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Swimming is one of the best full-body workouts you can do. It builds strength, improves cardiovascular health, and is easy on the joints. But let’s face it, swimming can also feel a bit of a chore. You probably already listen to music or audiobooks when you’re walking, running, or in the gym, but did you know that you can do the same when swimming laps in the pool? You just need the right type of headphones.

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The most important thing to keep in mind when you’re looking for swimming headphones is how waterproof they are. Many headphones are “water resistant”. However, this simply means that they can cope with a sweaty workout or a rainshower when you’re out for a jog. If you’re planning to use headphones in the pool, you need to make sure that they can withstand being fully submerged in water for extended periods of time. We’ve compiled a list of headphones that are designed for swimmers and have a waterproof rating of IPX8 or higher. As traditional over-ear headphones won’t work underwater, swimming headphones use either earbuds or bone conduction to transmit sound directly through your head. We cover both kinds on this list.

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Most swimming headphones rely on MP3 playback, which may feel old-school in 2025. While some models also support Bluetooth, it’s typically meant for use outside the water, since Bluetooth signals don’t travel well underwater. The one exception is the Zygo Z2, which uses a poolside transmitter to get around the problem. We’ve included the Zygo here alongside four other top-rated MP3-based options. We explain our methodology for selecting the headphones on the list in more detail at the end of this article.

Shokz offers two versions of its bone-conducting swimming headphones, Openswim and Openswim Pro. We’re recommending the Pro version here, based on enthusiastic reviews from tech publications and users. TechRadar scored them 4.5 out of 5, saying that these are “some of the best waterproof headphones we’ve ever tried”. While there’s no specific category for swimming headphones on Amazon, these are the best-selling waterproof Open-Ear Headphones on Amazon, ranking 22nd in the open-ear headphones section. Another less waterproof Shokz product, the OpenRun Pro 2, takes first place. 

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The main difference between Openswim and Openswim Pro is that the Pro headphones have Bluetooth as well as a built-in MP3 player, which means you can use them as all-purpose headphones for swimming and other sports. If you plan to use your headphones exclusively for swimming, the slightly cheaper non-Pro MP3 headphones without Bluetooth may serve you just as well. OpenSwim Pro does come with a lot more MP3 storage, however, with 32GB compared to 4GB for OpenSwim. You might appreciate the extra storage if you want to carry a large variety of music, audiobooks, or high-quality audio files without constantly syncing or deleting content between swim sessions. OpenSwim Pro headphones cost $179.95, whereas OpenSwim retails for $149.95. Both have an IPX8 Waterproof rating and can be submerged in water up to two meters deep for up to two hours.

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While the other headphones on this list require you to download MP3s, Zygo’s Z2 bone conduction headphones let you listen to music, podcasts, and books from your usual streaming services.

The Zygo uses a radio transmitter to stream audio from your smartphone to the headphones, effectively bypassing Bluetooth’s underwater limitations. To use it, you need to pair your phone with the transmitter and then leave it by the side of the pool while you swim. Your phone still needs to be nearby, and you must remain within 50 meters of the transmitter while you’re swimming, so you can’t use it for open water swimming. The headset has a waterproof rating of IPX8, but Zygo doesn’t provide any details about the maximum length of time it can remain submerged.

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ZDNet’s favorable review notes that the music quality is good and that it sounds better underwater than when you’re listening to it on land. The headphones receive a 4.5 rating in a review on 220 Triathlon.

If you subscribe to Zygo’s app, you can access more features like guided swim workouts, a lap counter, and a walkie-talkie feature, so if you have a coach or trainer poolside, you can talk to one another while you’re in the pool. The app costs $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year, but if you’re not interested in Zygo’s additional features, you can use the headset without it. At $329 plus the cost of the app, it’s the most expensive option on our list. You’ll need to buy directly from Zygo, as it’s not currently available on Amazon.

