Dive In: Understanding Water Resistance in Headphones

What is an IP rating?

An Ingress Protection (IP) rating denotes a device’s resistance to dust and water, and “ingress†is just the act of going in or entering. The “X†is a placeholder for the degree of dust or water resistance in a given IP rating. Not all devices receive a rating that covers both variables, hence why many headphones and earbuds receive an IPX4 rating. In this case, the X means that the headset didn’t receive a dust-resistant rating, so don’t use it at the beach or when rock climbing. The “4†following the “X†is the liquid ingress protection rating.

The buds are IPX7 rated for waterproofing, which should cover most wet activities or environments you’d take the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro.

Of course, with an IPX7 rating, you can exercise with these buds to your heart’s content. No amount of sweat will damage the earbuds’ innards. Just let the earbuds dry off before placing them back in their case.

Case Study 2: The Bose Sport Earbuds

The Bose Sport Earbuds boasts an IPX4 water-resistance rating.

The Bose Sport Earbuds merit an IPX4 certification. Bose designed the earphones to resist splashes from any direction. The Bose Sport Earbuds, and any water-resistant headset with an IPX4 rating or higher, can handle even the sweatiest of us and be no worse for the wear. As a matter of fact, these buds will likely survive a clumsy spill from a water bottle too. That said, don’t go around thinking these are invincible. Full immersion will render them useless.

Case Study 3: The Jabra Elite Active 75t

You can submerge the Elite Active 75t true wireless workout earbuds for up to 30 minutes.

Runners and city slickers will thoroughly enjoy the peace of mind that comes with wearing the OpenRun Pro headphones.

The term “waterproof†is for products that can withstand submersion (IPX7 or IPX8 rating). The term “water-resistant†describes earbuds that can resist splashes and sprays of water to some degree (IPX6 or lower). Be aware that no earbuds are truly waterproof. Too much pressure or prolonged exposure to water will damage earbuds even if they have an IPX8 rating. Further, water-resistant ratings actually degrade over time and with regular use. Extreme heat and cold, and even dropping your earbuds can compromise their water resistance.

If you’re looking for good running headphones, you’ll definitely want something with at least an IPX4 rating. But choosing between workout headphones and earbuds is up to personal preference. Most runners tend to choose earbuds because they’re durable and more ergonomic than headphones. Headphones have their place for exercise, and we have a whole list of the best workout headphones, but running requires a lot of jostling which can displace headphones in a way that doesn’t happen with earbuds.

If you want to go the less traditional route and fancy yourself an outdoor runner, we recommend bone conduction headphones, specifically the Shokz OpenRun or AfterShokz Aeropex. These are essentially the same headset, but the former is rebranded, and you may have an easier time finding the latter at a discount.