The winners of this year’s sport earbuds test came from brands that range from three-year-old startups to longtime audio stalwarts, a testament to how dialed the technology has become. Each year we see more and more bargain models (under $70) on the market that, if you didn’t check the price tag, you might think went for $100, or twice that. And every year brings more new and clever features, like in-ear detection and sound profiles to suit your taste for bass vs. treble. Then there’s active noise cancellation (ANC), which first came to earbuds some five years ago but has become commonplace, perhaps an indicator that the world around us really needs to shut the hell up, and that we all—whether running, doing yoga, or commuting—can best find our sweet spot when alone in our particular sound cave.

One thing șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű readers can appreciate is the increasing ruggedness and water resistance in almost any pair of buds you might acquire—even those that don’t have high are likely able to survive a walk in the rain or a drop into a puddle and still keep doing what they do. With less and less to separate high-end products from low-end, the differentiators are becoming more a question of how much care and attention to detail are put into the product.

Updated October 2024: We’ve added three new picks from Denon, Suunto, and Treblab, and updated the retailers and pricing of all the earbuds.

At a Glance

• Best All-Around:
• Best High-Fidelity:
• Best Open-Ear:
• Best for Long Hours:
• Best for Runners:
• Best for Smaller Ears:
• Killer Value:
• How to Choose Earbuds
• How We Test
• Meet Our Lead Tester

If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside. Learn more.

Best All-Around

Marshall Motif II ANC

Pros and Cons
⊕ Top-notch, dynamic sound
⊕ Rockin’ design
⊕ Highly grippable stems
⊗ Shorter-than-average battery life

The Motif II ANCs have the same popular stem design as Apple’s beloved AirPods Pro but cling to your ears even better. Like the AirPods Pro, they sound fantastic, with faithful, crystal-clear highs, mids, and lows (and no artificial, random bass boosting), and come with a versatile app that includes a custom equalizer (where, yes, you can add more bass). But unlike the AirPods Pro, the Motif II ANC earbuds carry Marshall’s pedigree classic rock aesthetic, which is actually very useful: the grippy metal stems make them much easier to handle, and the textured vinyl case feels indestructible. They even come in at $50 less than Apple’s counterpart.

In testing, connectivity proved flawless, and their active noise cancellation (ANC) was very effective, though a step below Apple’s model. One tester did find that their robust design meant they needed occasional fit adjustment during runs, and their IPX5 protection means they’re not rated to keep out dust and solids, but they will do fine with heavy rain, sweat, or sea spray. Battery life is the only real downside: They play for just 6 hours with ANC engaged or 9 hours without (similar to the AirPods Pro but 2–3 hours less than competitors like Sony, Sennheiser, and JLabs) and the case holds four extra charges. But with the “best sound quality of all the buds in this test,” according to one tester, and a design that made everyone take notice, the Motif II ANCs take home our top prize for their character and quality.

Read our full review of the Marshall Motif II ANC.

Best High-Fidelity

Denon PerL True Wireless Earbuds

Pros and Cons
⊕ Rich, dynamic sound
⊕ Impressive app
⊕ Customizable sound profile
⊗ Chunky size

“Each product is hand-tuned by our sound master,” Denon says of the PerLs, and while we don’t know exactly what that means, it speaks to the Japanese DNA in these premium-sounding buds. Take the accompanying software, for instance: The first thing you do with these wireless buds is download an app that streams a series of sounds and frequencies into your ears to measure how you hear, then creates a personalized profile that transforms how good music sounds. It’s one of the best uses of a headphone app we’ve seen.

The PerLs came across as lively but not piercing on the high end, with realism and verve. There’s even a high-gain option on the app that boosts volume for quiet recordings, which one tester called “a welcome feature that I would love to see in a lot of sometimes anemic Bluetooth earbuds.” These capabilities are made possible by a series of ultra-sensitive microphones, which probably explains their rather enormous size—one reviewer called them “sharp-edged Alka-Seltzer tablet earbud bodies” and noted, “I had to remove the supplied fin attachment before these felt okay.”

Others liked the fit and found them great for running, where they kept the adrenaline flowing with some of the best full-on rocking-out sound in the test. “St. Vincent and Spoon sounded like I was listening to vinyl,” one tester said. The active noise cancellation is decent, the six hours of battery is average (with two more charges from the case), and an IPX4 rating means they can handle a light rain. Given the quality and attention to detail, we consider these a true bargain at $139 or less.

Best Open-Ear

Suunto Sonic

Pros and Cons
⊕ Safe in traffic
⊕ Secure fit
⊗ Limited, soundwise
⊗ No portable power bank

This year Suunto entered the “open-ear” category that was pioneered by Shokz and has continually improved with brands like H2O Audio. The design uses bone conduction technology to feed music directly to your inner ear, leaving your ear canal wide open to take in the sounds around you. It seems pretty advanced, but for music lovers the tech has severe limitations. And Suunto hasn’t exactly overcome them: The Sonic doesn’t have the power to produce vibrant bass—or even to play loud. If it did, it would vibrate to the point of tickling you to death.

As a runner, however, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this unit for listening to podcasts, which they do admirably while allowing me to hear when someone is passing me on the trail (an increasingly frequent occurrence). For those who want to optimize safety, like runners who need to contend with traffic, and for sports that require hearing other people (skiers, climbers, skaters, cyclists …) they’re a very smart option.

The 10-hour battery life (with no charging case for backup) lets you get your miles in, and a five-minute recharge provides three additional hours. The behind-the-neck band is comfortable and keeps them firmly in place. IP55 sweat and water resistance allows you to wear them through a downpour, and if you’re like me you’ll also love using them indoors: They’re perfect for watching Netflix on my laptop while working in the kitchen, without taking away my wife’s ability to walk in and bug me.

Best for Long Hours

Treblab X3 Pro True Wireless Earbuds

Pros and Cons
⊕ Crazy-long battery life
⊕ Secure fit
⊕ Good sound for the price
⊗ Oversize carrying case

If you are especially averse to earbuds that lose power quickly or slowly start to slide their way out of your ears as you move about, these are the solution for you. With a whopping 145 hours of available playtime (nine hours per charge plus 15 more in the charging case), the X3 Pros are designed for those folks who would rather plug in once a week and not have to think about the battery. The trade-off is a bulky case that doesn’t slide readily into your shorts pocket but does have a handy battery-life readout built into the side.

The IPX5 sweat- and water-resistant buds also come with ear hooks, a basic approach to a secure fit that has stuck around because it works. The sound quality is good if not at the level of the premium models here, and the build seems flimsy but held up throughout testing. Another nice touch is ENC (environmental noise cancellation), which enhances the sound quality, not for you but for the person on the other end of a call. They don’t, however, come with ANC. While the X3 Pros are no-frills, one reviewer found these workhorses “my hands-down favorite for trail running.”

Best for Runners

Beats Studio Buds +

Pros and Cons
⊕ Easy to use
⊕ Secure fit
⊕ Consistently good sound
⊗ Limited grip area makes them easy to drop

The well-engineered Studio Buds + are our top pick for runners because of their light weight and small profile, staying in place well while you bob about. One tester, who even used them while paddleboarding, found that they “fit really well immediately out of the box and never fell out or needed adjusting.” They didn’t, however, boast the lockdown security of the “wingtips” that came built-in on the earlier (and still available) . The Studio Buds + are an improvement over their predecessors (same name sans the +), with upgrades that include better ANC and longer battery life (6 hours with ANC on, 9 hours without). With an IPX4 protection rating, they held up against sweat and light rain. This model put extra oomph in our strides with bassier but nice ‘n’ clear sound, similar to that of the Apple AirPods Pro. ANC on the Studio Buds + is only middle of the pack but did a decent job blocking out the chatter in a crowded coffeehouse, and Beats tripled the size of the microphones for a call quality that impressed testers.

