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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want everyday wireless earbuds that handle sweat and rain while giving you touch controls and a charging case, choose C5G CSG True; if you need headphones you can actually wear in the water for lap swimming, choose Sanpyl Swimming Headphones Underwater. That's the short version. Below I break down why each one wins its own lane, and which trade-offs you're accepting either way.
• C5G CSG True — biggest strength: Bluetooth 5.3 with up to 49 feet of range, 8 hours per charge, and a charging case that adds up to 24 more hours. Strong everyday earbud with IPX7 sweat and rain protection.
• C5G CSG True — biggest trade-off: IPX7 protects against sweat, rain and splashes, but it is not built for extended submersion, so I would not plan on swimming laps with it.
• Sanpyl Swimming Headphones Underwater — biggest strength: IPX8 waterproofing rated for use in the water itself, plus a wrap-around beam and rotating shark-fin fit that is designed to stay put during swimming, running and cycling.
• Sanpyl Swimming Headphones Underwater — biggest trade-off: Older Bluetooth 5.0, no charging case, and a heavier around-55g build. You're trading convenience and modern connectivity for true underwater capability.
• Who each pick is for: C5G CSG True for gym-goers, runners and commuters who want standard in-ear earbuds. Sanpyl for swimmers who want music in the pool.
The C5G CSG True is a conventional true-wireless earbud setup, and it plays that role well. You get Bluetooth 5.3, which is the newer generation of the wireless standard and generally means a faster, more stable pairing and a connection that holds up to roughly 49 feet from your device. In practice that's the difference between leaving your phone on a bench at the gym and not worrying about dropouts. The 8 hours of continuous playback per charge is solid for a single long session, and the included charging case stretches that to about 24 hours total, which covers a week of workouts or a trip without hunting for an outlet. Recharging the case takes around 1.5 hours.
Who should buy it? Anyone who wants a normal set of wireless earbuds for the gym, running outdoors, commuting or working out at home — and who wants the sweat-and-rain protection of an IPX7 rating without paying for specialized swim gear. The IPX7 rating means it shrugs off heavy sweat and getting caught in the rain. Who should skip it? Swimmers. IPX7 protects against immersion for a limited time under defined conditions, but this is not a product designed for lap swimming, and I would not treat it as one. If your primary activity happens in a pool, keep reading.
Sanpyl Swimming Headphones Underwater: Who It's For
The Sanpyl Swimming Headphones Underwater is a different animal entirely, and the name tells you exactly what it's built for. The headline spec is IPX8 waterproofing, which is a higher water-protection class than IPX7 — the kind of rating that means the device can be used in the water itself without damage. That's the entire point of this product: music while you swim. If that's your goal, very little else in the budget headphone space even attempts it.
The fit system backs that up. Instead of standard earbud tips, Sanpyl uses a high-elastic soft back-winding beam that hooks around the back of your head, plus two sizes of silicone earplugs and rotating shark-fin stabilizers that follow the contour of your ear. The claim is that this keeps the headset from falling off during swimming, running, cycling and other sports — and the around-55g weight is the price of that secure, wrap-around design. It's noticeably heavier than a typical earbud, but earbuds simply don't stay in during a flip turn. This one is designed to.
Feature-wise you get noise reduction for clearer calls, smart voice prompts that announce power-on, pairing status, connection, incoming calls and low battery, and Bluetooth 5.0. That's a generation behind the C5G's 5.3, so I wouldn't expect the same range or connection efficiency — but for swimming, your phone is usually poolside anyway, which is a short distance. The package includes the headphone, four earplugs, a USB cable and a manual. There's no charging case here; it's a single built-in 180mAh lithium-ion battery.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for swimming → Sanpyl Swimming Headphones Underwater. IPX8 waterproofing is the deciding factor, and it's the only one of the two rated for in-water use.
• Best for everyday workouts and commuting → C5G CSG True. In-ear design, touch controls, a mic and a charging case make it the more practical daily driver.
• Best for battery convenience → C5G CSG True. 8 hours per charge plus a case that adds up to 24 more hours beats a single built-in battery.
• Best for fit security during high-motion sport → Sanpyl Swimming Headphones Underwater. The back-winding beam plus rotating shark fins are designed specifically to prevent drops.
• Best for modern connectivity → C5G CSG True. Bluetooth 5.3 with up to 49 feet of range versus Bluetooth 5.0.
• Best for lightweight wear → C5G CSG True. A standard earbud form factor versus a 55g wrap-around headset.
• Best for hands-free call clarity in noisy settings → Sanpyl Swimming Headphones Underwater. It lists an explicit noise-reduction function, where the C5G leans on its built-in mic alone.
• Best for value if you only need one job done → depends on the job. If that job is swimming, Sanpyl; if it's everything else, C5G. Check the current price on Amazon for each before deciding, since that's the one variable I can't weigh for you.
My Verdict
But I'll be honest about the exception: if you actually swim laps and want music in the water, the C5G is the wrong tool and the Sanpyl Swimming Headphones Underwater is the right one. IPX8, a wrap-around fit and shark-fin stabilizers exist for exactly that use case. Buy for the job you actually have.
are headphones waterproof
Not all of them — it depends entirely on the rating. The Sanpyl Swimming Headphones Underwater carries an IPX8 waterproof rating, which means it can be used in the water without damage. The C5G CSG True is rated IPX7, which covers sweat and rain but is not intended for swimming.
are headphones water resistant
Water resistance and waterproofing are different levels of protection. The C5G CSG True is water resistant at IPX7, which handles sweat and rain during workouts and outdoor activity. The Sanpyl Swimming Headphones Underwater goes further with IPX8, the higher water-protection class, which is why it's positioned for swimming specifically.
IPX7 and IPX8 are both water-protection ratings, but IPX8 indicates a higher level of protection against water ingress. In practical terms, the C5G CSG True's IPX7 is aimed at sweat and rain, while the Sanpyl's IPX8 is intended to let you use the headphones in the water itself.
Not necessarily — that's a design choice, not a requirement. The Sanpyl Swimming Headphones Underwater relies on a single built-in 180mAh battery with no case, while the C5G CSG True pairs 8 hours of playback with a case that provides up to 24 additional hours. If case-based charging matters to you, the C5G is the one to look at.
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