As you go through your workout, your headphones absorb beads of sweat and oil and rub against the ridges of your ears. You need a pair that can handle this daily wear and tear, and still deliver crystal-clear audio with no glitches or interruptions in your playlist. That's why you need a durable pair of headphones with an IPXX (Ingress Protection) rating, which is the first "X" indicates strength against dust and the second, "X," waterproofing, says the IEC.
For a good fit that won't pinch or pull your ears out, look for an over-ear hook style. Or opt for a bone-conduction headset that rests on your cheekbones instead of inside your ears, like this pair from AfterShokz (formerly Shokz). They earned our top score in the category of comfort and safety, since they allow you to hear your surroundings—which is important for running outdoors so you can stay aware of traffic and other runners nearby.
If you want to be able to use Siri or your voice assistant with your workout, consider a pair of earbuds that have an Apple-certified IP57 rating and come with several wing tips and ear hooks for a secure but comfortable fit. The Beats Fit Pro set, for example, offers easy pairing and connection swapping with iCloud-connected Apple devices, as well as touch-free "Hey Siri" functionality.
Our fitness testers scrupulously rated each set of headphones against a list of key categories, including comfort, sound quality, durability, water resistance, battery life and ease of use. They also tracked the amount of time they listened to music during a single session and measured how often they had to connect or reconnect to their phone's Bluetooth to play music.
