I’m an avid AirPods Pro 2 user; it’s practically a requirement for headphone reviewers. Granted, I’ve grown to appreciate the noise-cancelling earbuds more throughout the past few months, even using them as my go-to audio device for exercising.
But the best workout headphones are designed specifically to handle physical activity, so why was I sticking with Apple's classics? Truthfully, I found them more convenient — I like Siri and the easy connection to my other Apple devices.
However, I’ve currently taken on a more intense fitness regime, one that puts my wearables through serious wear and tear, which the AirPods aren’t built to survive. Hence my switch to something more robust: the Raycon Fitness Headphones.
On paper, they're more durable, with a modular design, have great sound, and huge battery life. Sure, they don’t check every box, but they're ideal for fitness use. So, I chucked them in my gym bag and got to work. Here's what happened.
Why do people use over-ear headphones at the gym?
My heart races when I see people exercise with their AirPods Max headphones. They know Apple’s flagship cans are not constructed for sporty activities. But I don’t want to knock them too hard because there are benefits to wearing over-ear headphones during workouts.
They generally have better noise isolation and noise cancelation performance than earbuds, with more immersive sound. Plus, the larger headphones have bigger batteries, which means you don't have to top them up as often.
But with leather headbands and sensitive electronics nestled inside the cup, they're not usually IP-rated for water resistance, so are a bad choice if you might get sweaty while working out. Not so the Raycon Fitness Headphones.
The noise cancelation is great
Because the cups go sit over the top of your whole ear, over-ear headphones are naturally better at passively block out ambient noise. Couple that with (often) more powerful active noise cancellation (ANC), you can exercise in relative peace (depending on the workout music you prefer).
Using them indoors and outdoors allowed me to block out the world and boost adrenaline levels uninterrupted. Listening with ANC off fed my ears clean and energetic sound. I still prefer the AirPods Pro 2’s dynamic sound and spatial audio, the Raycon headphones are better-suited to casual listening.
The Raycon model also has a transparency mode to increase your awareness of surroundings. It’ s not something the average gym-goer will turn on, otherwise their ears would be mauled by every bit of ambient noise produced in the building.
The feature benefits outdoor runners most, and it performs surprisingly well compared to popular rivals like Bose’s Aware mode and Sony’s Ambient Sound Control mode. I could hear everything around me, though it came at the expense of enjoying full sound.
They fit better
Some people really get along with earbuds, which is great! But for every person that loves the fit of the Jabra Elite 8 Active, there'll be someone who just dropped around $200 on new earbuds that fall out of their ears as soon as they move.
Raycon’s Fitness Headphones might look generic, but they are well constructed. Hard plastic with IPX4 water resistance makes up most of their composition. I wasn’t scared of breaking them in the gym or accidentally dropping them on the concrete. My 4-year-old toddler has been abusing them daily and every component remains intact.
Other areas of the design that stand out are the aluminum extenders and soft-plush leather padding on the earcups and headband. The latter provided pleasant comfort for two hours before getting hot. Also, these are flexible headphones that accommodate different ear and head sizes.
I performed jumping jacks, push-ups, jogs on the treadmill, and some weightlifting without having to readjust the cans. The leather earpads were fine for moderate listening and light workouts, although the bundled fabric ones were better.
It's a relief not to charge all the time
Generally, I'm a big fan of Apple's devices, but battery life on the company's wearables leaves a lot to be desired. The latest Apple Watch Series 10 only lasts a day between charges, while I needed to top up the AirPods Pro 2 up to six times a week.
So it was a relief to pick up my gym bag with the Raycon over-ears and not need to worry about it for once. Since switching to the over-ears, I only need to charge them once every two weeks to get back to full power.
This isn't just a Raycon thing either — the best headphones all typically last several days between charges. It's a perk of the form, but it removes yet another task from the endless to-do list our devices ask of us.
You can repair them so they last longer
In-ear buds work great, until they don't (unless you pick up a set of repairable Fairphone Fairbuds). If they start to show signs of age or the materials wear, there's basically nothing you can do — you'd have to look for a new set.
Over-ears, like the Raycon Fitness Headphones, are different. The parts that wear away, like the headband or ear cushions are easily replaceable and most large brands stock official parts, so you detach the old ones and clip shiny new parts into place.
Raycon even bundles three pairs of ear cushions with the purchase, two of which are fabric cushions purposefully designed for exercising. Which is useful, since sweat and moisture tend to break down the material's surface. Plus, you can actually wash most fabric ear cushions to keep them going for longer.
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