Swimming is a blast and keeps us in shape, but why should our favorite songs and podcasts stay stranded on the pool deck? Waterproof Bluetooth headphones let us bring the party underwater. Unlike regular headphones, these can handle a good soaking and still keep the music going, making those long swim sessions way more fun.
But before we dive in, we have to think about a few things. Not every pair that claims to be “waterproof” can handle swimming—some barely survive a sweaty workout, let alone a cannonball. Battery life, comfort, sound quality, and how well the headphones actually stay on all matter. And let’s not forget about Bluetooth signal range—nobody wants their music cutting out halfway through their favorite song.
We tried out a bunch of waterproof Bluetooth headphones to see which ones really keep the jams pumping, even when we’re channeling our inner Michael Phelps.
Best Waterproof Bluetooth Headphones for Swimming
We all know swimming’s better with music, but regular headphones and water just don’t mix. That’s why we tracked down the best waterproof Bluetooth headphones that can survive your wildest pool adventures.
Ready to crank up the tunes while you swim? Here are our top picks.
If you love the idea of swimming with music but dread that awful earbud discomfort, this might be your poolside hero.
Pros
Switches between Bluetooth for dry land and MP3 for underwater
Open-ear fit—no more digging mystery objects out of your ears
Feels light and stays put, even with goggles and a swim cap
Cons
Bluetooth doesn’t work underwater—MP3 only in the pool
Costs more than most pool noodles
Sound isn’t going to wow audiophiles, even barefoot
We put these on and immediately noticed the design hugs the sides of our heads. No need to jam anything into our ears, which is a relief when we’re tired of poking around in there. The triple-sealed body held on tight during every flip turn, and we never worried about them floating off.
We loved using Bluetooth for podcasts on the treadmill and switching to MP3 for pool time. Just a heads up: Bluetooth and water don’t mix, so you’ll need to load your swim playlist ahead of time. Uploading music was easy, and honestly, we spent too long perfecting our underwater jams.
Nine hours of battery life felt generous. We managed a few swims before needing a charge. The sound won’t blow your mind, but you can hear every beat, and nobody else has to listen to your off-key singing. If you want a reliable pair of swim headphones and want to skip earbud drama, SHOKZ OpenSwim Pro keeps the music flowing, not your headphones.
Open-ear style keeps you in tune with poolside chatter
Cons
Bluetooth’s a no-go underwater
Buttons take a second to master
Sound quality drops outside the pool
We’ve lost too many earbuds to the deep end, so we appreciate how PSIER headphones just cling to our heads. They grip like they’re afraid you’ll leave, and honestly, we like that. The open-ear fit is a lifesaver—you can hear your coach yelling and still enjoy your playlist.
Switching between Bluetooth and MP3 is easy after a little practice. We used MP3 mode most in the water, since Bluetooth streaming barely makes it across the pool. Loading songs from the computer felt old school, but it works, and 32GB means you won’t get stuck on repeat—unless you want to.
The eight-hour battery kept us going through long sessions, or just floating and calling it exercise. Underwater, sound is clear and punchy, but on land, it loses some warmth. If you’re tired of tangled cables and missing buds, these could be your next waterproof headphones.
If you want poolside tunes and comfort without that “steamed ear canal” feeling, this one’s a solid bet.
Pros
Super comfy open-ear fit
MP3 mode saves the day when Bluetooth can’t
Stays put, even during wild flip-turns
Cons
Bluetooth doesn’t work underwater (sorry, dolphins)
Takes a second to remember how to switch modes
Sound isn’t “concert hall,” but it’s good enough
Honestly, slipping these on felt like borrowing headphones from a superhero. MARLALL’s open-ear bone conduction design lets us glide through laps and keeps our ears dry. We wore them for hours and didn’t feel like our ears were melting. It’s also nice to hear what’s happening around us when we’re jogging or biking.
Shouting at our phones underwater never works, so uploading music in MP3 mode kept our swim soundtrack rolling when Bluetooth gave up at poolside. Switching between Bluetooth and MP3 takes a double-press, which we sometimes mess up, but hey, we’re swimmers, not tech support.
They grip well and never wobble, even when we’re racing for the hot tub. The sound is good for music and podcasts, though nobody will mistake it for a fancy stereo. Cleaning is easy, which is a win because who wants to scrub headphones?
Totally waterproof, so no stress if you go full mermaid
Cons
Bluetooth doesn’t work underwater—MP3 only for swimming
Battery sometimes feels shorter than promised on long swims
Controls can be confusing—we pressed the wrong button more than once
Waterlogged earbuds ruin a good swim. The bone conduction tech here is a total game changer. No more messing with rubber plugs or shaking water out of your ears—just music, even underwater.