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H2O Audio TRI 2 Multi-Sport Pro is probably the most fully waterproof option on our list. It has an IPX8 waterproof rating and can withstand submersion up to 3.6 meters indefinitely. It’s the only set of headphones on the list that makes this limitless promise. The headphones have an integrated MP3 player with 8GB of storage that can store up to 8,000 songs. It also has Bluetooth, which, like most headsets, won’t work when you’re underwater but is useful if you’re also using the headset when you’re out of the pool. The battery life is six hours when you’re using the MP3 player, which will be reduced if you’re using Bluetooth. The TRI 2 Multi-Sport Pro comes with a useful feature called Playlist+, which is great for those of us who are more used to streaming than downloading. Playlist+ allows you to record music, podcasts, and audiobooks directly from your streaming services onto the headphones, so with a bit of planning ahead, you can listen to content from streaming services like Spotify or Audible when you’re in the pool.

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TRI 2 Multi-Sport Pro scores well for comfort and fit. Tom’s Guide reported that the headset is “extremely comfortable with a secure fit”, although the reviewer was less impressed with its sound quality. However, Outdoor Swimmer magazine said it provided “a really impressive and immersive sound.” H2O Audio TRI 2 Multi-Sport Pro costs $199.00. If you want a slightly cheaper option, you can opt for H2O Audio TRI 2 Multi-Sport for $149.99. The non-Pro version has the same specs but doesn’t include Playlist+.

If you prefer earbuds to bone conductors, then there are several waterproof options, with Underwater Audio Swimbuds Sport consistently getting good reviews from websites and users. YourSwimLog.com rated these headphones as the best earbuds for swimming. At $60, these are the cheapest option on our list. However, that’s because they are only half the package. Unlike headphones with an integrated MP3 player, Swimbuds need to be paired with a compatible waterproof MP3 player.

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This makes this option a good choice for anyone who already has an MP3 player and needs good-quality earbuds to go with it. They’re also a good option if you’re not a fan of bone-conductor headsets. They have a waterproof rating of IPX8. The biggest challenge with earbuds is finding ones that aren’t going to fall out of your ear mid-swim. Swimbuds overcome this issue by providing eleven different earbud tips with each purchase. This includes three different sizes of their ‘tree’ design, which are designed to stay in place during swimming sessions.

The NW-WS623 Waterproof Walkman may not have a lot in common with the Sony Walkmans of yesteryear, but it’s nice to see that the Walkman brand still lives on in 2025. At $139.99, these headphones are slightly cheaper than the other integrated MP3 players with Bluetooth on this list. However, the waterproof ratings are less impressive than Shokz or H2O, as Sony only recommends submerging these IPX8 headphones for a maximum of thirty minutes, which limits you if you want anything more than a quick swim. The MP3 storage capacity is also less than that of many of its competitors, offering only 4GB.

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Despite these limitations, Sony excels in one important category. Reviewers agree that the music on these headphones sounds fantastic. The Walkman uses earbuds rather than bone-conductor tech, and according to audiophileon.com, “The sound quality is brilliant and by far the best in class.” The Independent called them the “Best Waterproof headphones for design”, scoring them 4 out of 5 and noting that they provided a “more traditional headphones experience” than other brands. The integrated MP3 player is particularly user-friendly, storing tracks in nested folders for easy access.

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To compile this list, we looked at a wide range of recent reviews, including sites like TechRadar and Tom’s Guide, specialist swimming blogs, and user reviews on Amazon. We consulted the manufacturer’s websites and user manuals to obtain accurate specifications, including waterproof ratings and MP3 storage capacity, but didn’t rely on reviews provided on the company’s own websites, as these are often cherry-picked and don’t necessarily show the full picture.

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The most important criteria here was how waterproof these headphones were. If you search for swimming headphones on Amazon, you’ll see a lot of supposedly waterproof headphones in the results, which, although they would be suitable for other activities, would not fare well being submerged underwater for long periods of time. We also considered price, MP3 storage, battery life, and reviewers’ opinions regarding comfort, fit, and ease of use.

As always, when making a purchase, do your own research to ensure that your headphones suit your individual requirements. All the headphones on this list come with a manufacturer’s warranty, but if you’re spending up to several hundred dollars on new tech, you want to make sure it’s right for you.

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