For actual swimming (laps or open water), the best choice is usually not traditional true wireless earbuds like AirPods or Galaxy Buds. Bluetooth signals don't travel well through water, so they often cut out once your head is submerged. The best swimming headphones instead use bone conduction and built-in MP3 storage for offline music.
TechRadar
- photo not availableShokz OpenSwim Pro
- photo not availableH2O Audio Sonar 2 PRO
- photo not availableSuunto Aqua
- photo not availablePrimePlus Bone Conduction Swimming Headphones
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For actual swimming (laps or open water), the best choice is usually not traditional true wireless earbuds like AirPods or Galaxy Buds. Bluetooth signals don't travel well through water, so they often cut out once your head is submerged. The best swimming headphones instead use bone conduction and built-in MP3 storage for offline music.
TechRadar
Here are the top options:
Shokz OpenSwim Pro
$229.99
•
Best Buy
Why it's the best overall
IP68 waterproof rating
32GB onboard storage for phone-free swimming
Bluetooth for use on land, MP3 mode for underwater
Comfortable open-ear bone conduction design
Excellent fit for pool workouts and triathlons
TechRadar
Also worth considering:
H2O Audio Sonar 2 PRO
$149.99 · Walmart - H2O Audio
Great if you:
Want strong underwater audio
Like H2O Audio's Playlist+ feature for transferring playlists to onboard storage
Swim frequently and also run or cycle
TechRadar
Suunto Aqua
$179.00 · Best Buy
A solid premium alternative with:
IP68 waterproofing
32GB storage
Lightweight fit
Long battery life
Best budget option
PrimePlus Bone Conduction Swimming Headphones
$69.99 · Best Buy
A lower-cost choice that still offers:
IP68 waterproofing
32GB onboard storage
Bone conduction design
If you only need earbuds for rain, showers, or the gym
Regular wireless earbuds such as AirPods Pro, Sony WF-1000XM series, or Beats Powerbeats are water-resistant but not designed for swimming underwater. Even with an IPX7/IPX8 rating, Bluetooth becomes unreliable once submerged.
TechRadar
+1
My recommendation by use case
Best overall swimmer: Shokz OpenSwim Pro
Best for triathletes: H2O Audio Sonar 2 PRO
Best premium alternative: Suunto Aqua
Best value: PrimePlus Bone Conduction Swimming Headphones
If you're swimming mostly in a pool versus open water, I can narrow the recommendations further, since the ideal features differ slightly between those environments.