We also liked the push controls on the outside of each bud, which never accidentally paused tracks the way touch controls sometimes do. Similarly, they don’t have in-ear detection, a feature some of our testers find aggravating. Forgot to charge them? A five-minute plug-in adds a quick hour of playback time. While their diminutive size can make them hard to grasp when plucking them out of the magnetic case, we nevertheless found ourselves reaching for them routinely, especially when heading to the trail. And as you’d expect from the brand, the Studio Buds + look sleek and wholly of the moment—we especially approved of the transparent option, but the ivory and black/gold opaque models are also appropriately sporty.

Best for Smaller Ears

Raycon Fitness Earbuds

Pros and Cons
⊕ Extreme portability
⊕ Surprisingly bold sound
⊗ A bit on the fragile side
⊗ More likely to be lost

The magic in the straightforwardly named Fitness Earbuds lies in their barely-there size. Both the lightweight buds and the case—which fits in the palm of your hand and slips discreetly into any pocket—are tiny. This makes it all the more impressive that they can pump out rich, deep sound for 12 hours on a charge (with ANC off) and hold 44 more hours of recharging in the case. One of our testers, a runner with several ear piercings, said “these felt the most comfortable and secure in my ears,” a fact that is helped by the soft stabilizing fins that cleverly slip on and off depending on your preference. Folks with larger ears enjoyed them too but did have occasional trouble with them falling out.

The Fitness Earbuds come with helpful touch controls for volume, ANC, and even three different sound profiles (more bass, etc.), and their multipoint feature lets you connect to both phone and laptop at the same time. IPX7 water-resistance means they can handle rain and even short periods of total immersion. One tester who works as a carpenter wore them at work and “never had any issues with them being affected by sweat or sawdust.”

Killer Value

JLab GO Air Sport

Pros and Cons
⊕ Exceptional value
⊕ Secure fit
⊗ Infrequent pairing issues
⊗ Some tunes can sound tinny

For those who put their buds through hell, there’s nothing to dislike in this smooth-sounding unit, given that they come with a replacement cost that is less than a pizza with all the toppings. Their comfortable, bendy ear hooks all but guarantee a secure fit during workouts, even if your workouts involve handstands. With an IP55 rating, they can handle dust and moderate rain. “These were my go-to earbuds for durability,” said our Anchorage-based tester. “I tested them on trail runs and hikes during misty Alaska rains. They are very durable and did not fall out of my ears or seem to be affected by rain or sweat.”

While one runner on the test crew found the relatively large case a bit cumbersome to carry in a pocket, the 8-hour charge was adequate for most workouts and daylong activities (and the case provides another 24 hours). As for that case: We like that it has its own built-in USB charging cord. The touch controls are nice to have but don’t always perform as expected, and the earbuds do not come with ANC, though at this price that shouldn’t be an expectation. Based on their durability, clear sound, reliable connectivity, and price, they make perfect sense for more rough-and-tumble activities or as a backup to pricier headsets.

How to Choose Earbuds

Earbuds are more like shoes than most other gear categories: so much depends on the right fit. What comfortably fits one person’s ears may not suit another’s, and there’s more to it than size. The internal anatomy of the ear makes certain designs actually sound better to one person than the next. If you can’t try them out at a store or borrow them from a friend, it may be best to buy them from a retailer with a good return policy. Once you have them in hand, do some real-world tests with the different tip sizes, and trade them in if you aren’t in love.

If you want to get serious about the perfect fit, consider aftermarket foam eartips, like . In addition to helping with a more secure fit, they provide passive noise isolation, which can improve the experience with both ANC-equipped and ANC-less earbuds. Should fit issues persist, consider a model with behind-the-ear hooks, like the JLab GO Air Sport reviewed here.

Also give some thought to which features do it for you: Some people like sleek touch controls, others prefer old-school push buttons; some like to tap for quick pausing, others would rather forgo that feature and pull out one bud to ask for directions, so as to avoid the annoyance of unwanted pauses every time your fingers go near them. And if you live in a rainy climate, be sure to choose ones with an IP rating ending in 4 or higher (as all the models here do).

Finally, be aware that there are more specialized designs emerging and getting better each year–like these earbuds for , others for , and for those who want to stay more tuned in to their surroundings.

How We Test

• Number of Miles Run During Testing: 415
• Number of Miles Cycled: 154
• Number of Dogs Walked: 8
• Hours of Podcasts Consumed During Travel: 45
• Coldest Temp: –3, Anchorage, Alaska
• Warmest Temp: 102, Tucson, Arizona
• Highest Elevation: 12,341 feet, Deception Peak, New Mexico
• Most Remote Testing Location: Antarctica
• Most Listened-To Tracks: Aphex Twin: “#3,” Billie Eilish: “Bad Guy,” Biosphere: “Baby Satellite,” Christian McBride and Edgar Meyer: “Barnyard Disturbance,” Fontaines D.C.: “Favourite,” J Dilla: “Last Donut of the Night,” Kendrick Lamar: “Not Like Us,” Orbital and Sleaford Mods: “Dirty Rat,” The Replacements: “Kiss Me On the Bus,” Tyler, The Creator: “New Magic Wand”

The first thing we do with any earbuds, headphones, or speakers is attempt to pair them with our phones without consulting the user manual: the quicker, more intuitive, and easier the Bluetooth setup, the more points scored. Then we put them through rigorous hours of testing doing the kinds of things șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű readers do—from dog walks to HIIT workouts, from fireside listening to our day jobs, which for one of us is at the local woodworking shop. Our testers, who range in location from Alaska to Berkeley to Santa Fe to New York City, spent hours in them, bouncing up and down on trails, treadmills, and trains.

Our team turns in reports on each product tested, providing a score from 1 to 10 for five different measures: sound quality, pairing and connectivity, fit and comfort, rain and drop protection, and user friendliness. Scores are averaged, with more weight given to sound quality and (knowing our audience) how well they stand up to the elements. Note: Battery life estimates in these reviews are based on manufacturer specs; it’s difficult to confirm those numbers, given the time involved and variances among user habits (different volumes, different uses, different functions enabled). Actual results may be 10 to 20 percent lower, judging from averages experienced in general testing.

Meet Our Lead Tester

Will Palmer has been testing gear for 20 years for șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű, where he was managing editor and copy chief for nine years. Based in Santa Fe, he has been a runner since 1984, and while the mile counts have decreased over the years, he’s kept motivated to head out the door on the hottest, coldest, and wettest days by the opportunity to test the best new products—and to commune with the junipers and piñons.

The post The Best New Sport Earbuds (2024) appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

Last summer our family had a reunion in Alaska, venturing from forest to mountains to sea and staying up late into the subarctic evenings. The vibe was mellow; the Alaskan Amber went down smoothly. But something was missing. We’re all music lovers—my 20-something kids even tolerate some of the tunes I like—and I didn’t bring a Bluetooth speaker.

Three weeks of moving around, hiking and biking here, fishing and kayaking there, fighting off mosquitoes everywhere, meant packing a variety of clothes and gear, so I wanted to save on weight. But the trade-off for being able to fire up a one- or two-pound wireless speaker each night would’ve been well worth it.

Fortunately for all of us, Bluetooth speakers are sounding louder and better than ever. There are more options for weatherproof models that you can drop in the mud, and we’re seeing more features like USB-C output (for charging your phone so the speaker has music to play, something found on all the models here), fast charging, and “true stereo” that you can achieve by pairing two units at once—not to mention new and clever ways to enhance the acoustics.

