Water resistance should always be one of your primary goals when shopping for wireless earbuds<\/a>, or outdoor headphones<\/a> of any kind, for that matter. Few things are going to ruin your day faster than $200, $300, or even $400 buds being ruined by a rainstorm or spilled drink. And if you’re serious about fitness, water resistance also equals sweat resistance, at least to a degree. <\/p>\n Apple’s AirPods<\/a> are extremely popular for workouts and general listening, but which models are genuinely water-resistant? And how far does that protection go in the real world? <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Pocket-lint<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n The best-protected AirPods at the moment are the second-generation AirPods Pro<\/a>. The earbuds have an IP54 rating, which means they should be safe against dust and light splashing. It’s worth emphasizing the “light” part, however — while they can survive things like sweat and light rain, harder rain or shower jets could pose a threat. They’re also not meant to be submerged at all, so if they accidentally fall into a bathtub or toilet, you’ll want to rescue them immediately and break out the silica packets or dry rice. <\/p>\n The first-gen AirPods Pro and the third-gen basic AirPods<\/a> share an IPX4 rating. That gives them water resistance similar to the second-gen Pro, simply without a dust seal. Don’t go riding dune buggies in Nevada with them, in other words. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n I suggest finding safer headphones for lifting and running. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n <\/section>\n <\/p>\n First- and second-gen AirPods lack any kind of water resistance rating, as do the AirPods Max<\/a>. They won’t be immediately destroyed by liquids, but you can’t count on them being protected, either. For that reason, I suggest limiting your use of them to dry environments, and perhaps finding safer headphones for lifting and running. Ignore the Max’s popularity at gyms if you want to dodge a costly mistake. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n No, they’re not. Truly waterproof headphones can be submerged in fresh water for long periods of time. You can’t go swimming with AirPods or shower with them. If you drop them in a pool or the ocean, they may stop working before you have the time to fish them out, since chlorine and saltwater are corrosive. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Serious athletes should stick to earbuds with better IP ratings. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n <\/section>\n <\/p>\n What resistance AirPods do have is temporary anyway, as any repeated liquid exposure will slowly wear down their seals. If you tend to sweat a lot during workouts, those seals will break down even faster, possibly in as little as a year. Serious athletes should stick to earbuds with better IP ratings, such as the Jabra Elite 8 Active<\/a>. Its IP68 classification means it can withstand depths up to 1 meter (about 3.3 feet) for 30 minutes. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Will Apple eventually deliver rugged headphones? Probably. Jabra is hardly alone in offering tougher AirPods alternatives, so competitive pressure may force the company’s hand. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n It’s probably inherent to the design of most headphones, which need some way of delivering sound into your ear canal, not to mention microphones to pick up your voice and\/or trigger noise cancelation. There are swimming-ready headphones — but these typically rely on bone conduction, which doesn’t isolate ambient noise. <\/p>\n \n <\/div>\n Trending Products<\/strong>
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\n<\/p>\n Which AirPods are water-resistant? <\/h2>\n
From some defense to no protection at all <\/h3>\n
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\n<\/p>\n Are AirPods waterproof? <\/h2>\n
Waterproof is not synonymous with water-resistant <\/h3>\n
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\n<\/p>\nFAQ<\/h2>\n
Q: Why aren’t AirPods fully waterproof?<\/h3>\n
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