How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-03 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
• LEEMC Earbuds — biggest strength: Up to 80 hours of playtime, IPX7 waterproofing, Bluetooth 5.4, and passive noise cancellation in a hooked sport design. That is a lot of headroom for long training blocks.
• LEEMC Earbuds — biggest trade-off: The in-ear, sealed design blocks outside sound, so you lose situational awareness. For outdoor running near traffic, that matters.
• Rhyfell Bone Conduction Headphones — biggest strength: An open-ear bone conduction design at just 28 g, so you stay aware of your surroundings while the frame stays put during movement.
• Rhyfell Bone Conduction Headphones — biggest trade-off: 13 hours of playback at 80% volume and IPX5 water resistance. That is plenty for daily workouts, but it is a smaller cushion than the LEEMC set, and IPX5 handles sweat and light moisture rather than full submersion.
• Who each pick is for: Choose LEEMC if your priority is battery life, water protection, and immersive sound in the gym or on a treadmill. Choose Rhyfell if your priority is safety and comfort during outdoor runs, rides, and hikes.
The LEEMC Earbuds are built around a hooked, sport-style frame in an Ebony finish. That hook is the detail I keep coming back to. It signals that these are meant to stay anchored during movement rather than sit loosely in your ear and pop out mid-set. The model number is S12, and the style is listed simply as "Sport" — there is no ambiguity about the intended use case.
What stands out most in the specs is the combination of 80 hours of playtime, an LED display, and IPX7 waterproofing. IPX7 is the notable one. That rating means the earbuds are designed to handle immersion in water, not just sweat and splashes. For anyone who trains hard, sweats heavily, or gets caught in the rain, that is meaningful protection. The LED display is a practical touch too: it lets you see the battery state at a glance instead of guessing when you need to charge.
On the audio side, these use a dynamic driver, and noise control is listed as passive noise cancellation. Passive means the seal of the earbud itself does the blocking — there is no active circuitry canceling sound. In practice, a good in-ear seal plus a dynamic driver gives you a fuller, more isolated listening experience, which is exactly what you want when you are pushing through a heavy set and don't want gym noise intruding. Connectivity is Bluetooth 5.4, the newer end of the Bluetooth spectrum, which generally means a more stable, efficient connection. There is no headphone jack, and controls are handled by push buttons rather than touch, which I actually prefer during workouts — buttons respond reliably even with sweaty or gloved hands.
Who should buy them: Anyone whose training happens indoors or in controlled environments — weightlifting, treadmill running, rowing, HIIT classes, cycling on a stationary bike. If you want to disappear into your music, get through a marathon of sessions without charging, and not worry about sweat or water damage, this is the set that fits that brief.
Rhyfell Bone Conduction Headphones: Who It's For
The Rhyfell Bone Conduction Headphones take the opposite approach entirely. Instead of sealing sound into your ear canal, they sit on the outside of your ear and transmit sound through bone conduction, leaving your ear canal open. The model is the X27, and the ear placement is listed as open ear — that is the whole point of the design.
The first thing that jumps out is the weight: 28 grams. That is exceptionally light for any headphone, and it matters during long sessions. The frame is made from ABS plastic, and the style is described as open-ear with a secure fit built for active movement. Rhyfell specifically calls out running, cycling, gym workouts, and outdoor activities, and the upgraded skin-friendly materials are aimed at comfort during extended wear. A 28g frame with a secure fit is the kind of thing you can forget you are wearing — which is exactly what you want on a long ride or a trail run.
The open-ear design is the real differentiator. You hear your music, but you also hear everything around you. For outdoor athletes, that is a safety feature, not a compromise. The trade-off is that you give up isolation — there is no noise control on this model, and the controls are simple button controls rather than anything fancy. Connectivity is Bluetooth 6.0 with a 10-meter range, which is a notably recent Bluetooth version. Battery life is listed at 13 hours of playback at 80% volume, with a full recharge in about 2 hours via USB-C. Water resistance is IPX5, which covers sweat and light moisture — good for running, cycling, hiking, and everyday fitness, but not intended for swimming or submersion.
