For gym, Monster AC312 is my pick for the best noise cancelling open ear earbuds for gym, with open-ear comfort, IPX5 resistance, and 32-hour battery life.
TRAUSI is the runner-up if you want an earhook fit and up to 80 hours of total playtime.
• Monster Open Ear AC312 — best for gym sessions with sweat and rain; pick this if you want IPX5 water resistance, 16mm drivers, and 32 hours of battery life.
• Monster Open Ear AC312 — best for a black open-ear option; pick this if you want the same 16mm drivers, Bluetooth 5.4, and IPX5 resistance in a black finish.
• Monster Open Ear AC312 — best for workouts where staying aware matters; pick this if you want an open-ear design, Bluetooth 5.4, and a listed 12-meter Bluetooth range.
• TRAUSI Open Ear — best for longer stretches between case charges; pick this if you want an earhook design, IPX7 resistance, and up to 80 hours of total playtime.
• “Noise cancelling” needs a little context with open-ear headphones. These designs leave your ear canal open, so they do not seal out gym noise like closed in-ear earbuds. The noise-cancelling features listed here focus on the microphone or environmental noise; they should not be taken as a promise of silence during a workout. The trade-off is that you can keep music playing while remaining more connected to nearby sounds.
The first AC312 is my pick for a straightforward gym-focused open-ear design. It rests on the ear rather than sitting inside the canal, which may suit someone who dislikes the plugged-up feeling of traditional earbuds. It is also designed to leave ambient sounds perceptible, a useful quality when moving around a shared workout space.
Its 16mm dynamic drivers are intended to provide fuller sound and stronger bass. That could make playlists feel more energetic, though the open design means the sound is not sealed in. Bluetooth 5.4 handles the wireless connection, while the stated 32-hour battery life gives you room to use the earbuds across workouts and other listening sessions without frequent charging.
The listed IPX5 water resistance makes this a reasonable match for sweat and exposure to light rain. The product information also describes touch controls and a wireless charging case. Its ENC microphone feature is aimed at filtering some background noise while picking up your voice, which is relevant for calls between sets—but it is not the same as active noise cancellation for the listener.
How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-15 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
This second AC312 shares the core specifications of the first: open-ear placement, 16mm drivers, Bluetooth 5.4, IPX5 water resistance, and 32 hours of battery life. If that is the version you prefer, it offers the same basic feature set for gym listening.
The open design keeps the ear canal unobstructed. That can be appealing for workouts where you want to hear people around you, or simply find in-ear tips uncomfortable. The 16mm drivers are intended to deliver bass-forward stereo sound, while Bluetooth provides a wireless connection to a compatible device.
For calls, the ENC microphone is described as reducing environmental noise and helping capture your voice. That may be useful when taking a call in a less-than-quiet setting, but it does not mean music listening becomes isolated from surrounding sound. The touch controls offer a way to manage playback without reaching for your phone.
This model’s trade-offs are much like the first AC312’s: no sealed fit for strong noise isolation, and IPX5 rather than IPX7 water resistance. I would choose it over the first listing only if the black finish or the specific version suits your preference. The core workout features are otherwise very similar.
Monster Open Ear AC312
The third AC312 is another open-ear option with the same central workout specs: 16mm dynamic drivers, Bluetooth 5.4, IPX5 water resistance, and a stated 32-hour battery life. Its product information lists a 12-meter Bluetooth range. That gives shoppers a concrete connectivity detail to consider, although the actual connection can depend on the surrounding environment and paired device.
The fit leaves the ear canal open, which is the main reason to consider this style over conventional earbuds. You can listen while remaining more aware of your surroundings. That may be useful when moving between gym equipment or when a workout includes time outdoors, though open-ear listening also means nearby sounds can compete with your music.
Monster lists environmental noise cancellation for this version and describes an ENC microphone for clearer calls. I would read that as a call-focused feature rather than a way to cancel gym noise from your own listening. Touch controls and the wireless charging case add convenience, while the 16mm drivers are intended to give music a more substantial low end than a small driver might.
The principal downside is that the listed water protection remains IPX5, and the battery figure is 32 hours rather than TRAUSI’s up-to-80-hour total. This is a sensible choice if the open fit and Monster’s stated features suit your needs, but it does not offer a standout advantage over the other AC312 versions based on the listed specifications.
TRAUSI takes a more visibly secure approach with an earhook design. The earbuds sit outside the ear canal, while the hook is intended to help keep them in place during movement. For gym sessions that involve running or more active exercise, that design may feel like a better fit than an open-ear model without a listed hook.
The headline battery figure is up to 80 hours of total playtime with the charging case. That is a total-use claim, not a promise that the earbuds themselves run for 80 hours on a single charge. Bluetooth 5.4 provides wireless connectivity, and the product information lists a 15-meter Bluetooth range. Touch controls are described for calls, music, volume, and voice assistants.
Its IPX7 water-resistance rating is the strongest listed among these four options, making it the more compelling pick if protection from sweat and water is a priority. The open-ear layout still allows awareness of the surrounding environment, and the ENC feature is described as helping with environmental noise. As with the Monster models, that should not be confused with listener-side noise isolation.
The trade-off is that the supplied specifications do not list a driver size or a separate earbuds-only battery duration. TRAUSI also lists a 90-day manufacturer warranty, shorter than the one-year warranty listed for the Monster models. I would choose it for the earhook, higher water-resistance rating, and longer stated total playtime—not for a claim that it will block gym noise.
How We Picked
We compared the published design, connectivity, battery, water-resistance, driver, and microphone details for each option.
The order is my independent editorial opinion based on how those features fit gym use; no brand paid for placement.
TRAUSI lists up to 80 hours of total playtime with its charging case. Monster lists 32 hours of battery life for each AC312 version; the supplied details do not break that figure down further.
TRAUSI is the only option here listed as IPX7. The three Monster AC312 listings specify IPX5, so check the rating that matches your needs and do not assume either rating means the earbuds are suitable for swimming.
Consider fit, water resistance, battery life, and whether you want to hear your surroundings. An open-ear Bluetooth headset for gym use can help maintain awareness, but it will not provide the noise isolation of a sealed design.
My recommendation for gym use is the Monster Open Ear AC312 if you want open-ear comfort, IPX5 resistance, 16mm drivers, and 32-hour battery life. Choose TRAUSI instead if its earhook, IPX7 rating, and up-to-80-hour total playtime better match your priorities.
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