On your next outing, plan accordingly: International flight? A one-pound speaker means nothing when you’re trying to stay under the 50-pound limit, and rescues a movie night at the hotel when you’re in “recovery.” Canoe-packing trip? A five-pounder with IP67 water resistance. National park road trip: Bring the monster (but respect your fellow campers). As for day hikes on a trail with other hikers: Please don’t strap a speaker on your back and play Matchbox Twenty. That’s what we came here to get away from.

At a Glance

• Best All-Around:
• Most Rugged:
• Best for Home or Tame Travels:
• Best For Audiophiles:
• Best For Travel:
• Best Value:
• Also Recommended
• How to Choose
• How We Test
• Meet Our Lead Testers

All gear in this guide was tested by multiple reviewers. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside. Learn more.

Best All-Around

House of Marley Get Together 2 XL

“It feels like there’s a pretty fun party lurking not too far beneath the surface here,” one of our testers said, and indeed the Get Together 2XL is one of the loudest and liveliest Bluetooth speakers you’re ever likely to hear. Weighing in at 12.65 pounds and almost 18 inches from end to end, it’s not one you’ll be dangling from a pack on a day hike, but, being IP65 water- and dust-resistant, it does perform in the outdoors, whether that means tailgating, pool parties, or campgrounds. “It delivered one of my go-to punk torture tracks, ‘London Calling,’ with flying colors at top volume,” said another tester.

True to House of Marley’s heritage, the 60-watt 2XL has a sustainability story, with an attractive bamboo face and fabric cladding made from recycled plastic, reclaimed cotton, and hemp, and even the insides use recycled materials. (One tester pointed out that the eco-story is slightly belied by the inclusion of five power adapters for use abroad—for a speaker we’d scarcely think of bringing on an international flight.) Though it doesn’t come with a strap, as one tester noted, “in the absence of a handle you could string a hemp rope between the two built-in strap loops and keep the natural aesthetic alive.” The speaker plays for 20 hours on a single charge and can switch between three different sound modes: signature, bass boost, and acoustic. “Its size and sonic muscle is a fun throwback to boomboxes of yore,” one tester said.

Most Rugged

Turtlebox Gen 2

Like Pelican and Otter, Turtlebox thinks in terms of durability that will see you through any terrain on earth, if not other planets. Case in point: The company’s website claims that they were able to park a six-ton monster truck on this speaker, to no ill effect. Encased in super-hard plastic and completely waterproof (even floatable), the Gen 2 has quickly garnered a following among fishermen and watersports enthusiasts for more than being tough. The 120-decibel speaker is “both incredibly loud and impressively refined,” one tester observed. Indeed, our team was hard-pressed to find many differences in audio quality between the Turtlebox 2 and the other top scorers in this year’s test. The unit also plays for 25 hours at lower volumes and about six hours at max volume, such as you’d need for a big party.

During LCD Soundsystem’s “Tribulations,” the bass tones flowed smooth as silk and distortion-free, thanks to the 6-by-9-inch woofer, and, to our surprise, the high and midrange sounds also came across with great clarity. With five color options and an ideal form factor—a lunchbox-size 9.5-pound boombox with a hard nylon handle coated in rubber, plus rubber bumpers on the undercarriage—the Turtlebox Gen 2 gets just about everything right, and its fairly high price tag is less scary when you consider its durability.

Best For Home And Tame Travel

Morel Biggie

If the Turtlebox is the speaker that wears camo and hip waders, the Morel Biggie is in a well-tailored suit. But it, too, sounds pristine. The Biggie is the 7-by-7-inch, 5.8-pound smaller sibling to the company’s 12-by-12-inch, 16-pound modular Högtalare bookshelf speaker, which was designed in conjunction with Ikea to fit inside its bookcases. The Biggie retains those sleek looks and gets a fat faux-leather handle that invites you to pick it up and take it on a road trip. While travel and patio use are certainly within its capabilities, it does not offer any water resistance (and the speaker cover is held on with magnets, which is cool but allows it to pop off easily during transport). It stays connected across an impressive 165-foot range, so whether you’re carting it to the backyard to do chores or playing it in your Airbnb, you’ll appreciate the Biggie’s outstanding sound.

The well-priced speaker has a four-inch woofer and one-inch tweeter and employs digital signal processing (DSP), which, as the company describes it, “continually adjusts according to the set listening volume to create a well-balanced and natural sound free from distortion and coloration.” Battery life is a respectable 20 hours at 50 percent volume, and it has a quick-charge feature that can come in handy when you’re on the move. The only problem with the nine color options is that you won’t know which one to choose. “With one of the most discreet profiles I’ve seen in a speaker,” one tester enthused, “it causes a double take every time I realize how loud and clear it sounds.”

Best For Audiophiles

Bose SoundLink Max

For those who were wowed by Bose’s 1.3-pound SoundLink Flex (our 2022 Editor’s Choice winner), this larger and far more powerful 4.9-pound edition of the SoundLink will be true love. It punches above its weight, with rich bass and perfect balance in the higher registers. While the addition of a rubber-coated rope handle is both convenient and cute, the sticking-to-basics features from this classic brand made it a bit less fun than other party-ready units in this test. Where Bose beats them, though, is with more subtle orchestral and ambient tracks. Max Richter’s The New Four Seasons came through with a dynamism and presence that was a notch above.

Battery life is 20 hours, range is a passable 30 feet, and Bose’s app is more versatile than those that accompany most speakers, with EQ settings to suit your tastes and listening environment. IP67 water and dust resistance means it’s fine being dropped in the pool for up to 30 minutes. The SoundLink Max does cost a lot for its size, but for those among us who like to just sit and focus on great music, it may be the most ideal—and ideally sized—portable speaker to date.

Best For Travel

Klipsch Nashville

Ten years ago, it would’ve been inconceivable to hear sound this deep and loud coming from a speaker so small. Such are the advances of science. Klipsch’s Nashville is the Goldilocks among a new trio of IP67 water- and dust-resistant speakers from the brand (alongside the larger Detroit and the smaller Austin). All of them sound great, but the Nashville won us over because it over-delivers for its size, a mere 2.4 pounds and seven inches wide. A pair of 2.25-inch full-range drivers—one on the front and another on the back—create what the company calls 360-degree sound, so it works nicely in the center of a room as opposed to a bookshelf.

The tough build—with cushy rubber cladding all around—instills confidence in its durability, and its 24-hour battery life makes it even better for carrying through remote places without power. The Nashville has a 40-foot range and can be wirelessly linked together with up to 10 other compatable Klipsch units. We also like the built-in mic, which allows it to work as a speakerphone, courteously pausing your music on its own. “The cool retro looks don’t prepare you for how thoroughly modern this speaker sounds,” one tester said.

Best Value

Tribit XSound Plus 2

About 33 percent smaller than the Klipsch Nashville, Tribit’s 1.76-pound XSound Plus 2 is another travel-friendly speaker you can throw in your duffel without a second thought. It offers impressive technology for its price, including DSP, 24 hours of battery life, and a terrific 150-foot range. While it has surprisingly strong bass, it does tend to get distorted at higher volumes—though given its size, we wouldn’t expect anything more. The XSound Plus 2 is IPX7-rated, making it fine with direct sprays of water or a quick dunk.

The looks are clean, and controls are simple to use, including a True Wireless Stereo button that joins two Tribits together (a reasonable $140 investment), allowing them to play in stereo. According to one tester, “moderate approval turned to something like love when I heard these as a stereo pair—the two units sounded terrific together, with good separation, a wide soundstage, and a big leap in punch.” The Tribit app helps you get more out of the unit(s): equalizers for bass boosting, rock, jazz, audiobooks, and “MaxSound traditional” do a great job of tailoring the sound to suit your tracks and help reduce distortion.

Also Recommended

These speakers didn’t quite make our top picks, but we still think they’re worth a look if they match your needs.

