Swimming headphones allow swimmers to listen to music during training. This comparison explains how Shokz, H2O Audio, Zygo and Rayofi differ.
Listening to music while swimming has become increasingly popular among swimmers, triathletes, and fitness enthusiasts. Music can help maintain rhythm during long swim sessions and make training more enjoyable.
Several brands now offer headphones designed specifically for underwater use. Among the most well-known are:
- Shokz
- H2O Audio
- Zygo
- Rayofi
Each of these systems uses different technologies to deliver audio underwater.
How Swimming Headphones Work
Most swimming headphones use bone conduction technology.
Instead of sending sound through speakers inside the ear, bone conduction headphones transmit sound vibrations through the cheekbones to the inner ear.
This allows swimmers to hear audio clearly even when their ears are covered by water.
Shokz Swimming Headphones
Shokz OpenSwim is one of the most widely used swimming headphones.
The headset uses bone conduction technology and includes internal storage for music files.
Advantages:
- lightweight design
- comfortable fit for swimmers
- reliable underwater audio
However, Shokz headphones rely on MP3 file storage rather than streaming.
H2O Audio Headphones
H2O Audio offers a variety of waterproof audio devices designed for swimmers.
Many of their models support music playback from internal memory and are designed for swimming and water sports.
These devices work well for swimmers who prefer to store music directly on the headset.
Zygo Swimming Headphones
Zygo introduced one of the first systems designed to stream audio while swimming.
The Zygo system uses a transmitter placed near the pool that sends audio signals to the swimmer's headset.
The system also supports coaching communication.
However, the system requires a transmitter box and subscription service.
Rayofi SwimComm
Rayofi SwimComm also supports streaming music while swimming.
The system uses a transmitter connected to the swimmer’s smartphone. The transmitter sends audio to the headset using an FM radio signal designed to travel in and around water.
Advantages include:
- music streaming while swimming
- no monthly subscription
- competitive price
- Bluetooth use outside the water
Which Swimming Headphones Are Best?
The best swimming headphones depend on the swimmer’s needs.
Swimmers who prefer offline music storage may choose devices such as Shokz or H2O Audio.
Swimmers who want to stream music or podcasts while swimming may prefer systems such as Zygo or Rayofi SwimComm.
To learn more about how underwater audio technology works, read our full guide:
