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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-28 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• esonstyle Swimming Headphones Underwater — biggest strength: IP68 waterproofing rated to 3 meters for 60+ minutes, plus an 8GB built-in MP3 player so you can swim with no phone anywhere near the pool.
• esonstyle Swimming Headphones Underwater — biggest trade-off: Bluetooth does not work underwater, so you must double-click the MFB button into MP3 mode before you get wet; noise control is listed as none.
• H2O Audio TRI Run Open — biggest strength: bone conduction acoustics with amplified bass and a soft silicone wrap-around fit tuned for long multisport sessions on land.
• H2O Audio TRI Run Open — biggest trade-off: despite the IPX8 rating, the manufacturer explicitly states it is not designed for swimming or underwater use, and playtime is listed at 6 hours.
• Who each pick is for: the esonstyle is for lap swimmers and anyone who wants untethered music in the water; the H2O Audio is for runners, cyclists, paddlers and gym users who want the best-sounding open-ear experience out of the water.
The esonstyle Swimming Headphones Underwater is the rare pair of sweatproof earbuds that crosses the line from "splash-resistant" into "actually submersible." The IP68 rating covers depths up to 3 meters for 60+ minutes, which is a real number for real lap swimming, surfing, kayaking and heavy rain runs. That is the entire reason this product exists, and it does not pretend to be anything else.
The second thing that matters here is the 8GB built-in MP3 player. You load roughly 2000+ songs over the magnetic cable, double-click MFB to jump into MP3 mode, and swim with nothing in your pocket. For a swimmer, that is the difference between a workout with music and a workout with silence. The 28g titanium frame is light enough to forget about during flip turns, and the 8-hour battery covers multiple swim sessions or a marathon-length run before you need to charge it — about 2 hours to top up.
Bluetooth 6.0 handles the dry-land half of the job with a 15-meter range and clear calls, which makes it a usable everyday pair for running and cycling too. The trade-offs are honest ones: noise control is listed as none, so there is no active cancellation, and the open-ear bone conduction design deliberately lets the world in. If you want to be sealed off from traffic or pool noise, this is the wrong tool. If you want to hear your music and your surroundings at the same time, it is the right one. I would skip it if your only goal is critical listening on a couch — bone conduction is not built for that. Buy it if you swim, and buy it if you sweat hard.
H2O Audio's TRI Run Open is aimed squarely at the multisport athlete who never gets in the pool. The company leans hard on its bone conduction engineering — proprietary speakers and acoustics software, with bass that is noticeably amplified compared to a bare-bones transducer. If you have ever tried cheap bone conduction and found it thin and tinny, this is the design brief that answers that complaint.
The open-ear shape keeps your canals clear, which is the safety argument for running on roads, cycling in traffic, or paddling where you need to hear what is coming. The wrap-around fit is finished in soft silicone, and the button placement has been reworked for intuitive control mid-stride — the kind of detail you only appreciate when you are sweaty and moving. Bluetooth 5.3 with a waterproof mic covers calls and streaming, rated to a 10-meter range.
Here is the part you must read carefully: the IPX8 rating is real and covers watersports like surfing and paddling, but H2O Audio states plainly that Bluetooth does not work underwater and the TRI Run is not designed for swimming or underwater use. So it is sweatproof, rainproof and splashproof — not a lap-swimming headphone. Battery life is listed at up to 6 hours, charging in about 2 hours, and the warranty is 1 year against the esonstyle's 2. In my opinion, this is the pick for the runner or rider who wants the best-sounding open-ear experience and treats water as weather, not as a destination.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for swimming → esonstyle Swimming Headphones Underwater. IP68 to 3 meters for 60+ minutes, plus an MP3 mode specifically because Bluetooth fails underwater.
• Best battery life → esonstyle Swimming Headphones Underwater. 8 hours listed versus 6 hours on the TRI Run.
• Best untethered use → esonstyle Swimming Headphones Underwater. 8GB of onboard storage for 2000+ songs means no phone required at all.
• Best for running and cycling safety → H2O Audio TRI Run Open. Open-ear awareness with redesigned, easy-to-find controls and a soft silicone finish.
• Best for surfing and paddling → H2O Audio TRI Run Open. IPX8 handles the spray and the wipeouts without being a swim headphone.
• Best warranty coverage → esonstyle Swimming Headphones Underwater. 2 years versus 1 year.
• Best for pure sweat → either. Both are built for hard, wet training; the split is really water immersion versus water resistance.
I would buy the esonstyle Swimming Headphones Underwater. It is the only one of the two that is actually rated and intended for swimming, and the 8GB MP3 player removes the phone problem entirely — which is the single biggest hassle in swim training. The 8-hour battery and 2-year warranty are the better long-game spec sheet too. I would only switch to the H2O Audio TRI Run Open if my training never touched a pool and I wanted the more refined bone conduction sound for road running and paddling. Check the current price on Amazon for both before you commit, since that is the one variable I cannot weigh for you.
how to wear sports earbuds
For open-ear bone conduction models like both of these, the transducer sits on the cheekbone just in front of the ear rather than inside the canal, so your ears stay completely open. The esonstyle uses a 28g titanium frame with a flexible fit, and the TRI Run uses a wrap-around design with a soft silicone finish. Adjust the band so it stays put during sprints and flip turns without pressing hard against your head.
how to use sports earbuds
Both pair wirelessly and are controlled by physical buttons. On the esonstyle, double-click the MFB button to switch between Bluetooth and MP3 mode, and press MFB three times in MP3 mode to toggle shuffle. The TRI Run runs entirely over Bluetooth 5.3. The key habit with the esonstyle: switch to MP3 mode before you enter the water, because Bluetooth will not hold a signal underwater.
how to connect sports earbuds
Put the headphones in pairing mode and select them from your phone's Bluetooth menu. The esonstyle uses Bluetooth 6.0 with a listed range of 15 meters; the H2O Audio TRI Run uses Bluetooth 5.3 with a listed range of 10 meters. For the esonstyle you can also skip Bluetooth entirely and load MP3 files onto the 8GB memory using the charging cable and a computer.
what are sports earbuds
Sports earbuds are headphones designed to stay secure and survive sweat, rain and movement. These two are open-ear bone conduction designs, meaning they transmit sound through your cheekbones instead of sealing your ear canal, so you keep awareness of traffic and surroundings. The esonstyle adds IP68 immersion and onboard MP3 storage; the H2O Audio TRI Run focuses on sound quality and a secure multisport fit above the waterline.
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