AirPods for The Gym? My Honest Review

Apple launched the AirPods back in 2016. Since then they have gone on to be one of the most popular earphones around. At first I decided to hold off a few months and wait for others opinions. After getting over the unusual look of wearing them, I finally decided to get myself a pair last year.

Before that I was using the standard Lightning connector earphones that come with the iPhone in the box. I’ve always been an Apple fan and consistently just used their standard earphones for workouts.

I use Bose over ear headphones at home. When I’m in the gym though i prefer something lighter and less visible. The AiPods made a great choice as they were wireless and still have the small in ear headphone design to them.

Setting them up is easy

Often with Bluetooth headphones they can be difficult to connect and get working. first theres the buttons you have to press to begin the pairing process. After that there is often the delay whilst you wait and hope that they connect. Another issue I find is that if i’ve been using Bluetooth headphones with other devices. Often, its a hassle when switching back.

The pairing process between the iPhone and AirPods has to be the best and easiest setup process on any earphones. Its as simple as opening the carry case for the AirPods and you get a pop up on your iPhone asking if you want to pair the two. This is thanks to the Apple W1 chip which makes pairing a breeze.

Its easily as simple when you are connecting your AirPods every time after that. Open the case and put your earphones into your ears. As long as your phones Bluetooth is on, they will connect automatically. They make a quick chime to tell you they are connected. You can hold the case next to your phone and open the lid to reveal battery life information for both the case and phone. I use this feature a lot to check how much power is left before going to the gym.

I’ve never had any issues with them coming out of my ears, which I was concerned about. Although they don’t feel super snug, they always stay in place and I feel confident in them enough to not worry or be constantly checking them. If this does concern you, there are straps that you can buy to link both earphones. I think this defeats the point of having AirPods though.

The sound quality is also good

Unlike a lot of earphone manufacturers, Apple is a technology company rather than a Hi-Fi only business. This means that the AirPods are built around a lot of other factors and not just sound quality. However, this doesn’t mean the sound isn’t good. I’m very impressed with the sound from the AirPods. Yes, it may not be the best quality sound at that price point. But headphones with better sound at that price are often big over ear headphones.

The sound from the AirPods is great for an average user like me. If you are really into your music and headphones, you may find some of the tiny sound details missing. For everyone else though, they are more than sufficient. Coming from the standard Apple wired earphones, the sound of the AirPods is just so much better. They sound loader, clearer and definitely pack more of a punch.

My biggest criticism of the AirPods for the gym is that they are not isolated or noise cancelling. For the most part I cant hear anyone around me when I have them on loud. But if your gym has music playing extra loud or someone is dropping weights near you, you may be interrupted by them. This does stop them being fully immersive in the gym, but unless its really busy I don’t find it much of an issue.

The battery lasts me long enough

One of my biggest worries when switching to the AirPods was over how good the battery life would be. I didn’t want earphones that I would have to charge after every workout as I would often forget. Apple claims 24 hours when using the case between having to charge from the wall. Even though it may not be this long when using them at high volume, its certainly good.

I’m pleased to say that the battery life on the AirPods is great, especially for such a small design. I charge mine every few weeks. This is when I am often going to the gym 4 times in a week and also using the volume on nearly maximum. What I really like about the AirPods is the charging case.

As soon as they go back into the case after a workout they begin charging. Theres no worrying about me remembering to charge them. The case takes care of this and they are always ready for when I get them out next.

Overall I wouldn’t be without my AirPods

Purchasing the AirPods was definitely one of the best decisions I made. I wish I would have brought them earlier. Having wires connecting from my earphones to my phone in the gym just seems so old fashioned now. The build quality of the AirPods is also very good, the case feels solid and they feel well protected inside of it.

As with most Apple products, the price is higher than it probably should be. The current cost in the UK is £159. Thats quite expensive for earphones. However, there simply isn’t a lot of direct competition at the moment for them to compete with. Yes you can find better sound, but the form factor, Combined with the ease of use is impressive from Apple.

If you are looking for some new gym earphones, the AirPods should definitely be a contender. They are not perfect, yet. Their biggest downfall being that they are not noise cancelling. However, if you are looking for noise cancelling, you are most likely going to have to step up to full over ear headphones. It will be interesting to see the next model of AirPods that apple releases. Features such as wireless charging could be great for keeping them charged when leaving them in the car.

Gym essentials: If you are looking for a new reusable water bottle to use, as well as your earphones in the gym, check our post.