If you had told me a year ago that my favorite workout earbuds wouldn’t even go in my ear, I would have called you crazy. I’ve always loved having a noise-canceling option and usually chose overhead headphones for my workouts as I feel they offer a level of privacy I can’t get from earbuds.
But as I started to take my training outside and running along trails and near roads, I realized I wasn’t aware of my surroundings, and in truth, I felt pretty unsafe. Not being totally aware of your surroundings is actually pretty dangerous, because you never know what hazards are coming towards you.
My favorite style of earbud to let in ambient sound that stays totally secure when I’m moving is the clip. This style looks like a cuff on the outer ear and is actually pretty stylish. Since they only clip to the outer ear, I can hear all traffic around me, other people walking or running near me, and I even love using them in the office to make sure I know what’s going on, but can still enjoy my music.
Here are some of the best wireless earbuds that have changed the way I work out and have helped me adapt to a more ambient aware daily routine.
Soundcore Aeroclip
The Soundcore Aeroclips are the first open-earbuds I picked up, and they have remained a firm favorite. The flexible ear cuff is incredibly flexible, and I keep them on long after I’ve finished working out so I can keep listening to my music as I cool down.
I love that I can hear everything happening around me with complete clarity, and if I need to pause my music for even more focus on my surroundings, I can simply use the touch-sensitive controls.
There’s also a whole lot of sound customization available, so you can get the best sound for your favorite workout tracks. You don’t get the same sound quality as in-ears with open-earbuds, as the sound travels to the eardrum differently, but the Aeroclips have some of the best sound replication I’ve tried.
Skullcandy Push 720 Open
If you’re someone who does more high-intensity workouts and wants something that you know isn’t going to budge no matter how much you move, you’ll love the Skullcandy Push 720 Open earbuds. They are by far the most secure cuff-style buds I’ve used.
They are a little on the chunky side, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. And they have great EQ customization options that make listening super enjoyable. I find that these are the best buds for listening to audiobooks or podcasts when I’m working out. They do speech clarity exceptionally well.
Sony LinkBuds Clip
I got to try out the Sony LinkBuds Clip recently, and considering they are Sony’s first venture into clip-on buds, I was impressed at how comfortable they were. While you can totally use these for working out, I think they’re great for office work too.
Open-earbuds are a great way to make sure you stay engaged in the office, even if you want to listen to music or take a call. And since they were so comfortable for me to wear, I wouldn’t be opposed to having them on for my full 9-to-5 work day. And the call quality is excellent too, so you can rely on them to take all of your work meetings, although they are a little on the expensive side.
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