Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 - Wireless Noise Cancelling Workout Earbuds with Secure- Fit Earhooks, Up to 45-Hour Battery with Charging Case, Sweat & Water Resistant, Heart Rate Monitoring - Jet Black

Why it's worth it

Powerbeats Pro 2 wraps a soft hook over each ear, so the buds stay put through sprints and heavy lifts. Built-in heart rate sensors let you train by effort without a chest strap, and the Apple H2 chip handles instant pairing and device switching.

If you've ever lost a bud mid-workout, hooks are the answer. Beats says it put in 1,500 hours of fit development across different ear shapes, and owners back that up — the most common note in feedback is that these are the most secure earbuds people have worn, including from folks with small ears who couldn't keep the Beats Fit Pro in during jump rope. Wirecutter's own sport panel found hook-style buds needed zero reseats over a treadmill sprint protocol, while tip-only buds needed two or three.

The heart rate sensors are the sleeper feature. Built-in optical sensors read your pulse more than 100 times a second, so you can run a zone-based session without strapping anything to your chest or wearing a watch. If you've been putting off structured training because of the gear, this removes a step. It works on Android too, through the Beats app.

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

What we like

• +If you've ever lost a bud mid-workout, hooks are the answer
• +The heart rate sensors are the sleeper feature
• +Battery is generous. Beats quotes up to 45 hours total with the case, which for most people is a full week of daily sessions and…
• +The tradeoff is comfort over long stretches

What to know

• –The water rating is IPX4, not IP68
• –Feedback on sound is genuinely split