These Are My Go-To Workout Earbuds, and They’re Way Better Than AirPods

I’m 36 years old, and I’ve been exercising in some form or another for about 25 years now — the bulk of which has been spent going to traditional gyms. While I’m not a fitness professional, I’d like to think I know a thing or two, especially about what regimens and habits work for me. And the biggest thing that keeps me motivated is listening to music. As such, a pair of headphones or earbuds are an absolutely essential piece of my gym gear kit.

I’ve tried all sorts: the old wired ones that used to come with aux-port iPhones, bulky over-ear ones, the kind that hangs around your neck (with a pseudo-AI “virtual trainer” onboard, no less), Apple’s lauded AirPods and more. So when I say that Jaybird’s Vista 2s are the best fitness headphones I’ve ever used, I want you to know that’s not a flighty claim. But I don’t want you to just take my word for it, so I’m sharing my experience with them here.

Jaybird Vista 2: What We Think

Sean Tirman

I was actually skeptical of how much I’d like these headphones and how well they’d work with my iPhone 14 Pro. That was over six months ago, and today, I can’t go to the gym without bringing these earbuds with me. They’re not perfect — I do have rare connectivity issues (that are easily remedied), and the fit isn’t exactly custom — but they’re the best gym ‘phones I’ve ever used, and I’ve been going to the gym in some form or another for nearly 25 years.

Their noise-canceling tech helps drown out the grunts of other gym-goers, as well as the crashing of plates on the ground. There’s a bevy of onboard sound shapes and you can program custom ones for yourself. And the battery life is outstanding — I spend probably around 5-8 hours in the gym a week, and I’ve only had to charge the case a few times in six months. Pair that with sweatproofing and a reasonable price point and you can see why I’m so enamored with these gym earbuds. And yes, I like them better than AirPods Pro for working out.

To learn more about our testing methodology and how we evaluate products, head here.

Amazon

Jaybird Vista 2 Earbuds

• $142.69 at Amazon
  $149.99 (5% off)

Compared to AirPods Pro, the Vista 2s Are Top-Notch

Apple’s AirPods Pro have pretty much set the standard for earbud tech, but their $249 MSRP is asking quite a lot. By comparison, the Jaybird Vista 2s will cost you just $149.99 — nearly $100 less than their Apple competition. And while they maybe don’t look as good — Apple has always got product design locked down tight — they deliver where it counts.

For instance, the battery life of the earbuds (sans case) is eight hours. If you’re using them for the gym, as I do, that rounds out to about 4-6 uses per charge. Add in the charging case and you get an additional 16 hours (that’s 24 hours in total). AirPods Pro, by comparison, have a longer overall charge (30 hours total) but only six hours in just the ‘buds themselves. In practice, these are comparable numbers, so the price difference is a big win for the Vista 2s.

Furthermore, the Vista 2s have a waterproof (sweatproof, in my case) rating of IP68 compared to the AirPods’ IP54, giving the Vistas another edge. And while I’m certainly no audiophile, the ANC tech in the Vistas also seems comparable in normal usage to that found in the AirPods Pro. If I’m basing my buying choice on these numbers alone, I’m going with the Jaybirds, even with the Apple name taken into consideration.

Sean Tirman

Some Connectivity Issues (That Resolved)

As Jaybird is a subsidiary of Logitech, I was a little worried about how well these headphones would connect to my iPhone. After all, that was the biggest hurdle for me — I know from experience that Apple products work well within their own ecosystem. Still, I took the leap and picked up the Vista 2s over another set of AirPods Pro because of their price and sweatproofing.

Unfortunately, I did experience a strange connectivity issue a couple of weeks into using my Vista 2s. While in the middle of a workout, the right earbud kept disconnecting from my iPhone. I could still hear music playing out of the left one, but the right went silent. I would have to pop it back in the charging case, take it back out, and manually reconnect it to my phone to get around this problem.

After a few more times of this happening, I started to get frustrated. Then, one day, it just stopped happening. I’m not sure exactly why it went away, but I am thankful that it did (perhaps a software update?). I have not had a connectivity issue since. Still, it needs to be said that this did, in fact, happen because it may not be an isolated issue for me alone.

A Great Plug-and-Play Design with Imperfect Touch Controls

I am the type of gym-goer who likes to set a playlist and get to work. Not fussing with my music makes it far easier to focus on my workouts. In this case, the Vista 2s are great — they’re easy to set and forget. However, I have found a bit of a struggle with the touch controls.

It’s not that they don’t work — the custom controls are easy enough: push on the earbuds once for play/pause; tap them twice to skip or start a song over; hold a long press for volume control; etc. — it’s just that essentially shoving the earbuds into your ears over and over again is a bit uncomfortable. And sometimes, I don’t push quickly enough, and then they do something I wasn’t intending, like pausing instead of skipping.

Thankfully, the app that pairs with these headphones and, more importantly, their connectivity to my iPhone help circumvent this issue. It’s a simple prospect just to grab my phone and hit the skip or volume button. And it’s really not any more frustrating than any other headphones I’ve ever used at the gym.

They Stay Very Secure (Most of the Time)

Sean Tirman

My Jaybird Vista 2s came with a trio of ear tips, but I’ve only ever used the smallest ones (I have narrow ear canals). For the most part, they fit great. They stay secure, create enough of a seal that the ANC tech is clearly working and they don’t hurt after wearing them for a long time. For someone who has had difficulty in the past with other earbud shapes, this is a major win.

They’re not perfect, however. During workouts in which I’m pushing myself particularly hard, they do come loose from time to time. And, when toweling off my face or doing some aggressive overhead moves, I’ve jostled one of the earbuds out of my ear entirely. This can be frustrating, especially in the middle of the set. Thankfully, these occurrences — like my connectivity issue — are few and far between. And they’re definitely not any worse than any other earbuds I’ve used at the gym, Apple options included.

Jaybird Vista 2: Alternatives

As mentioned, the biggest competitor to the Vista 2s (for me, at least) is Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 ($249). And if you’re using your earbuds for more than just the gym — perhaps for work calls or to listen to podcasts while you putter around during the day — they may be a better option. If you want something that really tells people, “Don’t bother me, I’m working out,” Sony’s flagship WH-1000XM5s ($400) are the best over-ear noise-canceling headphones you can buy (although they lack an IP rating). And if you really want to save some money, you can count on our budget gym earbuds pick, the Anker Soundcore Life P3s ($80).

Amazon

Jaybird Vista 2 Earbuds

• $142.69 at Amazon
  $149.99 (5% off)

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