Prime Day Running Headphones Deals 2024: Jam on Your Jaunts for 40% Off

Runner-in-Chief Jeff Dengate tested the first generation of Apple’s AirPods Pro back in 2019, and he professed that they may be the ultimate all-day earbuds for any environment. That’s convenient for Prime Day shoppers, as this improved second generation is currently selling for $80 off.

“If my first day spent navigating New York City subways and running Jersey City streets is typical, they’ll be the only earbuds you need to cover all of your listening needs,” Dengate said, referencing the AirPods’ impressive active noise cancelation. “AirPods Pro come with a premium price tag because they’re doing a lot more under the hood to ensure only your music makes it to your eardrum.”

Things only got better with gen two, as Dengate and test editors Morgan Petruny and Amanda Furrer noted that “the second generation has noticeably deeper bass and clearer, louder sound” in their review. And, they added: “To be fair, there’s still some wind noise, but you completely forget about it after the first quarter mile or so of your run. Plus, there’s none of the ‘thump, thump’ you get from other sealed earbuds every time your foot hits the ground.”

On top of the unmatched control over your audio environment you get with these earbuds, you can expect far better security than Apple’s other earbuds thanks to the Pro model’s rubber eartips.

Currently ranking as our best overall pick for running headphones, these open-ear headphones from Shokz are simply the best option for runners who want to hear their surroundings unfettered. Thanks to some relatively fresh bone-conducting sound tech, these headphones circumvent your ears to send your music literally straight through your head by pumping sound waves through your temples.

If you think this design seems uncomfortable, think again: It’s one of the comfiest and most secure options we’ve tested. Thanks in no small part to these headphones’ smooth finish and light weight (only an ounce!), they didn’t tug on our skin or weigh our heads down. Rather, they rested neatly atop our ears, where we effectively forgot we were wearing them.

Looking for a pair of buds that are sure to stay in your ears, but don’t want big, bulky ear hooks? These Soundcore earbuds from Anker present a subtle design that folds down to fit more compactly in the included charger.

That folding function also gives you plenty of adjustability with the hooks while you’re wearing them, allowing you to dial in your fit until you hardly notice you have these buds in. What you ought to notice, however, is that they’re running for 38 percent off right now.

Anker’s X20 buds are functionally the same as the brand’s X10 above, but they have a more compact profile that might fit smaller ears more comfortably. These also offer active noise cancelation, while the X10 does not. Otherwise, they have the same adjustable ear hooks, the same comfortable rubber eartips, and a 20 percent discount.

If you want a bougier option for ear-hook buds, look no further than these $100-discounted Powerbeats. They have a slightly less subtle profile than the Anker buds we recommend, but that’s because there’s a heck of a lot going on under the hood—touch controls, a reinforced body that protects against sweat, and independent Bluetooth pairing between each bud, to name a few features.

Like the look of earbuds that sit as flush with your ears as possible? Consider these Jabras that are currently selling for 20 bucks cheaper during Prime Day.

Despite their minuscule profile, these Elites have plenty of smart features built into their tiny hardware. They have a noise control setting that blocks sound below a certain volume, tuning out distracting ambient sound without stopping you from hearing, say, oncoming traffic. They can also run for 7 hours without a case. Better yet, they can connect to two devices at a time, which can ease the tedium of unpairing from a device you’re not actively using.

We’ll be honest: We hesitate to recommend most earbuds you can find on Amazon for less than 30 bucks. But JLab’s a little different. We’ve tested some of the brand’s buds before, and we were resoundingly impressed with their quality. Though we haven’t tested this pair of Go Air Pops ourselves, they’re functionally identical (and measurably higher-quality) to the Go Airs we tried out. The main difference: This one has a longer battery life.

Director of product content Will Egensteiner was impressed by the security the standard Go Airs demonstrated on his runs. It gave him a sense of relief he wasn’t initially expecting to feel when he first donned the $30 (now $20) buds. He also liked that his pair still allowed him to hear his surroundings while he was outside, even if that extra sound simply came from a gap between the eartip and his ear.

Despite their low, low price, these buds have a commendable 8-hour battery life (without their case) and an IPX4 water-resistance rating. That’s enough protection to keep your music running smoothly if you want to splash some water on your head on a hot day.