Who it’s for:
If you want a pair of fail-safe, trusted earbuds for working out, the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 is the one. Whether you’re running on pavement or at the quick pace of the elliptical, these headphones aren’t moving in your ears.
If you are concerned about them falling out in tough conditions — maybe you’re a trail runner — these are the only headphones on this list with a US military-grade standard of durability. Aka, they aren’t going to crunch if you step on them. Plus, an IP68 rating makes them dust- and water-resistant.
While the sound might not impress the pickiest audiophiles, it delivers clear, consistent sound, while the ANC quiets the surrounding world so you can focus on your music as you move through your reps.
Why we picked this:
For a pair of headphones designed for working out, we want to see all of the following: a secure but comfortable fit, sweat resistance, easy connectivity, good sound quality, active noise cancellation, and responsive touch controls. The Elite 8 Actives measure up on every front.
The ear tips come in three sizes; the small ones fit perfectly in narrow ear canals. The buds sit snugly in the ear and don’t budge when chugging along on the stair climber or elliptical. Plus, the touch controls have an actual button to press that’s responsive but not too touchy, unlike the Beats Fit Pro (which previously held this superlative), that leave you vulnerable to accidentally ending calls.
For the weeks we tested them, the headphones instantly connected every time we opened the case and put them in. The AirPods Pro were the only other earbuds with such easy connectivity. Plus, the battery life can’t be beat. The earbuds run for nine hours, and the charging case provides another 32 hours with ANC and 56 hours without ANC.
They deliver good sound, but not quite as rich as the Bose QuietComfort Ultra or Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds. The sound from the Jabra Elite 8 Active is flatter compared to those more audio-focused earbuds, not to mention they have weaker ANC, but ultimately, they’re still our ideal earbud for working out.