Soundboks Go

We’re fans of this very loud, tough-built 20-pound beast. It’s a big piece of equipment (and a big investment) that is best suited to big outdoor bashes, with a battery life of 40 hours at mid-volume, a useful carrying strap, and an excellent app with equalizers you can customize or use the presets for indoor use, bass boosting, and more.

Ultimate Ears Epicboom

UE’s “Boom” series of speakers are easy to connect, aesthetically interesting, and reliable. The midsize, 4.36-pound Epicboom is no exception. With IP67 protection, well-rounded audio, bass you can really shake your hips to, and a nice array of colors, it’s one of the more fun and versatile party speakers out there.

Skullcandy Terrain

Weighing in at one pound, this toss-in-your-pack unit is a nice pick for far-flung adventures, or simply strapping on your handlebars. It doesn’t have the oomph of some others its size, but it certainly puts the speakers on any smartphone or laptop to shame, for a value price.

How to Choose

When shopping for a new Bluetooth speaker, first consider whether you’ll be using it indoors, outdoors, or both. Check its to get an idea of how much water and dust resistance it offers; these are typically reliable. Next, think about how much you’ll be carrying it around—between house and backyard, say, or moving from campsite to campsite—and whether you’ll be on foot (carrying a pack or duffel, or not) or on wheels. Then consider what makes sense in terms of weight and dimensions. As a general rule, the heavier a speaker is, the more volume you’ll get out of it, but playing it loud isn’t always a necessity—some of you will be entertaining large groups, but others will just be setting it up for mellow creekside cocktail-hour listening with your partner.

If you’re someone who moves around a lot, a speaker with long battery life might also make a difference. These days most new models will play for a good 10 hours or more even at high volume, but some are longer-lasting than others, as detailed in the models reviewed here. Finally, more and more models offer “true stereo” linking, where two or more speakers can be paired to play at once, but in stereo; this makes smaller models with this option a little more attractive than before, because if you later decide to invest more, you can give your soundscape an appreciable boost.

How We Test Audio Equipment

• Hours of Podcasts Consumed During Travel: 28
• Yoga Sessions: 7
• Number of Miles Run While Testing Ear Buds: 255
• Number of Dogs Walked: 8
• Coldest Temp: –3, Anchorage, Alaska
• Warmest Temp: 90, Santa Fe, New Mexico
• Most Remote Testing Location: Antarctica
• Most Listened-To Tracks: Japanese Breakfast: “Paprika,” Bob Marley and the Wailers: “Natural Mystic,” Wet Leg: “Chaise Longue,” Danger Mouse and Black Thought, feat. MF Doom: “Belize,” Kelly Lee Owens: “Moebius,” Brian Eno: “Discreet Music,” Sam Fender: “Hypersonic Missiles”

The first thing we do with any Bluetooth speakers is attempt to pair them with our phones without consulting the user manual: the quicker, more intuitive, and easier the sync, the more points scored. Then we put them through hours of testing doing the kinds of things șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű readers do—soaking in remote hot springs, inviting friends over for outdoor dance parties, playing audiobooks while riding a bike, etc.

Our team turns in reports on each product tested, providing a score of 1 to 10 for five different measures: sound quality, pairing and connectivity, fit and comfort, rain and drop protection, and user friendliness. Scores are averaged, with more weight given to sound quality and (knowing our audience) how well they stand up to the elements. Note: Battery life estimates in these reviews are based on manufacturer specs; it’s difficult to confirm those numbers, given the time involved and variances among user habits (different volumes, different uses, different functions enabled). Actual results may be 10 to 20 percent lower, judging from averages experienced in general testing.

Meet Our Lead Tester

Will Palmer has been testing gear for 20 years for șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű, where he was managing editor and copy chief for nine years. Based in Santa Fe, he has been a runner since 1984, and while the mile counts have decreased over the years, he’s kept motivated to head out the door on the hottest, coldest, and wettest days by the opportunity to test the best new products—and to commune with the junipers and piñons.

The post The Best Bluetooth Speakers for Outdoor șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍűs appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

The winners of this year’s audio tests came from brands that range from three-year-old startups to longtime audio stalwarts, a testament to how dialed the technology has become. Each year we see more and more bargain models on the market that, if you didn’t check the price tag, you might think went for $100, or twice that. And every year brings more new and clever features, like in-ear detection and sound profiles to suit your taste for bass vs. treble. Then there’s active noise cancellation (ANC), which first came to earbuds some five years ago but has become commonplace, perhaps an indicator that the world around us really needs to shut the hell up, and that we all—whether running, doing yoga, or commuting—can best find our sweet spot when alone in our particular sound cave. One thing șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű readers can appreciate is the increasing ruggedness and water resistance in basically any pair of buds you might acquire—even those that don’t have high are likely able to survive a walk in the rain or a drop into a puddle and still keep doing what they do. With less and less to separate high-end products from low-end, the differentiators are becoming more a question of how much care and attention to detail are put into the product.

Read on for our winners, from deserving buds of all shapes and sizes to the best premium travel headphones.

Updated August 2024: We’ve updated the formatting of this guide and updated the retailers and pricing of our picks.

At a Glance

• Best All-Around:
• Best for Runners:
• Best for Smaller Ears:
• Killer Value:
• Best Travel Headphones:
• How to Choose Earbuds
• How We Test
• Meet Our Lead Tester

If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside. Learn more.

Best All-Around

Marshall Motif II ANC

Pros and Cons
⊕ Top-notch, dynamic sound
⊕ Rockin’ design
⊕ Highly grippable stems
⊗ Shorter-than-average battery life

The Motif II ANCs have the same popular stem design as Apple’s beloved AirPods Pro but cling to your ears even better. Like the AirPods Pro, they sound fantastic, with faithful, crystal-clear highs, mids, and lows (and no artificial, random bass boosting), and come with a versatile app that includes a custom equalizer (where, yes, you can add more bass). But unlike the AirPods Pro, the Motif II ANC earbuds carry Marshall’s pedigree classic rock aesthetic, which is actually very useful: the grippy metal stems make them much easier to handle, and the textured vinyl case feels indestructible. They even come in at $50 less than Apple’s counterpart. In testing, connectivity proved flawless, and their active noise cancellation (ANC) was very effective, though a step below Apple’s model. One tester did find that their robust design meant they needed occasional fit adjustment during runs, and their IPX5 protection means they’re not rated to keep out dust and solids, but they will do fine with heavy rain, sweat, or sea spray. Battery life is the only real downside: They play for just 6 hours with ANC engaged or 9 hours without (similar to the AirPods Pro but 2–3 hours less than competitors like Sony, Sennheiser, and JLabs) and the case holds four extra charges. But with the “best sound quality of all the buds in this test,” according to one tester, and a design that made everyone take notice, the Motif II A.N.C.s take home our top prize for their character and quality.

Read our full review of the Marshall Motif II ANC.

Best for Runners

Beats Studio Buds +

Pros and Cons
⊕ Easy to use
⊕ Secure fit
⊕ Consistently good sound
⊗ Limited grip area makes them easy to drop

The well-engineered Studio Buds + are our top pick for runners because of their light weight and small profile, staying in place well while you bob about. One tester, who even used them while paddleboarding, found that they “fit really well immediately out of the box and never fell out or needed adjusting.” They didn’t, however, boast the lockdown security of the “wingtips” that came built-in on the earlier (and still available) . The Studio Buds + are an improvement over their predecessors (same name sans the +), with upgrades that include better ANC and longer battery life (6 hours with ANC on, 9 hours without). With an IPX4 protection rating, they held up against sweat and light rain. This model put extra oomph in our strides with bassier but nice ’n’ clear sound, similar to that of the Apple AirPods Pro. ANC on the Studio Buds + is only middle of the pack but did a decent job blocking out the chatter in a crowded coffeehouse, and Beats tripled the size of the microphones for a call quality that impressed testers. We also liked the push controls on the outside of each bud, which never accidentally paused tracks the way touch controls sometimes do. Similarly, they don’t have in-ear detection, a feature some of our testers find aggravating. Forgot to charge them? A five-minute plug-in adds a quick hour of playback time. While their diminutive size can make them hard to grasp when plucking them out of the magnetic case, we nevertheless found ourselves reaching for them routinely, especially when heading to the trail. And as you’d expect from the brand, the Studio Buds + look sleek and wholly of the moment—we especially approved of the transparent option, but the ivory and black/gold opaque models are also appropriately sporty.

