95
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Tech and sound: Equipped with Shokz’s self-developed Premium Pitch2.0™ 360° surround sound technology, and comes with waterproof earplugs, which improves the headphone sound quality experience. Although there are some deficiencies in high-frequency performance, the overall sound quality is still good.
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Comfort: It is made of silicone and titanium alloy as the main materials, which is not easy to break and has excellent bending performance. Weighing only 30 grams, it is very suitable for sports wear and has excellent comfort without causing foreign body sensation.
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Product premeters: Standard waterproof grade IP68, 9hours of battery life, and built-in 32GB storage space.
The Shokz OpenSwim Pro is a game-changer for aquatic workouts. Truly a must-have for any serious swimmer seeking an immersive and enjoyable swimming experience. The price of it is a bit high, but worth the quality. If you have a flexible budget and are looking for high-end devices, this is a good choice.
Recommendation 5: Mojawa RunPlus
Rating: ✨✨✨
Reason for recommendation: Daily use, suitable for leisure and entertainment.
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Price: $99.99
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Tech and sound: MojawaRunPlus is equipped with its 4th Gen Maglev-BassM Actuator, which improves low-frequency dive. However, distortion is still prone to occur at higher volumes, and songs that are slightly more exciting can be a bit harsh.
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Comfort: The overall design of Mojawaheadphones is lightweight and does not put excessive pressure on the ears when worn. Its longitudinal cabin design gives the earphones good stability, but the ear may feel uncomfortable after long-term use, and the touch screen could be a bit difficult to control after getting wet.
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Product premeters: Bluetooth 5.2 and a 10-hour battery life. 32GBMp3 storage.
The Mojawa RunPlus delivers premium sound, exceptional comfort, and long-lasting battery life, all at a affordable price. The screen of it to control the headphones is quite intelligent, but it can also cause unintenden activation, this should be taken into account.
Through the above actual evaluation, it can be seen that Nank can be said to be the most excellent among many swimming headphones. It not only performs well in waterproof performance and comfort, but also has excellent performance in sound quality and battery life. Still, if you have specific request or a different budget, feel free to compare more and choose the favourite ones!
Conclusion
With the scientific knowledge, actual evaluation and actual use experience sharing of swimming headphones that mentioned in the post, I hope these contents can help you understand this product field more deeply. No more wating, go get the most suitable waterproof headphones for yourself!