Who it’s for
If you want a pair of fail-safe, trusted headphones for working out, go with the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 earbuds. Whether you’re running on pavement or at the quick pace of the elliptical, these earbuds fit securely in your ear.
But what if you’re a trail runner and you’re worried about them falling out in tough conditions? Well, even if they do slip out, these are the only earbuds we tested with a U.S. military-grade standard of durability, meaning they won’t crumble if you step on them. Plus, they’re IP68 dust- and water-resistant.
While the sound won’t impress the pickiest audiophiles, the Elite 8 Active buds deliver clear, consistent sound. The ANC quiets the surrounding world so you can focus on your music as you move through your reps.
Why we picked this
For a pair of headphones designed for working out, we want to see all of the following: a secure but comfortable fit, sweat resistance, easy connectivity, good sound quality, active noise cancellation, and responsive touch controls. The Elite 8 Actives measure up on every front.
The ear tips come in three sizes; the small ones fit perfectly in narrow ear canals. The buds sit snugly in the ear and don’t budge when chugging along on the stair climber or elliptical. Plus, the touch controls have an actual button to press that’s responsive but not too touchy, unlike the Beats Fit Pro, which leave you vulnerable to accidentally ending calls.
For the weeks we tested them, the headphones instantly connected every time we opened the case and wore them. The AirPods Pro were the only other earbuds with such easy connectivity. Plus, the battery life can’t be beat. The earbuds run for nine hours, and the charging case provides another 32 hours with ANC and 56 hours without ANC.
Where the Jabra earbuds fall flat (literally) is with sound. The ANC isn’t the strongest on this list; there is some sound leakage; however, for working out, this isn’t much of an issue since we prefer to stay aware of our surroundings. They deliver good sound; we didn’t feel like we were missing anything while tuning into podcasts. But the sound wasn’t quite as rich as the Bose QuietComfort Ultra or Beats Studio Buds + headphones while listening to music. They provide a clear but flatter sound than the more audio-focused headphones. But overall, it’s one shortcoming that didn’t detract from our enjoyment of the headphones as we blasted Brat while getting our sweat on.
