BEST HEADPHONES FOR RUNNING

Best Headphones for RunningWarning: Sometimes our headphones are too good! Our Westone earphone models immerse you in your own world of sound and music, cutting off outside distractions. When you're out jogging, especially near traffic or other potential dangers, wearing them means you'll be oblivious to other sounds. If you wear these earphones while running or jogging outdoors, you must be extra cautious or you might get run down by a crazed cyclist or a NASCAR wannabe when you miss their shouts or horn.

If you get distracted easily ("Oh, look, a squirrel!") or would have problems relying on your vision as your sole danger warning, we recommend that you don't wear in-ear earphones while running or jogging outdoors. If you must have immersive music while you sweat, confine yourself to the treadmill.


A tip from the Celebration Sound Guru: "If you can focus and use your sight to look over your shoulders while crossing a street, in-ear earphones can give you a wonderful and very different experience, as they may cut up to 44dB of outside noise. I LOVE THEM! But I also understand they are not for everybody. It took me one big scare with a big dumpster truck to develop instant discipline. I now use my eyes while outdoors, to scan for street threats." The Westone earphones are our first choice because of their cable design, comfort and fit. The UM2 is our preferred earphones with a dual driver design. For a more economical version of the UM2 but same comfort and fit, the UM1 is a winner among active lifestyle people that enjoy running. At a more affordable price than the Westones, the new Sennheiser CX380 was the best sound, comfort, fit and design in the "erbuds under $100 category" that we tested. The CX380 is sweat proof and washable and delivers the best bass in its price range.

As an entirely alternative fit design, the Sennheiser PMX80 had a surprisingly good bass and its single cable design along with the "behind the head" arch fit provided very good comfort in our tests. The PMX80 will also be a better option for runners that do not want to completely isolate the outside noise.