I’m really picky when it comes to my running gear – my outfit, my shoes, my hair, my ipod, etc. I don’t want anything to weigh me down, feel bulky or rub me the wrong way. This is especially important during marathon and ultra marathon training. The last thing you want it to be on a 22 mile training run and have something not fit right and there is nothing you can do about it.
When it comes to music – I usually listen to my ipod on most of my runs for motivation and some distraction. So, headphones are super important. Sometimes after a few hours (or even minutes if they are too small) of running with the wrong headphones…my ears start to hurt and I HATE that. I also don’t want anything bulky or that shakes when I run. So, over the last few years I’ve tried out many pairs and this is what I’ve come up with…
In order with #1 being best…
#5 Sony Sports Headphones ($15-$16)
I bought these because I’m used to the “over the head” style and wanted to see if these had good sound. They weren’t bad but just not as good as my other Sonys (see below). I also thought they were too heavy for jogging and had a thicker headband that didn’t mold to my head.
#4 JVC “Gummy” Headphones ($6-$7)
If you are looking for something lightweight and cheap…these are good. However, I had problems with them staying in my ears and the bass was a little low on these.
#3 Phillips In-Ear Headphones ($15-$16)
These weren’t too bad and I liked the fact that the came in different colors and also had 3 different sized ear attachments. However, the bass wasn’t very clear. I actually had to put my ipod on “bass reducer” so that it wasn’t so cloudy and noisy. The bass is good on a low level, but as soon as I cranked it up I knew it was going to give me a headache.
#2 Apple EarPods with Mic ($5-$9)
I haven’t tried the new EarPods – so I may like those even better. But, the older version didn’t work too well for me because I could never get them to stay in my ears (I guess I have small ears). When I ran, I had to tuck the cord under my shirt and/or sports bra to keep it from bouncing around and the earpods from falling out of my ears! However, the sound quality was hard to beat and they have great bass.
#1Â Sony Lightweight In-Ear Headphones ($9-$10)
These are by far my favorite. I keep coming back to them year after year. They are very lightweight (you forget you are wearing them and they have an easy to adjust headband. I also prefer the sound quality on these and feel like they are similar to Apple’s EarPods. They also have a long enough cord so you can wear your ipod on your back or other spot and still have some cord to reach to your head. The only downfall is that sometimes they don’t last as long as I’d like (the wires will short out)…but then again..I wear the heck out of mine (humidity, rain, etc). I normally get them at Target for $9.
