Best headphones for swimmers 

H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro

£191

They say: H2O Audio TRI 2 Multi-Sport Waterproof Bone Conduction Headphones are a breakthrough in audio technology, offering enhanced sound quality and an improved ergonomic design. Engineered for endurance athletes, they deliver a superior listening experience, whether you’re training on land or in water. Designed for swimming, biking, running, paddling, surfing, snowboarding.

We say: Fully submergible and ideal for swimming, these bone conduction headphones give you a choice of streaming via bluetooth or pre-loading MP3s – the latter being the only option in the pool. While downloading MP3s feels a bit old school in an age of streaming, once loaded with tunes the headphones were so easy to use. We simply turned them on and they began our playlist – no need to change modes or even press play. Out of the water, with the booming of voices around the pool, the music sounded crisp but quiet, but as soon as we pushed off the wall it became clear, rich and bassy, a really impressive and immersive sound. The headphones come with a hard case, or you can buy a hard charging case (£48) to keep them fully charged. As with the other headphones on test, the open-ear design gives you great situational awareness – good for hearing road traffic when cycling or listening to your coach giving poolside instructions. For open water, they come with a little rubber leash to secure them to a wetsuit zipper.

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SHOKZ OpenSwim Pro

£169

They say: Thanks to OpenSwim Pro’s durable IP68 waterproof rating, submerge your OpenSwim Pro up to 2 meters for 2 hours, seamlessly playing your tunes with perfection. Switch between Bluetooth and MP3 mode for uninterrupted music with the button or in the Shokz App. OpenSwim Pro is tailored waterproof, versatile, while fitting safe and secure for your workout routine – in the water or on the land.

We say: Fully submersible (up to two metres for two hours), the Shokz OpenSwim Pro is made for swimmers and felt comfortable and secure as we hooked them over our ears, the non-adjustable band sitting below our swim cap (we found it easier to put the headphones on first, then secure the cap over the top). While the Shokz OpenRun and OpenRun Pro have ‘mini’ sizes for smaller heads, the OpenSwim Pro doesn’t yet but while the band to sat loosely at the base of our neck, after a few lengths we felt confident it wasn’t going anywhere. Offering a choice of Bluetooth or MP3 playback, these bone conduction headphones are ideal for multi-sport athletes. Pre-loading with MP3s, however, is the only option for swimming as you can’t stream bluetooth underwater. We found switching between MP3 and bluetooth a touch awkward as it reverted to bluetooth when powered up, but once set correctly the sound quality was superb, especially below the water when it was crisp and powerful. It took a while to master the small multi-function buttons (the volume up button is also the power button on, for instance), but you can use the Shokz app to customise what buttons do what

SUUNTO Sonic

£129

They say: When out doing sports we have to be aware of traffic – but now you can combine those sounds with your favourite music. With open-ear design and excellent sound quality, the Suunto Sonic bone conduction sports headphones are the perfect way to combine both. Open-ear technology allows you to listen to music and at the same time still hear your surroundings. Instead of traditional in-ear headphones, Suunto Sonic sits on your jawbone leaving your ear canal open to stay aware of the nature or traffic around you.

We say: Water resistant rather than waterproof, the Suunto Sonic headphones aren’t designed for swimming, but their water resistance means they’re sweat-proof for the gym, suitable for running or cycling in the rain, and robust enough to survive a wet kit bag. We tested them in the gym, where they felt comfortable and secure whether running or lifting. The sound is rich and crisp. The open-ear design, sitting on the jawbone and leaving the ear canal open, creates a good balance of immersive sound that masked the tinny background gym music, while also allowing us to hold a conversation and be aware of our surroundings – also a great feature for cyclists and runners. At high volumes, you can feel the vibrations and there was slight noise leakage, but that was similar with the other headphones on test. Unlike the H2O Audio and Shokz headphones, you can’t load music onto them. Instead you stream music from a phone or smartwatch, which is as simple as connecting your bluetooth and they’re ready to go.