These workout earbuds are the perfect fitness accessory | CNN Underscored

Finding a pair of earbuds that didn’t fall out while I exercised was not an easy task. While I was obviously looking for something that offered great sound, a stylish design and simple controls, my first priority was fitting my self-diagnosed, misformed ear canals. Which is why I am now completely addicted to my $199 Beats Fit Pro.

Until recently, the only headphones that worked well for me at the gym were a pair of wireless Monster iSport over-the-ear headphones, resplendent with sweat-proof earpads. It wasn’t until the newer crop of higher-end earbuds came along, with sophisticated shapes and little wings to help keep them in place, that I was adequately able to don a pair for any type of long lasting listening. However, even the most promising of these earbuds, like Microsoft’s Surface Earbuds, Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Pro and Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds, never checked all the boxes I needed for a comfortable, great-sounding workout.

The Beats Fit Pro earbuds have been a true revelation. Since receiving a pair of the true wireless, noise-canceling headphones in November of last year, I have been overwhelmingly happy by the reliable fit, easy to use touch controls and snug wingtip design. Not one, single time did they fall out – even during my most intense workouts.

A perfect design for the gym

The first thing I noticed when I got my pink-based, lavender-hued, Stone Purple earbuds was the smooth, compact, matte case. A stylish square with rounded edges, unlike the rectangular shape of the lower cost Beats Studio Buds, the charging case could easily be thrown in my workout legging’s phone pocket if I was heading outside for a run or power walk. But since I mostly use them in the gym in my building, I keep the case charging, with the included USB-C cable (sorry, no wireless charging here), near the front door and just grab the earbuds on my way out.

But, when I do feel like taking them for the day or when I travel, I can rest assured that I’ll have up to 30 hours of battery life with the fully charged case, as found in our in-depth testing.

Beats Fit Pro are also available in black, white and a dark gray, and come with three sizes of silicone eartips to help you find the best fit. The smallest was the best for me, but once I put them in my ears, I realized that it was the flexible wingtips with pressure-relieving vents that made the real difference during my workouts. Once secured, it took extra effort to remove them – even on purpose. In comparison to the pricer Powerbeats Pro with bulky ear hooks, I was thrilled with the compact design.

The smooth rubber and light weight of 5.6 grams per earbud made me nearly forget I was wearing them, and I never worried that they were loose or fiddled with the fit while I was exercising. And, since I started working out with my virtual, phone-based trainer on the Future training app, back in January, I needed reliable headphones for more than just tunes. The Beats Fit Pro not only lets me stream music on Spotify in the background, but because they stay put with no extra effort, I don’t miss a minute of the personal streaming video workouts — which includes everything from running and rowing to lifting weights to core and yoga work.

Controls are also simple to maneuver. Just tap and click either bud to pause, play and skip tracks or to answer and hang-up a call. And because they are rated IPX4, I can sweat to my heart’s content or even take them out in light rain.

But how do they sound?

Beats did not mess around when it came to packing all the important stuff into the Beats Fit Pros. Yes, they come loaded with much of the same features as AirPods Pro, like the ability to automatically tune your music in real-time with Adaptive EQ and Apple’s top-tier H1 chip for super quick pairing with a device. But my favorite part of working out with the earbuds is the Spatial Audio with head tracking, which you’ll get when you use them with any Apple product. Kind of like surround-sound, this technology allows the built-in accelerometers and gyroscopes to track your head as it moves, then remaps the sound to stay fixed to your iPhone or iPad.

The result of this clever, immersive audio separation was not only surprisingly helpful when I had to listen to specific instructions from my trainer, but when I took shorter classes on my Peloton app, it sounded like I was working out with a real life instructor. I kid you not, there were times when I actually checked to make sure the earbuds hadn’t fallen out and I was somehow broadcasting my audio to the whole gym. If you use Android, however, you’re out of luck here.

A long press on the bud easily let me switch between ANC and Transparency modes, which generally blocked out unwanted conversations and TVs in the gym while allowing me to hear traffic if I was running outside. And of course, I could always ask Siri to change the volume control or help with other voice commands.

When I was more relaxed and able to concentrate on music and podcasts, I was impressed with the Beats Fit Pro’s wide soundstage and balanced bass – with no obvious distortion on higher volumes.

Bottom line

Whether, like me, you’ve had a hard time finding well-fitting earbuds that stay put during workouts, or are just looking for a stylish pair of true wireless headphones, the Beats Fit Pro are currently our best wireless earbuds pick for Apple users — and still great if you’re on Android.

A tight seal, comfortable silicone eartips and flexible wings make them a staple for anyone who wants to feel safe and secure wearing them in the gym, for long runs and power walks or for high intensity HIIT workouts. And, we can’t say enough about the fabulously immersive Spatial Audio feature, which offers a huge boost for any digital classes you decide to join.

But in addition to the great sound, intuitive controls and excellent noise canceling capabilities, the Beats Fit Pro are just the most comfortable, best fitting earbuds we’ve ever used. And when it comes to working out, sometimes you just need to get back to the basics.