Our MP3 playlist lasted through a full swim, which is awesome since Bluetooth streaming doesn’t work underwater (thanks, physics). With tons of storage, you could swim to “80s Workout Classics” for weeks.
Learning the controls took a few tries (and maybe a belly flop). The battery held up for our usual swims, but if you’re crossing the English Channel, you might want a backup. For everyday laps, these headphones make swimming way more fun—maybe even enough to keep us in the water longer.
Controls take some practice, especially with pruney fingers
Sound quality is fine, but it’s not exactly concert-level
With the SAMVEK X7, we finally stopped worrying about drowning our headphones. We could do the backstroke and listen to our secret playlist (no more humming “Eye of the Tiger” under our breath). The open-ear design feels comfy, and getting it under a swim cap is easier than expected.
Remember, you can’t stream music via Bluetooth underwater—you’ll need to load up the 32GB MP3 memory before you dive in. Switching between Bluetooth and MP3 felt awkward at first, but we figured it out after a few swims.
Battery life holds up—we squeezed in a week of swim sessions before needing to recharge. The best part? Even with all the splashing and cannonballs, these headphones stay put and never feel like they’re about to take off on their own. If you need a waterproof set that handles most swimming needs and can survive your wildest strokes, these fit the bill.
Lap swimming gets less boring and a lot more comfortable with these bone conduction headphones. They aren’t perfect, but honestly, they’re a smart pick if you want to keep your ears free.
Pros
Stays put even with goggles and a swim cap
Bone conduction keeps us aware of our surroundings
MP3 mode means we aren’t tethered to a phone
Cons
Bluetooth doesn’t work underwater (so, no poolside Spotify control)
Downloading songs feels like we’re back in dial-up days
Fit can be tricky if you’ve got an “XL melon” for a head
When we slapped these on, our morning swim actually felt enjoyable for a change. Having epic playlists loaded up definitely helped.
The open-ear design lets us hear the lifeguard yelling at cannonballers, which is pretty useful for safety. They sit comfortably, even with goggles cinched tight, and honestly, they never slipped off—even when we tried to channel our inner Michael Phelps.
The bone conduction tech is clever, and it’s a weirdly cool experience to feel music as gentle vibrations on your cheekbones. It tickled a little at first, but the sound is clear and surprisingly punchy for headphones that don’t go in your ears.
We did wish the fit was more adjustable. Heads come in all shapes, and one size doesn’t always fit.
Bluetooth is basically useless in the water—physics wins again. But loading music onto the built-in 32GB memory gave us plenty of options.
There’s a learning curve if you haven’t touched an MP3 player in a while. Once you figure it out, though, you can just leave your phone behind and focus on your laps.
You’ll get a lot more fun out of pool time with the Dnniakm Bone Conduction Swimming Headphones. Just don’t expect to take calls underwater—unless you’ve invented waterproof WiFi, in which case, call us.
Want to jam to your favorite playlists and pretend you’re an Olympic swimmer? These are a solid pick—just don’t expect any Bluetooth magic.
Pros
Comfy open-ear fit, so no more earbud pain
Stays put, even with awkward flip turns and swim caps
Clear underwater sound with bone conduction
Cons
No Bluetooth, so you’d better love those 1,200 songs you loaded
Controls can be fiddly mid-lap
MP3 file transfers have a learning curve
Slipping on the SHOKZ OpenSwim feels like a real upgrade from the “hold your breath and hope” method with old headphones. They rest outside your ears, so no weird pressure or trapped water.
The fit stays put—even when you look like a rubber duck battling pool noodles.
Sound quality surprised us. Bone conduction actually works underwater, and the music stays steady instead of turning into muffled bass mush.
Our music collection swims with us, though picking new songs means a trip to the computer. Hello, MP3 nostalgia!
Once your playlist is loaded, you can splash for hours without a skip.
We do miss pulling out our phone to change tracks, but the onboard buttons work decently—unless you’re wearing gloves or swim mittens (don’t ask).
For swimmers who want simple, reliable audio, SHOKZ OpenSwim is hard to argue with. It almost makes us look forward to swim practice. Almost.
If you want to swim laps and blast your favorite playlist while still hearing the lifeguard, these are worth a shot.
Pros
Totally waterproof—even your pool noodles are jealous
Light on your head, heavy on the bass
Huge storage for music, so no phone needed
Cons
Bone conduction takes a little getting used to
Open-ear design isn’t private at all
Buttons are tiny, especially with wet fingers
Wearing these made us feel like we were starring in some kind of action movie. The sound is punchy underwater, and the bone conduction style never blocked our ears or left us with that annoying “water-in-ear” feeling.