Best for Smaller Ears

Raycon Fitness Earbuds

Pros and Cons
⊕ Extreme portability
⊕ Surprisingly bold sound
⊗ A bit on the fragile side
⊗ More likely to be lost

The magic in the straightforwardly named Fitness Earbuds lies in their barely-there size. Both the lightweight buds and the case—which fits in the palm of your hand and slips discreetly into any pocket—are tiny. This makes it all the more impressive that they can pump out rich, deep sound for 12 hours on a charge (with ANC off) and hold 44 more hours of recharging in the case. One of our testers, a runner with several ear piercings, said “these felt the most comfortable and secure in my ears,” a fact that is helped by the soft stabilizing fins that cleverly slip on and off depending on your preference. Folks with larger ears enjoyed them too but did have occasional trouble with them falling out. The Fitness Earbuds come with helpful touch controls for volume, ANC, and even three different sound profiles (more bass, etc.), and their multipoint feature lets you connect to both phone and laptop at the same time. IPX7 water-resistance means they can handle rain and even short periods of total immersion. One tester who works as a carpenter wore them at work and “never had any issues with them being affected by sweat or sawdust.”

Killer Value

JLab GO Air Sport

Pros and Cons
⊕ Exceptional value
⊕ Secure fit
⊗ Infrequent pairing issues
⊗ Some tunes can sound tinny

For those who put their buds through hell, there’s nothing to dislike in this smooth-sounding unit, given that they come with a replacement cost that is barely more than a pizza with all the toppings. Their comfortable, bendy, ear hooks all but guarantee a secure fit during workouts, even if your workouts involve handstands. With an IP55 rating, they can handle dust and moderate rain. “These were my go-to earbuds for durability,” said our Anchorage-based tester. “I tested them on trail runs and hikes during misty Alaska rains. They are very durable and did not fall out of my ears or seem to be affected by rain or sweat.” While one runner on the test crew found the relatively large case a bit cumbersome to carry in a pocket, the 8-hour charge was adequate for most workouts and daylong activities (and the case provides another 24 hours). As for that case: We like that it has its own built-in USB charging cord. The touch controls are nice to have but don’t always perform as expected, and the earbuds do not come with ANC, though at this price that shouldn’t be an expectation. Based on their durability, clear sound, reliable connectivity, and price, they make perfect sense for more rough-and-tumble activities or as a backup to pricier headsets.

Best Travel Headphones

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e

Pros and Cons
⊕ Excellent sound
⊕ Invitingly discreet design
⊗ Not suitable for adventures

“These are the best-sounding over-ear wireless headphones I’ve experienced,” one of our veteran testers exclaimed. In a category dominated by the likes of Bose, Sony, and Apple, it’s refreshing that this year’s most inviting travel headphones come from a legendary British audiophile brand, founded in 1966, known for its excellent but pricey and historically not rugged headphones. The Px7 S2e addresses both of those issues, quietly going about its business with a solidly built and thrilling-to-listen-to product at a price that is perfectly reasonable. We gave them style points for a nice range of beautiful, nature-based color options, from the standard Anthracite Black to Cloud Grey, Ocean Blue, and Forest Green. The active noise cancellation, while not best in class, does a decent job, using four microphones to adapt to your surrounding soundscape, and they come with a barebones but serviceable app. Battery life is a stellar 30 hours, and a 15-minute charge provides seven additional hours. While testers wished they could reach slightly higher volumes, bass-heavy head-bopping isn’t what these are made for. “If you want balance, resolution, accuracy, transparency, and deeply pleasurable naturalness, this one delivers,” a tester wrote. They do fall short in packability—one tester noted, “it would be nice if they folded”—and we wouldn’t advise wearing them in a downpour, but the Px7 S2e comes with a sturdy protective case that will stand up to a certain degree of rough handling. Just remember to pack it in your carry-on.

How to Choose Earbuds

Earbuds are more like shoes than most other gear categories: so much depends on the right fit. What comfortably fits one person’s ears may not suit another’s, and there’s more to it than size. The internal anatomy of the ear makes certain designs actually sound better to one person than the next. If you can’t try them out at a store or borrow them from a friend, it may be best to buy them from a retailer with a good return policy. Once you have them in hand, do some real-world tests with the different tip sizes, and trade them in if you aren’t in love.

If you want to get serious about the perfect fit, consider aftermarket foam eartips, like . In addition to helping with a more secure fit, they provide passive noise isolation, which can improve the experience with both ANC-equipped and ANC-less earbuds. Should fit issues persist, consider a model with behind-the-ear hooks, like the JLabs GO Air Sport reviewed here.

Also give some thought to which features do it for you: Some people like sleek touch controls, others prefer old-school push buttons; some like to tap for quick pausing, others would rather forgo that feature and pull out one bud to ask for directions, so as to avoid the annoyance of unwanted pauses every time your fingers go near them. And if you live in a rainy climate, be sure to choose ones with an IP rating ending in 4 or higher (as all the models here do).

Finally, be aware that there are more specialized designs emerging and getting better each year–like these earbuds for , others for , and for those who want to stay more tuned in to their surroundings.

How We Test

• Number of Miles Run During Testing: 255
• Number of Dogs Walked: 8
• Yoga Sessions: 7
• Hours of Podcasts Consumed During Travel: 28
• Coldest Temp: –3, Anchorage, Alaska
• Warmest Temp: 90, Santa Fe, New Mexico
• Most Remote Testing Location: Antarctica
• Most Listened-To Tracks: Japanese Breakfast: “Paprika,” Bob Marley and the Wailers: “Natural Mystic,” Wet Leg: “Chaise Longue,” Danger Mouse and Black Thought, feat. MF Doom: “Belize,” Kelly Lee Owens: “Moebius,” Brian Eno: “Discreet Music,” Sam Fender: “Hypersonic Missiles”

The first thing we do with any earbuds, headphones, or speakers is attempt to pair them with our phones without consulting the user manual: the quicker, more intuitive, and easier the Bluetooth setup, the more points scored. Then we put them through rigorous hours of testing doing the kinds of things șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű readers do—from dog walks to HIIT workouts, from fireside listening to our day jobs, which for one of us is at the local woodworking shop. Our testers, who range in location from Alaska to Berkeley to Santa Fe to New York City, spent hours in them, bouncing up and down on trails, treadmills, and trains.

Our team turns in reports on each product tested, providing a score from 1 to 10 for five different measures: sound quality, pairing and connectivity, fit and comfort, rain and drop protection, and user friendliness. Scores are averaged, with more weight given to sound quality and (knowing our audience) how well they stand up to the elements. Note: Battery life estimates in these reviews are based on manufacturer specs; it’s difficult to confirm those numbers, given the time involved and variances among user habits (different volumes, different uses, different functions enabled). Actual results may be 10 to 20 percent lower, judging from averages experienced in general testing.

Meet Our Lead Tester

Will Palmer has been testing gear for 20 years for șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű, where he was managing editor and copy chief for nine years. Based in Santa Fe, he has been a runner since 1984, and while the mile counts have decreased over the years, he’s kept motivated to head out the door on the hottest, coldest, and wettest days by the opportunity to test the best new products—and to commune with the junipers and piñons.

