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Beats, Bose and Shokz, tried and tested
You want a secure fit, waterproof or sweatproof capability and assurance they won’t bounce out of your ear, says Arj Thiruchelvam, performance coach at Performance Physique. He also looks for Bluetooth 5, which provides the best connection to wireless devices, ensuring a run isn’t interrupted by music or a podcast dropping out.
Having a decent microphone to take calls is a bonus, and he recommends going into the shops rather than buying online. “It’s pretty difficult to test every aspect when shopping online but, if you can get your hands on the headphones, pop them in and jump around a bit. Running is basically a series of jumps, so have a quick bounce around the store,” he says.
“Beats, Bose, Airpods and Shokz all have their claims to the top position” in terms of the best types of headphones for running, Thiruchelvam says. He favours the Shokz Air bone conduction headphones, but has clients from his personal trainer business who swear by Bose, claiming they boost their exercise performance.