7 Best Wireless Earbuds With Ear Hooks That Stay In (2023)

This is the latest list of best earbuds with ear hooks.

In this guide, you’ll learn about the best ear hook headphones according to fit, sound quality, features, and … (more on that below).

The best part? These are all modern wireless earbuds made to stay in your ears against all odds.

Here’s the overview of the best wireless earbuds with ear hooks:

Why Were Earbuds With Ear Hooks Made?

Wireless earbuds with hooks are popular for sports. They’re specifically designed to withstand rigorous head movements during workouts.

If you’re often physically active with your headphones, then you know how important it is to keep them in place. We all have busy lives, so we don’t want to deal with falling off earbuds as well.

Earbuds falling out during exercise is frustrating. Plus, earbuds change the sound when moving inside your ear canal. It’s not pleasant.

Wireless earbuds with ear hooks attach to the back of your ears. A wire or rigid hook, usually plastic or silicone, adds stability while you move.

There’s one problem…

Some of the ear hook headphones are unbearably uncomfortable. The hooks irritate the ears with constant friction, which can be unbearably painful.

Nonetheless, we’ve made a list of the best wireless ear hook headphones that don’t suffer from this terrible design.

Check out some other picks:

Best workout headphones

Best headphones for running

Best running for earbuds

Key Features of Earbuds with Ear Hooks

If you’ve decided that the hook design is for you, how do you know which features are important in wireless Bluetooth headphones with ear hooks? Here are the 3 main ones:

1. Stability

This should be the number one priority if you are looking for earbuds to use when exercising.

Nobody wants earbuds that fall out, the whole point of this design is to combat this.

Ear hooks vs. wings

Ear wings are different than hooks. These adapt to the inner shape of your ear rather than hooking around the outside. They come in different sizes.

However, you can still wear wireless earbuds with ear wings behind-the-ear (over-the-ear style).

One example of such Bluetooth earbuds would be the Jaybird X4 which you can wear over the ear style (behind-the-ear) even though they have wings.

Interestingly, you may also see on-ear headphones with ear hooks (tough none decent), but the design isn’t suited for over-ears.

2. Comfort

Every decent pair of headphones should be comfortable by design.

Check the most comfortable headphones.

However, the hook design is easy to get wrong. There are examples of wireless earbuds with ear hooks that stay put but aren’t comfortable.

The problem is ear hooks rubbing against the skin of your ears which get irritated over time. It can be uncomfortable or even painful.

Hook earbuds are normally made of plastic or silicone, with a rigid or semi-rigid area hooking around the ear. Some have cushioned hooks to help with comfort.

3. Sound

Earbuds are of no use if they stay put but sound so bad you won’t want to listen to them.

Whichever headphones you are looking into, pay attention to the sound quality. And don’t forget about 2 things:

1. Volume is important; a good quality driver will go a long way to providing this. You don’t want underpowered earbuds.
2. Do you need ambient mode? Activities that need awareness are dangerous without hearing ambient sound.

For more options with ambient sound mode, see the best headphones for cycling.

How to Choose Earbuds with Hooks

Choosing hook earbuds isn’t easy because not all options are comfortable or well-made. Some can end up hurting your ears.

There are a few additional considerations when choosing wireless earbuds with ear hook for yourself.

Set Your Budget

There are affordable ($50) and more expensive ($200+) options for wireless earbuds with ear hooks.

Set your budget and compare what you can get for this price. Check the affordable ear hook headphones below.

Consider the Fit

Wireless earbuds with ear hooks should comfortably fit your ears. If you’ve ever worn in-ear monitors as a musician, you’ll know roughly how this style feels. They wrap around the ear.

There are a few types of ear hooks:

• Silicone plastic hooks are flexible and softest on the ears
• Memory-wire hooks can be molded into different shapes and angles which give you different fit options for big or small ears but don’t feel as stable
• Hard plastic or metal hooks often rub against your ears the wrong way, but offer great durability

Most are flexible and have some give. However, if you are opting for rock-solid plastic earpieces, ensure they have a perfect fit for your ears; otherwise, they can be uncomfortable.

Unfortunately, you can’t learn that from reading reviews. You can only try them and see for yourself. Thankfully, most vendors offer friendly return policies if you’re not happy.

How Will You Use Them?

Good wireless earbuds with ear hooks are suitable for sports as well as casual listening.

There are many options for different uses.

If you aren’t doing strenuous activity, ear hooks may not be needed. We advise ear hooks only for serious exercise and movement. Otherwise, you have more choices.

Alternatively, the best workout headphones or true wireless earbuds with ear wings may provide plenty of stability with superior comfort.

Best Ear Hook Headphones

1. Beats PowerBeats Pro

The audio quality of these Beats by Dre wireless headphones doesn’t disappoint.

Heavy bass still reigns supreme, but this time, it’s more detailed and controlled. Together with boosted highs, these ear hook earbuds produce a fun V-shaped sound, similar to the best bass earbuds.

PowerBeats Pro wireless earbuds take the crown with their superbly secure fit, better battery life than most, and super-fast charging (5min = 1.5h of music).