The 32GB storage let us load our entire guilty-pleasure playlist. No phone dangling dangerously at the pool’s edge.
Pairing with our phones was easy, but honestly, MP3 mode in the water is more fun. We liked how light they felt, even during long swims.
Battery life lasted a week of daily pool sessions, which is more than we can say for our motivation.
The controls have a learning curve, and we needed a few tries to hit the right button while swimming laps. If you’re shy about your music choices, keep in mind everyone nearby can hear you rocking out.
A little embarrassment is worth it to enjoy tunes while splashing around.
Looking for headphones that actually survive your splash zone? These make pool sessions way less boring.
Pros
Stays secure during our splashy attempts at butterfly
Lets us load a ton of songs, so we aren’t stuck with the same playlist
Sound comes through even when water tries to muffle everything
Cons
No Bluetooth underwater—MP3 mode only
Takes its sweet time to turn on or off
Battery warnings are, let’s say, very chatty
After a week with these in the pool, we’re starting to feel like pros—at least when it comes to not losing our headphones halfway down the lane.
The open-ear, bone conduction design really lets us hear what’s happening around us, including our coach yelling (which, honestly, isn’t always a plus). We can still chat with friends and not miss our favorite tunes.
Switching to MP3 mode was easy, once we gave in and read the instructions. The built-in memory is huge, so we don’t have to keep swapping songs every few days.
Charging is simple with the magnetic cable. These don’t budge mid-swim, even when our swim cap tries its hardest to push them off.
Holding the power button long enough feels like arm day for our fingers, though. And the battery-low alert could definitely chill out—after the 20th warning, trust us, we get it.
Want solid underwater tunes without shelling out for the super pricey stuff? These are a clever pick.
Pros
Feels comfortable, even during long swims
Huge 32GB music storage—no more “I forgot my playlist!”
You can swim and still hear the lifeguard yelling at you
Cons
Bluetooth doesn’t work underwater (so, MP3 mode it is)
Sound quality isn’t on par with the fanciest earbuds
Fit may feel odd if you’re new to bone conduction
We slipped on these Yawlown headphones and immediately noticed how light they felt. The open-ear design is actually great for swimming laps because you can still hear what’s happening around you.
We like keeping at least one ear half on reality. This also means we avoid that “panic siren” feeling you get with traditional earplugs.
With the built-in memory, we tossed our entire workout playlist on here—plus that one song we secretly love but deny in public. Switching to MP3 mode was simple, though it took us a minute to remember how.
Bluetooth underwater is basically wishful thinking, but once we accepted that and just used the storage, the experience was smooth. Battery life held up—no sudden silence mid-backstroke.
These headphones make it easy to zone out and survive even the longest pool sessions, all while dodging “Hey, you dropped your towel!” commentary.
Buying Guide
Let’s be real—when we’re picking waterproof Bluetooth headphones for swimming, there are a few things we absolutely need to watch for. Nobody wants their music to fizzle out halfway through a lap, right?
Waterproof Rating:
We should always grab headphones with a high IPX rating (think IPX7 or IPX8). That way, they’ll handle more than just a few splashes or a surprise cannonball.
Bluetooth or Built-In Storage:
Bluetooth can get weird underwater. If we don’t want our music to cut out every time we dip our head, it’s probably smarter to look for headphones with built-in MP3 storage. Who doesn’t want their playlist to actually make it to the end of the swim?
Fit and Comfort:
Swim caps, long hair, goggles—so many things can mess with the fit. It’s worth checking for adjustable or secure fit options, so the headphones don’t pop out mid-butterfly.
Battery Life:
Let’s face it, nobody wants dead headphones before they’re done swimming. Checking battery specs saves us from those silent, boring laps.
Here’s a quick comparison table:
Feature
What to Look For
Waterproofing
IPX7 or IPX8
Storage
MP3 (internal) or Bluetooth
Fit
Secure, stays in while swimming
Battery Life
At least 6-8 hours
Honestly, simple controls matter too. Who actually enjoys fumbling with tiny buttons when their fingers are slippery? The less time we spend fiddling, the more time we get to swim.
Hi, my name is Garrett Jones, and I am a tech enthusiast. I enjoy researching the new tech that has been released, and have a vast knowledge of the best tech to purchase.
From a young age, I have always had a big interest in technology, and this blog is an extension of that interest. Through this blog, I hope to provide others with all of the information they need regarding tech options to consider, and things such as compatibility. Some of the different items I will be discussing include headphones, smartwatches, and how to fix common issues.
