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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a do-everything neckband for workouts, calls and commuting with retractable earbuds and all-day battery, choose BEARTWO Headphones; if you need headphones you can actually wear in the pool with no phone nearby, choose QMHL Swimming Headphones.
• BEARTWO Headphones – biggest strength: a foldable neckband with retractable earbuds, vibration call alerts, Bluetooth multipoint and up to 18 hours of talk time / 16 hours of music time.
• BEARTWO Headphones – biggest trade-off: it is sweatproof, not waterproof — it is built for running, driving and the gym, not for swimming.
• QMHL Swimming Headphones – biggest strength: an IP68 rating that allows full submersion up to 2 meters, plus 32GB of built-in MP3 memory so you can swim without a phone.
• QMHL Swimming Headphones – biggest trade-off: bone conduction means open-ear sound with no noise cancellation, and battery life tops out around 9–10 hours.
• Pick BEARTWO Headphones if you want one pair for calls, music and sweaty outdoor training, with a carry case and a wired-style retractable fit.
• Pick QMHL Swimming Headphones if you want audio that survives lap swimming, surfing or any activity where your phone stays in the locker.
The BEARTWO set is a neckband-style Bluetooth headset, and its whole design revolves around convenience during movement. The earbuds retract into the band, so there is no loose cable swinging around while you run — you pull out as much wire as you want, then retract it when you're done. The neckband sits on your shoulders, the function key has been moved to the outer surface of the band for easier reach, and the ear tips come in small, medium and large so you can dial in a secure fit. A hard carry case is included, which matters if you toss your headphones into a gym bag.
The features that stand out to me are the practical, phone-centric ones. A vibration alert tells you a call is coming in even in a noisy place or mid-workout. The built-in mic uses CVC noise cancellation for clearer calls. It supports multipoint — two Bluetooth devices at once — so you can be connected to a laptop and a phone and not think about it. Battery is quoted at up to 18 hours of talking and 16 hours of music, which comfortably covers a long workday, a commute and a training session. Charging runs off Micro USB and takes about 3.5 hours.
QMHL Swimming Headphones: Who It's For
The QMHL is a completely different animal. It is an open-ear bone conduction headset with an IP68 waterproof rating, which the spec sheet says allows it to be submerged in water up to 2 meters deep. That single line is the reason this product exists: swimming, surfing and water sports are explicitly in scope, and very few headphones can honestly claim that. Bone conduction drivers sit outside your ear canal and send sound through your cheekbones, so your ears stay open — you can hear traffic, training partners or poolside instructions while your music plays.
The second headline feature is the 32GB of built-in memory, good for up to roughly 8000 songs. This means you don't need a phone at all. You load your music onto the headset, put it on, and swim. For lap swimmers who can't keep a phone at the pool edge, that is the entire point of the product. It also runs Bluetooth 6.0 when you do want to pair with a phone or watch, and the frame is titanium, which keeps the weight down for longer wear. Controls are physical push buttons covering music, calls and a voice assistant.
Battery is quoted at up to 10 hours of music or talk time, with a quick-charge feature that gives about 2 hours of use from a 15-minute top-up. There is no noise cancellation — the sheet says "None" — which is consistent with the open-ear philosophy: you are supposed to hear your surroundings. The package includes noise-cancelling earplugs, which makes sense for situations where you want to block water or ambient noise while using the conduction drivers.
Who should buy it: swimmers first and foremost, plus cyclists, runners and anyone who wants situational awareness on the road. The age range listed is 8–120, so it is positioned as a family-friendly fit. Who should skip it: anyone who wants deep, isolating bass in a quiet room, and anyone who dislikes the slight vibration/pressure feeling that bone conduction can produce. Also skip it if you want maximum battery life — 9–10 hours is solid but not class-leading.
• Best for swimming → QMHL Swimming Headphones. IP68 and 2-meter submersion is a genuine waterproof claim; BEARTWO is sweatproof only.
• Best for battery life → BEARTWO Headphones. Up to 18 hours talk / 16 hours music versus roughly 9–10 hours on the QMHL.
• Best for phone-free workouts → QMHL Swimming Headphones. 32GB of built-in memory means no phone required at all.
• Best for calls → BEARTWO Headphones. Vibration alerts, a CVC noise-cancelling mic and multipoint pairing with two devices.
• Best for cable management → BEARTWO Headphones. The retractable earbuds pull out to your preferred length and retract when not in use.
• Best for situational awareness → QMHL Swimming Headphones. Open-ear bone conduction keeps you aware of traffic and surroundings.
• Best for charging convenience → QMHL Swimming Headphones. A 15-minute quick charge yields about 2 hours of playback, versus a 3.5-hour full charge on the BEARTWO.
• Best for a no-fuss first headset → BEARTWO Headphones. Physical buttons, a carry case, three ear-tip sizes and simple pairing.
If I had to pick one, I would buy the QMHL Swimming Headphones — but only if water is actually part of your routine. The IP68 rating and the 32GB of built-in memory solve a problem almost nothing else solves: music while swimming, without a phone within reach. That is a specific, hard-to-replace capability, and it is worth the shorter battery life and the open-ear sound trade-off. If you never swim with headphones and your priority is long calls, retractable earbuds and maximum run time, I would go with the BEARTWO Headphones instead — it is the better all-rounder for land. Match the product to your activity and neither will disappoint you.
Yes — the spec sheet lists an IP68 rating with submersion up to 2 meters, which is what makes them suitable for swimming, surfing and other water sports. The BEARTWO, by contrast, is described as sweatproof, so keep it out of the pool.
I would not. BEARTWO is built for running, jogging, walking, driving and gym use, and its protection is described as sweatproof. If water immersion is on your list, the QMHL is the right pick.
No. They have 32GB of built-in memory for roughly 8000 songs, so you can load music directly onto the headset and leave your phone behind. Bluetooth 6.0 is there when you do want to stream.
The BEARTWO Headphones. They include a built-in mic with CVC noise cancellation, vibration alerts for incoming calls and multipoint pairing with two devices at once. The QMHL supports calls too, but its design is aimed at open-ear listening and water use.
I don't quote prices here because they change. Compare the features you actually need — waterproofing and built-in memory versus battery life and call quality — then check the current price on Amazon using the buttons on this page before you decide.
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