Who should buy them: Outdoor runners, cyclists, hikers, and anyone who trains near traffic or on shared paths and wants to stay aware of their surroundings. If comfort over long sessions and a secure, barely-there fit matter more to you than deep isolation, this is your pick.
Who should skip them: Anyone who wants to block out a noisy gym, needs serious water protection, or wants the longest possible battery between charges. The open-ear design and IPX5 rating are deliberate choices, not flaws, but they won't suit every training style.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for outdoor safety → Rhyfell Bone Conduction Headphones. The open-ear design keeps you aware of traffic and surroundings, which the sealed LEEMC design actively blocks.
• Best for water and sweat protection → LEEMC Earbuds. IPX7 is a stronger rating than IPX5 and covers immersion, not just splashes.
• Best for all-day comfort and lightweight wear → Rhyfell Bone Conduction Headphones. At 28 g with skin-friendly materials, it is built to disappear on your head.
• Best for loud, immersive gym sessions → LEEMC Earbuds. Passive noise cancellation and a dynamic driver seal you into your music.
• Best for Bluetooth modernity → It's close, but the Rhyfell lists Bluetooth 6.0 versus Bluetooth 5.4 on the LEEMC set. Both are recent versions; neither is a weak point.
• Best for simple, reliable controls → Both. The LEEMC uses push buttons and the Rhyfell uses button controls — no finicky touch panels on either.
• Best for charging convenience → Rhyfell Bone Conduction Headphones. USB-C with a 2-hour full charge is a clean, standard setup.
If I had to pick one for a general sports buyer, I would lean toward the Rhyfell Bone Conduction Headphones — but only because of how I'd use them. In my opinion, the 28g open-ear design is the better fit for the widest range of real-world training: running outside, cycling, hiking, gym work where you still want to hear what's going on around you. The awareness it gives you is a genuine safety advantage, and the lightweight frame is built for long wear.
That said, if your training is mostly indoors and you want to vanish into your music, the LEEMC Earbuds win clearly. The 80-hour playtime, IPX7 protection, and noise-canceling seal are hard to argue with for gym-focused use. Match the design to your environment, and you won't go wrong with either.
how to use sports headphones
Match the fit to your activity first. In-ear models like the LEEMC Earbuds seal into the canal for isolation, while open-ear models like the Rhyfell rest outside the ear and leave the canal open. Then pair over Bluetooth, set your volume, and use the on-board buttons to control playback. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since the page has a button for that.
how to wear running headphones
For the Rhyfell, the frame hooks over your ears and the transducers sit against your cheekbone just in front of the ear, leaving the canal open — that is what gives you awareness of traffic. For hooked in-ear models like the LEEMC, the hook goes over the top of your ear and the bud seals into the canal. Either way, adjust until it feels secure before you start moving.
how to pair jlab sport headphones
I can't speak to JLab specifically, since this comparison covers the LEEMC and Rhyfell models. In general, though, the process is the same across brands: power the headphones on, put them in pairing mode, open Bluetooth on your phone, and select the device. The LEEMC uses Bluetooth 5.4 and the Rhyfell uses Bluetooth 6.0, both of which pair the standard way.
how to charge impact sport headphones
The Rhyfell charges over USB-C and reaches a full charge in about 2 hours. The LEEMC Earbuds have an LED display that shows battery status, and their 80-hour playtime means far fewer charging stops. Always use the cable and port your specific model ships with, and avoid charging with wet or sweaty hands.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.
See also: Veemoon 2-Pack vs RUDIWRO Silicone Ear Hooks: Secure Fit, Khadas Tea vs Amazon Renewed Edifier W80, MAcnas Earbuds Open Ear vs Motorola Sound Buds 125, Kinboofi CCZ DC02 vs ADOOPE Kids Headphones