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The story goes that in the early 1960s, John Entwistle, bassist for The Who, couldn’t hear his instrument over the clamorous drums of his maniac bandmate, Keith Moon, so he asked London drum shop owner Jim Marshall to build him a louder amplifier. This resulted in guitarist Pete Townshend needing a louder amp from Marshall so he could hear his guitar over Entwistle’s bass—and thus was Marshall able to go into business making history’s most beloved amps.

Updated August 2024: We’ve updated the formatting of this review and updated the retailers and pricing of the product.

Marshall Motif II ANC

Pros and Cons
⊕ Top-notch, dynamic sound
⊕ Rockin’ design
⊕ Highly grippable stems
⊗ Shorter-than-average battery life

If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside. Learn more.

Sixty years later, the Marshall company has smartly reapplied its rich pedigree, bringing its engineering know-how to today’s consumers by producing (in conjunction with Zound Industries) a stellar line of headphones, earbuds, and Bluetooth speakers, like the Emberton II, the best speaker in our roundup last year).

This year our attention was captured by Marshall’s Motif II ANC true wireless earbuds, which in shape and size are very similar to Apple’s AirPods Pro, except they’re all decked out in black, the Darth Vader to Apple’s Stormtrooper.

The Apple-pioneered stem design has found its way into lots of other companies’ offerings, which testifies to how the design, despite looking clunky, manages to stay firmly lodged in your ears, through some kind of ergonomic alchemy, during most basic activities. The stem also makes for a nice place to grab onto them, which, if you’re a big-handed person on a cold day, can make smaller, rounder earbuds a pain in the ear.

The Motif II ANCs, however, one-up Apple by adding textured plastic on their stems (with an attractive gold touch on the tip), which makes them even more grippable and seems to help hold them in place while you’re wearing them—something our testers universally appreciated. On the outside of each earbud is a touch control that allows you to pause, skip tracks, turn on active noise cancellation (ANC), and employ Spotify Tap, which lets subscribers play from the music service without opening their phone.

As for the ANC in its name, while their noise canceling is not as robust as Apple’s, Marshall’s earbuds did a pretty good job of blocking out wind while running and loud talkers in cafĂ©s (though no amount of ANC would be enough to cope with Keith Moon). They also have IPX5 ingress protection, meaning they’re not rated for their ability to keep out dust and solids but will do fine with heavy rain, sweat, or sea spray. One tester found that they needed occasional fit adjustment during runs, though it’s worth noting that they weigh less than the AirPods Pro—at 4.3 grams per bud, compared with Apple’s 5.3 grams.

But design isn’t what made these our favorites. Listening to our favorite tracks on the Motif II ANC was a consistently pleasant experience. Where some brands use artificial bass boosting or other gimmicks to make it feel like you’re at a rave at 4 a.m., these delivered clear, faithful highs, mids, and lows—producing more of a sense of sitting inside a sealed-off recording studio, hearing every note and nuance. Should bass really be important to you, that can still be achieved by downloading Marshall’s app and playing around with its equalizer. More versatile than the typical companion app, Marshall’s lets you dial in exactly the balance you like, and you can even program multiple EQ settings and then use the touch control to shift among them.

Marshall also nailed the design of the charging case. Made from 70 percent recycled plastic, the case’s textured vinyl surface evokes the classic Marshall amp stacks, and it’s built tough—we’ve dropped it and sat on it and it didn’t crack. The case gives you four charges of six hours each, in addition to the six hours of initial playing time you’ll get in the buds with ANC turned on (or nine hours without). This is about average: in line with the AirPods Pro but two to three hours less than competitors like Sony, Sennheiser, and JLabs.

The Motifs were our 2024 pick for Best All-Around earbuds, for their build quality, consistently impressive audio, everyday versatility, and sheer character. Our Gear Guide testing team spent some 35 hours with them, happily grabbing them when heading out on runs, hikes, ski tours, and cross-country travel, and they also performed admirably when making phone calls, washing the car, and tinkering in the workshop. With what one tester called the “best sound quality of all the buds in this test” and a design that made everyone take notice, they’re a prime example of the state of the art of Bluetooth earbuds today.

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Meditation. It’s not a New Age thing anymore, or a Buddhist thing, or even a David Lynch thing. It’s gone mainstream and secular, and now, like everything else in your life, it’s available as an app.

The catch term these days is mindfulness. This is in fact a slightly different pursuit than meditation. As , it’s sort of the opposite, since traditional meditation is a mind-emptying practice. But documenting the positive effects of meditation and mindfulness, from the obvious—stress reduction, help with anxiety and depression—to the not-so-apparent, like stronger immune systems, lower risk of heart disease, better relationships, and overall increased happiness.

Smartphone technology—too often the greatest enemy of enjoying the present moment—can help you get there. There are apps that aid with relaxation, breathing exercises, and “mindfulness-based stress reduction.” You can find screen after screen of effective methods to help people feel better and work more productively, whether in New York cubicles or NFL training rooms. What you’ll find below is the best of what’s available now on iTunes and Google Play.

What Qualifies as the Best Meditation App?

We focused on apps that have a human feel, with voices offering instruction and guided meditation. The following apps feature real people whose experience is apparent and who have a good bedside manner. We steered clear of the cloying, the motivational-speaker-esque, and those unmotivating sleep-inducing instructors who sound like they’ve enjoyed a little too much weed and can’t pronounce their consonants.

But a lot depends on your own personality, the vibe you go in for, and the techniques that work for you. So take some time to play around with various apps; the ones here all cost less than a digital streaming service. (Note: most of these require additional purchases once you’ve run through the included content—from single fees per meditation to $10 or more for an annual subscription.)

And don’t forget one key fact: You do have time. I need to remind myself of this whenever I get too caught up in the rush. Every minute invested in resting those neural pathways will pay itself back—you’ll need less sleep, and you’ll be sharper and more efficient.

Best Meditation App for Your Mindfulness Goals

Best All Around: Buddhify

Buddhify calls itself “modern mindfulness wherever you are.” It’s designed for those who’ve always been curious about meditation but haven’t known where to start. A brilliant, colorful design and wide array of situation-focused meditations make this app engaging and useful for experienced meditators as well. What sets it apart is the rainbow-hued spinning dial that asks what you’re doing now. Trying to sleep? Sitting in a park? Exercising? There are 16 such categories, and a small handful of guided meditations to choose from within each. It offers a variety of enjoyable instructors, plus a solo option, a stats page to track your progress, and the option of social sharing for those who want to feel they’re part of the community. Who knew meditation was this much fun?

Best for Beginners: Calm

This intuitively designed and supremely accessible app puts learning front and center, and includes helpful Masterclass information where mindfulness experts explains some of the science behind meditation. Included are several no-nonsense guided meditations that focus on a single concept, like relieving stress. Best of all is the check in screen that asks you to pinpoint your current mood and emotions, then recommends different meditations or mindful activities based on your answers. Additionally, a progress page tracks the time you spend meditating, and the app also includes other meditative tools, like bedtime stories read by celebrities, mindful movement exercises, and a white noise simulator.

Best If You Already Meditate: The Mindfulness App

This simple, clean app combines a lot of the best features from all the others on this list: a handful of guided three- to thirty-minute meditations led by instructor Catherine Polan Orzech, who teaches Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction; the option of self-guided silent meditations in the same increments, or in whatever length you specify; optional daily reminders to put down the mouse and get your butt on the cushion; and additional 99-cent meditations from leading teachers. A smart feature is the timer showing no numbers but only a circle of dots that slowly move around to 360 degrees, so the math part of your brain doesn’t have a chance to obsess.

