Have you ever been tempted to listen to music or podcasts underwater during a swimming session? The world of new objects is a fascinating one, with new technologies being discovered every day, enabling us to manufacture ever more sophisticated accessories.
In particular, MP3 player have gone from being big boxes that we had to keep in our pockets to players implanted directly into waterproof headphones! They now offer the possibility of listening to music underwater, whether during a relaxing swim or an intensive workout.
Of course, if you want to listen to music, you can't take your usual headphones or earphones with you. Nor can you keep your smartphone within reach the whole time you're swimming. That's why waterproof headphones with a built-in MP3 player are essential.
Luckily for us, there's a solution! Swimming headphones are the answer. So we decided to test the different models on the market to bring you our selection of the best waterproof earphones for your swimming sessions.
Our selection of waterproof headphones and MP3 players
l Wissonly Hi Runner - The excellent headphones in every way
l Sony NW-WS414B - The best underwater headphones
l Shokz Openswim- The best audio quality
l Sony NWWS623 - The best Bluetooth headset
l Pyle PSWP6BK - The best headphones for small budgets

Wissonly Hi Runner- The excellent headphones in every way

We start this ranking on a high note with the only headphones with a normal name. Ideal for those who buy it, it exudes quality from the moment you open the packaging. Hi Runner is synonymous with comfort and lightness for sportsmen during the course of use. Its sound quality is truly impressive and we can't forget its incredible ease of use. And it's very economically priced, so it can be at the top of this ranking.

Because it uses bone conduction technology, it performs extremely well in water, with crystal-clear sound. Whether you're running or cycling, it's best to maintain contact with the outside world.

If its design differs from many other headphones models, it's for the better. The Wissonly Hi Runner  is very comfortable to wear. It's worn at the temples, over the ears. A definite advantage, since there's no in-ear headset. IPX8 certified (the best possible certification), it will stand up to all situations.

Sony NW-WS414B - The best in-water headphones 

If the name is surprising, wait until you see the quality! Yes, this Sony headset deserves its place of our ranking. Whether you're in the pool or the ocean, it'll keep you motivated. Versatile, you can even use them for other activities such as running or cycling.

With more than enough internal memory, it can record over 1,600 songs (8 GB). That's more than enough to enjoy your favourite tracks while you're out and about. The package includes 3 sizes of standard earphones and 4 sizes designed just for swimming. The headset is quick to install, so don’t worry you can switch from one sport to another.

To download the music, all you have to do is connect it to your computer via a USB cable. This may not be very convenient, but bear in mind that you'll be able to download over 1,000 tracks. So it's not a task you'll have to perform every day.

Shokz Openswim- The best audio quality 

Clearly, manufacturers don't choose the simplest names for their best accessories! And yet, despite its rather special name, it is certain quality. Ideal for professional swimmers, they work by bone conduction, a very interesting technology when you're underwater. It has plenty of internal memory and is waterproof to the max.

It's very comfortable, so you can wear it with all your usual accessories, from a bathing cap to pillow plugs. Its fastening strap is just as comfortable, and you can adjust it as you like to make it fit perfectly. For sportspeople with hearing problems, it's a great design, amazing!. The audio quality is top-notch, so you'll feel like the music is resonating right inside your head!

Sony NWWS623 - The best Bluetooth headset 

Sony definitely knows what it's doing with MP3 headphones! Fourth in our selection, the NWWS623 is an excellent headphone. It retains most of the advantages of its predecessor (NWWS413) and has even been enhanced with new options. These include surprising connectivity: Bluetooth and NFC. You'll be able to stream your favourite music and podcasts directly from your smartphone. Of course, if you want to swim, you'll still need to download the music!

But don't worry, the basic model has 4 GB of internal memory, and there's even a 16 GB version for the more music-loving among you. It's very solid, so it can withstand all kinds of environments, and heat doesn't faze it. In fact, you won't see any deterioration from -5 to 45 degrees.

The impressed us that was the ambient sound detection. When you wear it, a small microphone picks up outside sounds and plays them back in your ears. Its battery life is also very pleasant: 12 hours. What's more, it recharges very quickly - for every 3 minutes you charge it, you get an hour's worth of music.

Pyle PSWP6BK - The best headphones for small budgets 

Yet the MP3 player whose name sounds more like a Wi-Fi code than a sports accessory! It's definitely not the name that counts. In fact, Pyle's unpronounceably-named player is a real marvel when you put options and price into perspective. Completely waterproof and fairly resistant, it is rated IPX8, a certificate that translates into good protection against water and perspiration.
On the technical side, there's nothing special to highlight. The battery is pretty standard, with the manufacturer promising 10 hours of autonomy, not bad for an entry-level headset. When it comes to downloading, it's same as others you need to connect them to your computer with a USB cable and download your MP3 tracks. The internal memory is similar to that of its competitors, with a total of 4 GB.

