Walking isn’t just a way to get exercise; it’s also a chance to think, have fun, and sometimes escape into your best music. In 2025, there are numerous headphones on the market, making it challenging to select the right ones for your daily walks. The best walking headphones are comfortable, offer good sound quality, last a long time, and have features that enhance the experience without compromising your awareness of your surroundings. We’ll examine the five best walking headphones on the market in 2025, taking into account a range of preferences and needs.
Sony WH-1000XM6:
It is the king of comfort and quiet. This is why it’s excellent for walking: The Sony WH-1000XM6 builds on the famous success of its predecessors to offer the best noise-cancelling experience and the most comfortable headphones ever. These are some of the best options for people who want to truly immerse themselves in their music or podcasts, blocking out city noise and other distractions. The improved folding design makes them easier to carry, and the continued focus on lightweight materials ensures they are comfortable to wear for extended periods.
What’s important:
• The best noise cancellation in the business: Sony’s QN3 chip cancels out noise in a way that is truly flexible and effective, making it great for blocking out noise in cities.
• Perfect Sound Quality: The new carbon fiber drivers make the sound clear, powerful, and roomy at all levels.
Comfortable Over-Ear Design: These headphones are designed to sit over the ears, but they’re relatively lightweight (254g) and made to be worn for extended periods without discomfort. However, some people may find the pressing force too strong for very long sessions.
• Long Battery Life: The battery lasts for 30 hours with ANC on, so you won’t run out of power on even the most extended walks.
Innovative Features: With LDAC for high-resolution music, multipoint connections, Speak-to-Chat, and Quick Attention Mode, this phone is ready to go.
• Foldable Design: They are easier to store and take with you because they can be folded up again.
Please take a look at: Even though they’re great, the fact that they go over the ears might make some users less aware of their surroundings, which is something that urban walkers might notice. Additionally, they’re not waterproof, so they work best in dry conditions.
Apple AirPods Pro 2:
It has Adaptive audio and seamless integration. This is why it’s excellent for walking: The AirPods Pro 2 are almost amazing in how well they combine comfort, ease of use, and innovative listening features for iPhone users. Their active noise cancellation works exceptionally well, and the Adaptive Transparency mode is particularly beneficial for walking, as it allows you to hear what’s going on around you while still listening to music.
What’s important:
• Adaptive Transparency Mode: This mode mixes noise cancellation with background noise so you can hear traffic or talk without taking out your earbuds.
• Excellent Noise Cancellation: Keeps out a lot of background noise, perfect for hearing with concentration.
• Superb Comfort: Different sizes of silicone ear tips make sure that they fit securely and comfortably in most ears. • Spatial Audio with Dynamic Head Tracking: This feature makes hearing feel like you’re in a movie theater.
• Sweat and Water Resistant (IPX4): They can handle light rain and sweat so you can wear them most of the time.
• Simple Controls: The stem controls make it easy to change the volume, skip tracks, and switch modes.
• Apple Ecosystem Integration: Connecting and moving between Apple devices is easy.
Please take a look at: They work with Android, but they shine in the Apple environment. While the battery life of 6 hours on a single charge (30 hours with the case) is suitable for daily walks, it may require more frequent charging than some over-ear choices.
Shokz OpenRun Pro 2:
Safety First with Bone Conduction on the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2. This is why it’s excellent for walking: The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 are the best shoes for walkers who want to be aware of their surroundings, especially in crowded places or on trails. These bone-conduction headphones sit over your ear, allowing you to hear the world around you still, which is crucial for safety. The sound quality of the “Pro” form is much better than that of earlier bone conduction types.
What’s important:
• Open-Ear Design: Bone conduction technology sends sound through your cheeks, so your ears are free to hear what’s going on around you.
• Better sound quality: two drivers mix clear highs and deeper bass to make a surprisingly whole sound experience for bone conduction.
• Secure and comfortable fit: They’re light and made to fit around your head, so they stay in place even when you’re walking quickly.
• Long battery life: You can listen for 12 hours, which is enough for long hikes.
• Sweat and Water Resistant (IP55): Strong enough to handle light rain and sweat.
• Clear Call Quality: Two mics with smart noise reduction make sure calls are clear even when it’s windy outside.
Although the sound quality has improved, it still won’t be as good as that of standard in-ear or over-ear headphones for audiophile enthusiasts. There’s bass feedback, but it’s not as pronounced as with regular headphones.
Jabra Elite 8 Active:
It is the toughest pair of earbuds for active walkers. This is why it’s excellent for walking: If your walks often turn into more intense activities, or if you want headphones that are very durable and resistant to water, the Jabra Elite 8 Active are designed to withstand the test of time. Jabra says these are the “world’s toughest earbuds,” and their tight fit and sturdy construction make them a good choice for any walk, rain or shine.
What’s important:
• Extreme Durability (IP68 rating): These earbuds are fully waterproof, dustproof, and have a sweat-resistant case, so they can’t be broken while you’re outside.
• Secure ShakeGrip Fit: Made to stay in your ears even when you move around a lot.
• Great Sound and Active Noise Cancellation (ANC): Have great sound with active noise cancellation that works well and a helpful HearThrough mode for being aware of your surroundings.
• Long Battery Life: The buds can play music for 8 hours, and the charging case can charge them for another 24 hours. • Customizable Sound Profiles: The Jabra app lets you make your own sound experiences.
Thoughts: The fit is good, but some users may find the buttons on the earbuds rugged to press, which could lead to discomfort.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra:
This headphone offers the best in comfort and noise cancellation. This is why it’s excellent for walking: For individuals seeking the ultimate in comfort and quiet while walking, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are the ideal choice. Building on Bose’s reputation for blocking out noise, these headphones have an incredibly snug fit that makes them feel almost weightless, even after hours of use.
What’s important:
• Noise Cancellation That Sets the Standard: Bose continues to set the standard for active noise cancellation, which lets you get lost in your music.
• Extreme Comfort: These headphones are very comfortable to wear for hours because they have soft earcups and are lightweight.
• Great Sound Quality: Give your music a deep bass and a clear picture, and you’ll enjoy listening to it.
It features Bose’s spatial audio technology, which further enhances the hearing experience.
• They are easy to fold up and store, which makes them more portable.
Like the Sony WH-1000XM6, their over-ear style makes it harder to hear what’s going on around you, so they might not be the best choice for all walking situations. The 24-hour battery life is satisfactory, but not as long as that of some other brands. Additionally, they are costly and don’t officially withstand water during heavy rain.
How to Choose the Right Walking Partner
In 2025, when choosing walking headphones, think about these things:
• Awareness vs. Immersion: Do you need to be able to hear what’s going on around you to stay safe (e.g., Shokz OpenRun Pro 2), or would you rather block out the world for a more intense experience (e.g., Sony WH-1000XM6, Bose QuietComfort Ultra)?
• Comfort: When going for long walks, comfort is essential. Earbuds need to fit tightly without putting pressure on your ears, while over-ear headphones usually have better padding.
• Durability and Water Resistance: If you walk in all kinds of weather or sweat a lot, an IP grade is significant (for example, Jabra Elite 8 Active, AirPods Pro 2).
• Sound Quality: All of these choices sound good, but you should think about what bass, clarity, and general sound profile you like best.
• Battery Life: Make sure the battery life matches how long you usually walk.
• Connectivity and Ecosystem: To get the best experience, think about how well the headphones work with your main devices (for example, AirPods Pro 2 for iPhone users).
Ultimately, the best walking headphones for you in 2025 will depend on your preferences and intended use. There are great choices on the market to improve every step of your trip, whether safety, sound quality, or toughness are essential to you.