To make them survive the harsh sports environment, they have IPX4 water protection (effectively sweat-resistant). Moreover, they come in various color options to suit your style.

Plus, they come with nice features like automatic pause/play when taken off/put back on. To summon Google Assistant or hold phone calls, you get built-in microphones on both sides.

PowerBeats Pro earbuds might have a high price tag and lack active noise canceling mode, but come with the latest technology, integration with Apple devices, and a good fit.

2. Treblab X3 Pro

The sound quality depends on a tight seal. By using correct tips, you get to experience great sound quality with boosted low-end, clean mids, shimmery highs, and a good soundstage. (Don’t use foam tips since they muddy the bass).

Their design is very similar to the PowerBeats Pro. The logo doubles as a control panel for playback, while the rocker on the upper side lets you adjust the volume control. They’re also okay for making a phone call from time to time.

Above all, flexible ear hooks ensure excellent stability for wireless earbuds, especially if you plan to use them outdoors. X3 Pro have an IP rating of IPX7, providing high levels of water protection.

Treblab equipped these with an aptX codec to reduce video latency and improve audio quality on Android gadgets. They pack up to nine hours long battery life, with another 36 hours inside the charging case.

3. Shure AONIC 215 TW2

The sound signature resembles the legendary Shure SE215, with a smooth and neutral response.

The unique thing about the AONIC 215 TW2 is the option to detach earbuds from wireless modules. Meaning you can also use them wired if you have a cable with MMCX connectors.

The above-mentioned wireless modules offer you more freedom of movement, a built-in microphone for phone calls, and you can pair the earbuds with a mobile app.

In there, you can tweak touch controls and play with a music equalizer. The Bluetooth connection runs on version 5.0, whereas earbuds use SBC, AAC, and aptX Bluetooth codecs.

Furthermore, AONIC 215 TW2 offer an Environmental Mode for amplifying background noise and boast a great battery life of 8 hours on a single charge.

4. Plantronics BackBeat FIT 350

For the price you pay, you get an enjoyable, slightly bass-emphasized sound that’s perfect for earbuds for running. The sound is fixed and you can’t change it in the BackBeat app.

Flexible ear hooks are made of soft silicone that’s gentle to the skin and holds up well during fast movement.

These are also clip-on headphones. A clip can attach to your shirt in case earbuds fall off or control the cable at the back of your head.

Designed to be ultra-lightweight, the BackBeat FIT workout earbuds can be very comfortable even when listening for long periods of time.

They have several sets of specific patent-pending eartips designed for comfort, which also do a good job at passive noise isolation.

With up to six hours of battery life, these running earbuds should last for an entire day of working out.

Want similar buds? See the best earbuds under $50.

5. Shokz OpenRun

The sound quality is definitely the best you can get from bone conduction technology. However, don’t expect deep bass.

OpenRun are the best bone conduction headphones that let you hear the ambient sound of your surroundings. Your ears aren’t covered as the sound vibrates through bones instead of eardrums.

You can use an ear tip or plug to better focus on the sound.

Most importantly, the bass has been improved from the Air model, but it isn’t completely perfect. There are also multiple sound presets to choose from.

Shokz OpenRun are a gold standard in this category. They have quality, rubbery hooks and stay in place while you exercise.

They’re designed for a full-on active lifestyle and offer plenty of stability thanks to the hooks.

Waterproof and dustproof design (IP67) protects them from water and small particles like sand and dust. So, you can confidently use them in places other headphones would die in.

Check out our AfterShokz Aeropex review since the two headphones are practically the same.

See other water and dust-resistant models, check the best waterproof Bluetooth headphones.

6. JBL Endurance Peak II

As many JBL products, these too follow a bassier version of Harman curve target.

They have a pretty energetic sound, suitable for sports activities. The dip around 9kHz reduces harsh sibilance in vocals.

The true wireless earbuds under $100 have a familiar ergonomic shape with soft hooks that grab around your ears. They offer an IPX7 rating of complete water protection. Strangely, no official dust protection.

Expect 6 hours of playback time and another 24 hours inside the case. The latter is slimmer than its first generation, making it more easily pocketable.

Despite their bulkiness, they’re comfortable to wear for extended periods. Sadly, there’s no added feature to boost ambient noise for better awareness (like Transparency mode).

Most Affordable Ear Hook Headphones

7. JLab Go Air Sport

As all headphones for sports should, the Go Air Sport sound energetic and punchy, with good bass quantity when you ask for it. You can add or reduce the bass by selecting between 3 EQ modes.

However, the low-end performance largely depends on the fit, which can be tricky with these earbuds.

We had minor issues maintaining a perfect fit, although most reviewers didn’t have the same problem. So, your mileage might vary.

Nonetheless, the earbuds are sturdy and comfy and have an IP55 rating. More impressively, they have more than 9 hours of battery life, with extra 24 hours stored in the charging case.

Always looking for bargains? Check the best cheap headphones and best cheap earbuds.

Honorable Mentions

Skullcandy Push Ultra

Aukey EP-T32

SENSO Bluetooth ear hook headphones

Bose Sport Open Earbuds

Shokz OpenRun Pro

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)