Best Host: Headspace

Andy Puddicombe: first off, best name among wellness practitioners. (I’m talkin’ to you, Deepak.) Puddicombe is a minor celeb in Britain, where he consults for the government and appears on BBC. A former Tibetan monk, he now preaches the merits of taking ten minutes every day for mindfulness. This Take 10 program is the centerpiece of the Headspace app. Puddicombe’s guided meditations are intelligent and thought-provoking and offer what the best teachers can—instilling enthusiasm while speaking to you at your own level. The design has a few odd, clunky moments, but it makes up for it with excellent graphics.

Best Free Meditation Apps and Tools

These apps offer specific features for those who don’t need a guide but do want tools to facilitate their practice.

Breathwork

For breath training (a great skill to develop not only for relaxation but also for yoga and increased VO2 max), try , which gives you visual and aural cues to inhale and exhale.

Relaxation

Relaxing sounds can provide a great backdrop, particularly at the office or if you live in a noisy city. Apps like , , and, well, offer sounds like waves on a beach or songbirds that put you in the mind of a rainforest, and you can also use them as an alarm clock if you’d rather wake up to a thunderstorm than to Apple’s default “Opening” tone (the one that sounds like that song in American Beauty).

Duration

Finally, there are meditation timers that serve one simple purpose. My favorite is , an elegant design that allows you to set a specific duration and drift off, without overthinking it. (Bonus: it also tracks your progress, helps you build a routine, and includes several free guided meditations added daily.)

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It’s hard to believe that a few years ago, we were all still plugging earbuds into our phones using things called “cords.” The advent of Bluetooth, with its ability to pack into itty-bitty cordless speakers that reside in our ears, has changed things fast. Every year, the sound gets better. Nice touches like hear-through to let in ambient sound, in-ear detection that halts playback when you remove one bud, and active noise cancellation—once seen only in travel headphones—have expanded earbud versatility. Even battery life keeps improving. Today there are dozens of excellent-sounding, snug-fitting, water-shunning models out there, and teasing out the differences gets harder all the time. Our winners for 2022 are the ones that have the most intelligent design and most useful tech features, stand up to the elements, and, best of all, sound the sweetest. 

Jaybird Vista 2 ($150)

Best for Harsh Weather

Like the first-gen Vista, these clear, robust-sounding earbuds have real outdoor cred. They’re IP68 dust- and waterproof and meet U.S. military shock and crush standards. What’s new: active noise cancellation and a volume control that lets you listen to music without blocking out the outside world. They go for eight hours, with two more charges in the case. Bonus: the app can find your buds on a map if you drop them.

Edifier TWS 330NB ($80)

Killer Value

Like the look of Apple’s AirPods but shopping on a budget? Look to Edifier’s TWS330 NB. Despite the affordable price tag, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything cheap about them. Sure, with active noise-cancellation turned on, the battery life is only five hours on a charge (plus 15 more hours from the charging case). But they boast solid sound and a sturdy build, with IP54 dust and water resistance. They even boast an AI algorithm that makes calls clearer by enhancing the other person’s voice.

Shure Aonic 215 True Wireless Sound Isolating Earphones, Gen 2 ($229)

Best for Audiophiles

Sure, this pair has a higher price tag, comes with a much larger case, has only IPX4 splashproof-ing (no waterproofing), and takes more effort to hook around your ears. But if you’re seeking a hi-fi experience, you’ll find them a step above the competition. The earphones have excellent equalizers that can be controlled from Shure’s Play app, which also lets you modify the amount of ambient sound and customize what the buttons at the base of the over-ear hooks do. As for those hooks: they also make these the most secure-fitting pair in this list. These buds last for eight hours per charge, with three more charges in the case, for 32 hours of total run time.

Beats Fit Pro ($200)

Best for Everyday Use

Though the Fit Pro are a slight step down in durability from the Jaybirds and Jabras (it’s rated IPX4), they’re an excellent go-everywhere model with loud, heart-pumping sound. We love their compact design (these are the smallest buds on the list) with flexible wings to hold them in place. Battery life is six hours, with three additional charges from the palm-sized case. A five-minute charge restores an hour of playtime. Mac and iPhone users will like how they quick-connect without needing to open your Bluetooth settings.

Jabra Elite 7 Active ($180)

Best for Runners

Like the Jaybird Vista 2, the Elite 7 Active is a smooth-sounding unit built for the trails, with eight hours of battery life, 22 more in the case, and app-controlled active noise cancellation. They’re slightly less burly: waterproof only up to one meter (but still functionally rainproof), and have no fit wedges to hook inside your ear, which makes them easier to drop and lose. But in testing, they stayed in place just fine). But they offer a particularly significant feature that all trail users will love: a mono mode that enables you to leave one ear open to trail sounds without sacrificing audio quality. You get both sound channels coming into one ear, leaving your second bud free to charge in its case.

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Bose SoundLink Flex ($149)

Bose’s newest portable Bluetooth speaker is a case study in great things coming in small packages. It measures 7.9 inches long, 3.6 inches high, and 2.1 inches wide and lacks the kind of flashy aesthetics that make you instantly curious. But trust us: you should be.

Travel speakers have historically been the kind of gear that’s nice to have, but none that we’ve tested has ever achieved downright greatness. That’s just physics: until now, outside of five- or ten-pound breadbox-size speakers, no brand has been able to pack in enough power to fully envelop you in the music. The achieves that—yet weighs only 1.3 pounds and is smaller than a brick.

Bose engineered it with powerful drivers that produce more bass than you’d believe possible. It also has such clear, crisp highs that you may find yourself peering inside expecting to find tiny violinists making that precise, rich sound.

Best of all, you can carry it all day: it lasts up to 12 hours on a charge. Prop it on the picnic table, toss it in your duffel, or hook it to your tent with the webbing loop (provided you’re far from other groups). You can even set the SoundLink Flex on your boat and, should it fall off, it will float back to the surface. That’s because it’s both buoyant and IP67 dust- and waterproof, which means its submersible up to a meter for 30 minutes. Bose’s designers also enclosed the front grille in a steel frame, then encased the sides in rubbery silicone, so you can drop it from moderate heights. Use the Bose Connect app’s party mode to sync two Bose Bluetooth speakers and distribute the sound in stereo. Still, one SoundLink Flex is impressive enough on its own.

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Watches, like cameras, have largely had their functionality absorbed by smartphones. And yet many of us still want one on our wrist day and night, maybe for the simple comfort we find in the turn of the wrist and glance downward that brings us back to the here and now. And besides, every year watchmakers keep coming up with beautiful new designs, at more accessible prices, and even—as you’ll see from this year’s picks—some completely original ideas. Looking for a fitness tracker instead? We’ve got you covered.

Nixon Light-Wave ($150)

The Light-Wave is a stripped-down watch made with recovered ocean plastic. Transparent hour and minute hands allow the sun’s rays to reach an embedded solar panel that keeps the quartz movement ticking inside its injection-molded case. The second hand stretches to the edge in both directions—for no reason other than that it looks cool. This lightweight device is a modest 36 millimeters in size, plus it’s water-resistant down to 100 meters.

Momentum M20 DSS Diver ($265)

The M20 Diver has luxury looks and quality, but at a bargain price. It’s water-resistant to 200 meters, with a Swiss quartz movement, a bright-after-dark dial, and a heavy-duty ­stainless-steel case. The scratch-resistant sapphire crystal is ­double-domed for better readability. And we love the Bahama yellow version, which borrows a color from classic Porsche 911s.

