10 Best Swimming Headphones of 2021

28 Olympic Medals later and swimming has made it’s comeback as one of the top sports in the United States thanks to Michael Phelps.  Not only has swimming become more popular on a competitive level, but it has also become a staple for a balanced workout.

The problem for a lot of people, however, was the fact that swimming laps wasn’t all that exciting.

Well you can put that behind you. With the introduction of submersible MP3 players and swimming headphones that are completely waterproof you can take your workout to a whole new level.

Our Top Earbuds Pick

USTEK WP-593 Wired Waterproof Earbuds

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Our Top MP3 Player Pick

FX-SPORT VRX

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Before we move on to our top 10 list, we’ve first got to cover one important piece of information: IP ratings.

IP ratings or IP code stands for International Protection (marking). It is the standard by which electronics (in this case headphones) are measured to resist/protect against dust and water.

For the purpose of swimming headphones, we’ve limited it to the following 3 ratings:

1. IPX8. Submersible over 3 feet (usually up to 10-12 feet).
2. IPX7. Submersible up to 3 feet.
3. IP67. Not submersible, but can withstand high velocity water/dust

Here’s a closer look at how each rating is determined (by Tao Tronics).

You’ll notice in the table below we’ve gone ahead and listed the depth to which the headphones can be submerged.

Also note that there are 1 pair of headphones that have a 0 feet submersible depth. That’s not a mistake. We wanted to keep one pair on there for people who sweat profusely, or just want to use them in the shower, etc.

Now onto the list…

Top 10 Swimming Headphones

Swimming headphones are still fairly new to the scene of workout headphones. There aren’t a whole lot of choices, and there are tons of mixed reviews.

We felt it would be helpful to tell you about the top 10 swimming headphones. The next time you hit the pool you won’t be disappointed in any of these.

Rank	Picture	Name	Submersible Up To	Where to Buy
1		USTEK WP-593 Wired Waterproof Earbuds	3 feet	Check Price
2		Swimbuds 100% Waterproof Headphones	10 feet	Check Price
3		Edelin Bluetooth Headphones	3 feet	Check Price
4		FX-SPORT VRX	10 feet (with swim skin)	Check Price
5		Alpatronix HX250 Waterproof Bluetooth Headset	3 feet	Check Price
6		SENSO Bluetooth Headphones	3 feet	Check Price
7		LEOPHILE EEL Wireless Neckband Headphones	0 feet	Check Price
8		HydroActive Short-Cord Waterproof Headphones	10 feet	Check Price
9		Otium Sports Wireless Waterproof Earphones	3 feet	Check Price
10		X-1 CB1-PK-X Flex All Sport Waterproof In-Ear Headphones	3 feet	Check Price

Bonus Pick: ARIA Waterproof Earbuds

ARIA’s new earbuds are 100% wireless and 100% waterproof. Perfect combination for a nice workout in the pool.

They’re currently only available in the crowdfunding stage, but you can read more about them here.

Olympic Swimmers Use Headphones to Help Focus

If you’ve ever watched the Olympic swimming events then you may have noticed one piece of swimming gear that is seeming to stand out above the rest: headphones.

We’ve seen a number of swimmers walking to the pool with headphones on refusing to take them off until moments before slipping into the water before an event.  Unfortunately a lot of fans have been expressing dismay towards this popular trend.  Many of the fans have never been athletes and just don’t understand how much focus is required to compete at such high levels, and for many Olympians, music is the key to that focus.

So, who all have we seen wearing headphones?

Well, Sun Yang was seen sporting a pair of Beats by Dre prior to his gold medal performance in 2012.  This isn’t all that surprising seeing as how Beats by Dre have possibly become the most popular headphones in the world and seemingly in just a couple short years.

What really gets people talking is when Michael Phelps, possibly the greatest Olympian ever, starts wearing headphones before all of his events.  Phelps has been seen wearing a massive pair by Sol Republic.

When Kevin Lee, chief executive of Sol Republic, was asked about Phelps wearing Sol Republic he said he did not know that Phelps would be wearing his company’s headphones during the Games.

It doesn’t end with just Michael Phelps and Sun Yang though.  Ryan Lochte, Park Tai-hwan, and Liam Tancock have also been spotted warming up mentally with a pair of sports cans.

Final Thoughts

Not only did we include a wide array of IP ratings (aka submersible depth), but we also included a wide range of prices, headphone styles, colors, and features (i.e. built-in MP3 player).

Here’s our thoughts on each in a little more detail.

No phone needed. For swimmers who want to leave their phone in the locker room go with the Alpatronix or Pyle, both of which have built-in MP3 players.

Keeping it simple. You’ll need an armband for your phone or an iPod attachment, but it’s hard to be any of the earbuds on the list: Ustek, Swimbuds, or X-1.

A little more security. If you’re worried your headphones may fall off, try some of the ear hooks or neckband style: Edelin, SENSO, HydroActive, or Otium.

Going all in. The Bragi Dash are the only pair of completely wireless earbuds, but they’re still rather new and not as proven as the other styles. But man are they cool.

Now go hit the pool!