What is a swimming headphones?

Before we share the famous selection with you, it's important to understand what swimming headphones mean. To put you in a right frame of mind, swimming headphones are also known as pool headphones, aquatic headphones, waterproof wireless headphones or waterproof swimming MP3 players. In fact, all these names refer to the same technology!

You've already got the idea behind connected earphones: to be able to listen to music while swimming. Obviously, you can't take a smartphone with you when you're in the pool. So it's imperative that the headphones has a built-in MP3 player to work in this environment.

To listen to your favourite tunes to motivate you during your swims, you'll first need to download them to the internal memory with your smartphone or computer. Sometimes, the headphones are also able to connect with another device via Bluetooth smart.

How swimming headphones work？

As we've seen, swimming headphones are rather rudimentary accessories. 100% waterproof, they need to have enough internal memory to record an entire playlist or even podcasts. The mechanism is often similar to that of conventional headphones, with the exception of certain models that use the bone conduction technique.

If you've heard the term somewhere before, it certainly wasn't in a positive sense. In fact, whether for running or cycling, this method is not really suitable. But in a swimming pool, it has nothing but advantages!

By transmitting sound with vibrations that reverberate off your bones, it greatly reduces the pressure that your eardrums are already under. Thanks to this type of vibration, you can avoid potential problems that are well known to swimmers, such as otitis, and are suitable for sportspeople with hearing problems.

Criteria not to be overlooked

When shopping, it's essential to take the following criteria into account:

Your headphones must have a good quality fastener. It should be solid and fit snugly around your neck or head. It's a good idea for your MP3 player to stay in place throughout your swims.

Avoid at all costs headphones that are not unibody. The headband should be the only part of this accessory. You'll avoid major comfort problems during the action.

This may seem very logical to you, but make sure that the device's waterproof claims are borne out.

Make sure the headphones you choose have a good quality battery. Autonomy is a real comfort criterion: nobody likes having to recharge their connected devices after each use. (Aim for at least 8 hours of autonomy).

Of course, the most important criterion is storage. How can you listen to music without first downloading it? To avoid any problems, only use players with space include or higher than4 GB.

Frequently asked questions:

How can I listen to music at the pool?

If you've ever thought "My training would be more enjoyable with music", you're not alone. Luckily for us, there's a solution: waterproof MP3 players. These all-in-one headphones will change your life, making it so much easier to keep train while listening to your favourite tracks. Available in a variety of designs, you can choose the player of your like from a wide range of models!

What are the best waterproof wireless headphones?

The best swimming pool headphones are probably the style I mentioned above. Thanks to its many qualities, you'll be able to enjoy your favourite tracks while you're out and about. And some of them supplied with a range of earpieces, it's perfectly suited to your needs and can be worn on land or in the pool.

What types of waterproof earphones are there?

There are two main categories of waterproof headphones: bone-conduction walkmans and stereo in-ear headphones. The difference lies at a technical level: a bone-conduction earphone uses a principle of vibration to make the sound resonate without passing through the eardrums, which greatly reduces the pressure on the ears. 

A conventional stereo headphone is similar to the headphones we use in everyday life. However, they need to have in-ear earpieces to work underwater.
Bone conduction headphones generally offer better audio quality than a stereo walkman, but they are much less versatile. In fact, they are only designed for water and are not really recommended for activities on land.

What should I do if my swimming headphones hurt my ear?

If your ears hurt when you wear MP3 headphones underwater, it's probably because your choice of an in-ear player isn't really wise. Conventional stereo walkmans increase the pressure on your eardrums. If your eardrums are already fragile, the situation can only get worse.

To be sure, you can do a little test: swim with your pair of headphones on until you feel pain. If it comes straight away, the problem is in your ear. You should consult a doctor. If, on the other hand, it's only after one or two hours that you feel any discomfort, you're better off with a bone-conduction product. You'll gain in comfort and audio quality.

What are the technical characteristics of swimming headphones?

When you're looking at the technical specifications of a waterproof walkman, there are a number of things to consider. First of all, check that the storage capacity is sufficient. The headphones obviously can't stay connected via Bluetooth while you're swimming, so you need to download songs in advance. In general, 4 GB of storage is plenty. That's over 800 tracks!

But storage is useless if your headphones are damaged. That's why it's so important to check that your product is resistant and waterproof. The IPX standards different from the usual standards we know, which are often found in this particular case of swimming pool walkman.

The idea is to classify different models according to their resistance to water (second number) and dust (first number). In our case, dust isn't important, which is why we often find standards such as IPX + a number. IPX4 is not enough for a walkman, so aim for IPX7 or IPX8 to make sure you don't have any problems. The durability of your model depends on it!