JLab, Epic Air Sport ANC 3, True Wireless Earbuds, Active Noise Cancelling, Bluetooth, Sport, Black

Why it's worth it

The JLab Epic Air Sport ANC 3 gives you ear hooks, three ANC modes, and more than 12 hours per bud — features usually reserved for pricier earbuds. It's the pair to buy when you'd rather not worry about damaging something expensive.

For high-contact training, cheaper is often smarter. If you play pickup basketball, do CrossFit, or train somewhere your buds might get stepped on, spending less removes a whole category of anxiety. These give up surprisingly little for that: rotating-free ergonomic ear hooks sized to fit small ears, hybrid ANC with three modes, and an IP66 rating that shrugs off sweat and spray.

The battery is the standout number. JLab claims more than 12 hours per earbud and 68-plus hours total with the case, which is more than double what several of the premium picks here manage. Charge it Sunday and you're unlikely to think about it again all week. The case takes USB-C or wireless, so whatever cable you already have works.

From our review of 8 wireless earbuds for working out, by Ben Carter, Tech Editor

What we like

• +For high-contact training, cheaper is often smarter
• +The battery is the standout number
• +The driver setup is more ambitious than the price suggests: a Knowles balanced armature paired with a dynamic driver, plus LDAC…
• +Multipoint pairing means these hold a connection to your laptop and your phone at once

What to know

• –Durability is the real worry
• –Several owners describe the ear hooks as stiff and not especially flexible, which makes them fiddly to get on if you're wearing…