MeisterSinger Unomat ($2,395)

Two heads are better than one, but are two hands? MeisterSinger says no. Its designers reached back in time to before the Industrial Revolution, when the minute hand was introduced, to settle on something more timeless (think sundials and old clock towers). The single hour hand tells you roughly where you are within the hour by way of five-minute markers. We found that relying on the solitary hand alleviates the psychic pressure from all those rotating arms, making it feel like life has slowed down. This model was conceived as a more rugged addition to the line, with 300-meter water resistance and an antimagnetic iron cage around the movement.

Tutima M2 Seven Seas ($1,900 and up)

From its extra-hard sapphire crystal down to its titanium case, the M2 Seven Seas exudes toughness. With 500-meter water resistance and clear markings, it’s a capable diver’s watch, but its at home on land, too, due in part to its stylish rubber-and-Kevlar strap. Super-LumiNova hands are readable in the sea’s twilight zone.

Citizen Satellite Wave GPS Diver ($1,350)

This is the first light-powered watch with GPS and ­200-meter water resistance. Its capabilities are immediately obvious from one look at the complex (some might say busy) dial. Hold one button to activate satellite mode, and the arms automatically set themselves. Dive mode shows only the time so you know how long you’ve been under. Around the outer ring are major cities and dive destinations, so you’ll always know what time it is on the Great Barrier Reef.

Tissot Seastar 2000 Professional Powermatic 80 ($1,025)

The number in this watch’s name is its depth rating—a whopping 2,000 feet—backed by a helium escape valve and ISO 6425 certification (which tests shock resistance, underwater visibility, and durability in saltwater). The self-winding automatic movement runs for 80 hours, and the sizable steel case is topped with a sapphire crystal. Peer closely at the dial and you’ll see a subtle engraved wave pattern that, coupled with the mesmerizing aqua blue, might lull you to sleep like a lazy day drifting on the high seas.

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Fossil Hybrid Smartwatch HR Latitude Smoke Stainless Steel ($215)

Few companies have successfully disguised a smartwatch as a stylish analog model. This one tracks your heart rate and workout data, and it connects to your phone notifications, weather, and more. The matte e-ink display reads clearly in daylight and boosts battery life (two weeks on a charge). With a 50-millimeter body, the Latitude takes up a lot of real estate on your wrist, but it’s a perfect office-to-trail companion.

Bell and Ross BR V2-92 Military Green ($2,990)

Bell and Ross has always produced original designs with exceptional quality. The BR V2-92 field watch continues that tradition, with 100-meter water resistance and ultraprecise automatic movement. Olive can be a drab color, but here designers made it shine, with oversize pale green numerals at three, six, nine, and twelve o’clock, and matching Super-LumiNova markers that glow after dark, all sitting atop a comfy Nato stretch strap.

Vaer Atlantic USA Diver ($549)

What makes the Atlantic a rare creature? Few 200-meter water-resistant automatic divers are assembled in the states. A sleek design—classic dive-watch bezel, see-through case back, luminous minute markers—put it over the top. We also love the double-domed sapphire crystal, which lends readability from any angle. Those who eschew overbuilt watches will appreciate its downscaled 39-millimeter size.

Nixon 5th Element ($400)

Nixon’s latest combines hand-some everyday looks, 100-meter water resistance, and Japanese automatic movement at a great price. The 5th Element’s injection-molded stainless-steel case houses a brushed silver dial, which shows nothing but illuminated markers and a subtle date window. Lime-green accents on the hands add pop. But its most distinguishing feature is a hardened-mineral crystal that juts up from the top of the dial, allowing more light in.

Seiko Prospex Built for the Ice Diver ($900)

A waffle-textured face gives the Prospex a distinctive aesthetic, and a magnified date window makes the daily numeral pop. It’s all powered by Seiko’s precise automatic movement and housed in a heavy-duty stainless-steel case that’s water-resistant to 200 meters. We particularly appreciate that the four o’clock crown placement won’t poke your wrist.

Hamilton Khaki Aviation Converter GMT Auto ($1,445)

șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű travelers, meet your watch. In addition to hours, minutes, and seconds, a fourth hand tracks Greenwich Mean Time using a ring of 24-hour markers on the dial, so you can stay on track even when you switch time zones. The slide rule on the bezel—traditionally used by pilots to measure flight speed and fuel consumption—is handy for things like metric-to-imperial conversions. An antireflective, scratch-resistant mineral crystal and 100-meter water resistance round it out.

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Sony WF-XB700 Truly Wireless Headphones with Extra Bass ($130)

This year, inexorable improvement in true wireless earbuds took a sonic leap forward. Nearly every model we tested boasted impressive sound quality. What’s more, certain old annoyances—difficulty in syncing, dropped connections—have largely gone away. Meanwhile, prices have continued to drop. The Sony WF-XB700 is a shining example of how good things have gotten. Start with the design. A compact, three-inch-long charging case holds the buds in place magnetically. The buds sync flawlessly once you pop them out. An ergonomic wedge helps them slide in place in your ears and stay put. This, plus the fact that they’re incredibly light, means you’ll hardly know they’re there. The WF-XB700’s are also IPX4 water-resistant—enough to handle sweat and rain, not a full dunk—and hold nine hours of play time on one charge. Plug them into the case for ten minutes to get another hour. But what puts these over the top is the extra bass. Without crowding out high and midrange notes, the rich, undistorted low-end sound simply makes your music livelier, like an extra shot of acoustic adrenaline. The Sonys don’t have active noise cancellation or wear detection like other high-end buds, but sometimes those add-on features only get in the way. With these, you just pair, play, and head out the door.

Bowers and Wilkins PX7 Carbon Edition ($400)

Best Over-Ear Headphones

Like all top-notch travel headphones, this comfortable, expertly engineered headset boasts ultraclear sound and active noise cancellation—in this case, three levels, including a setting that adjusts automatically to ambient noise. A handy sensor pauses your audio when you lift one earcup, while the battery goes for an impressive 30 hours. Though not water-resistant, the PX7 Carbon is less bulky than many of its peers and has tough carbon-fiber arms, so you can confidently stuff this expensive piece of gear in your bag.

Bose Sport ($179)

Best Running Buds

Bose has made its top-notch audio technology more affordable with this pair of buds. You only get five hours of run time, and the charging case is slightly bulky. (Though it does supply two additional charges.) But the fit on the well-sealed, sweat- and water-resistant Sport is more secure than anything else in our test: it comes with three sizes of rubber fins. As with everything Bose makes, the sound is clear, crisp, and plenty bassy.

Ultimate Ears Hyperboom ($400)

Best Speaker

This is the best-sounding and loudest Bluetooth speaker to come along in years. It allows two DJs to connect at once, and uses a mic-enabled equalizer to adjust the sound profile to fit your space. It’s also IPX4 water-resistant. At 13 pounds and measuring roughly the size of a toaster, it’s not for travel, but a rubberized exterior means it’s durable enough to lug around. Play it for 24 hours at medium volume, then plug it in at home, where the sleek, black design blends in.

Tribit FlyBuds NC ($50)

Best Value Buds

A great example of how much you can get for $50 these days, Tribit’s FlyBuds sound every bit as good as Bluetooth earbuds that went for $250 just three years ago. Impossibly, they also come with active noise cancellation—not as thorough as what you’d get with spendier models, but respectable for the price. Borrowing the dangly shape of Apple’s AirPods, the FlyBuds are effective for making calls but equally capable when you want to shut out the world, even in moderate rain: they’re IPX4 splashproof.

Amazfit PowerBuds ($100)

Best Comfort Buds

Those with small ears might find chunky models like those from Sony and Bose to be painful. If that’s you, this demure option from Amazfit is worth a look. Size aside, it’s also dust- and water-resistant and has built-in heart-rate monitoring, which works through the accompanying app. Pop on the included magnetic behind-the-ear hooks to get a more secure fit. For the price, this is a very capable pair. It lacks noise cancellation but offers a clever bass-boosting feature that turns on whenever you’re in motion.

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