7 Best Earbuds With Ear Hooks That Wrap Around Ear (2023)

We’ve tested 192 headphones. And here are the best headphones with ear hooks that wrap around ears in 2023.

The top 7 are the best across the board. We’ll show you:

• What are the best headphones with ear hooks for maximum stability in all situations.
• Our hands-on experience with each pair and why we like them.
• Sound test charts (frequency response) so you can see how they sound.

Quick overview: Click on “Read more” in the table to jump to the earbuds.

All headphones on our list are evaluated based on 9 key factors (Sonic9Score).  The main criteria we looked at to pick the top ear hook headphones are audio quality, comfort, and user experience (see why below).

Explore our testing and ranking methodology.

Best True Wireless Ear Hook Headphones

1. Beats PowerBeats Pro

PowerBeats Pro are the best true wireless earbuds with ear hooks we’ve tested – Beats PowerBeats Pro review

It’s hard to argue that these are not the best hook earbuds today. With punchy bass and a best-in-class battery life of over 11 hours (see the results of our battery test in the review).

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.

Best Ear Hook Earbuds under $100

2. Treblab X3 Pro

If you want earbuds with ear hooks under $100, Treblab X3 Pro are a top choice – Treblab X3 Pro review.

Finding true wireless earbuds that are stable, fit comfortably, and sound great is tough. The Treblab X3 Pro Bluetooth wireless earbuds do a great job.

The audio quality depends on the tight seal. By using the 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 9 hours long battery capacity, with another 36 hours inside the charging case.

Best Wireless Earbuds With Ear Hooks

3. Plantronics BackBeat FIT 350

Plantronics BackBeat Fit 350 are the best workout headphones for people who can’t keep buds in their ears – Plantronics BackBeat FIT 350 review.

Whenever you buy a pair of headphones, there is a balance to be struck between affordable price and features. For ear hook design headphones, these are a great choice for value.

For what you pay, you get an enjoyable, slightly bass-emphasized sound that’s perfect for any activity. Unfortunately, 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 sports earbuds are 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 6 hours of battery, these running earbuds should last for an entire day of working out. Find out more in our review.

Looking for value earbuds? See the best earbuds under $50.

Best Bone-Conduction Headphones with Ear Hooks

4. Shokz OpenRun

Shokz OpenRun (previously AfterShokz Aeropex) are the best bone conduction ear hook headphones – Shokz OpenRun review.

Wireless bone-conduction headphones are a relatively new option. As they don’t cover your ear lobes, you can still hear traffic and other surrounding noise while listening to your favorite tunes.

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 and are perfect for those who like to keep their ears open.

You can still use ear tips (included) to boost the bass and focus on the sound.

There are also multiple sound presets to choose from, though the difference is minimal.

Nonetheless, the 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.

Waterproof and dustproof design with 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.

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

Best Cheap Ear Hook Headphones

5. JLab Go Air Sport

JLab Go Air Sport are the best cheap ear-hook earbuds we’ve tested – JLab Go Air Sport review.

The best choice for sportspeople on a budget who want something reliable and durable.

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.

We had minor issues maintaining a perfect fit, although most reviewers didn’t have the same problem. So, your experience might depend on your ear shape.

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

Looking for bargains? Check the best cheap headphones and best cheap earbuds.

Best Open-Ear Headphones with Ear Hooks

6. TOZO OpenReal

TOZO OpenReal are the best open-ear headphones with ear hooks we’ve tested – TOZO OpenReal review.

The majority of open-ear headphones wrap around the ears, which gives them stability for any activity. But what makes OpenReal special is their superb natural audio quality. Find more about sound in our review.

They are the better alternative to bone-conduction headphones. The only difference here is that you hear through ears instead of bone. So, if you want to keep aware of your surroundings when wearing headphones, these are a top choice.

You can easily use them for sports. With IPX8, they’re fully waterproof. You can submerge them under water and clean them under a tap.

With a long Bluetooth range, your music won’t cut out when walking around home. And the 12-hour battery life can last for a transcontinental flight.

The only bad thing is the charger. It’s proprietary, so you always have to carry it around, and it tends to loosen up.

Nonetheless, these are a top choice for anyone wanting to keep open ears while listening to audio in comfort.

These are a top choice among the best headphones for cycling.

Best In-Ear Monitor Headphones with Ear Hooks

7. RAPTGO x HBB HOOK-X

RAPTGO x HBB HOOK-X are the best in-ear monitors with ear hooks we’ve tested – RAPTGO x HBB HOOK-X review.

Standards for in-ear monitors are high. But the RAPTGO x HBB HOOK-X check all the marks.

They have a fantastic, slightly V-shaped sound. This means they have a slight boost in bass and treble, but they’re still suitable for all genres of music. You can see more audio quality analysis and frequency response charts in the full review.

Stability is top-notch thanks to the foldable cables that form the ear hooks and wrap around the ears. And because they’re light and ergonomically designed, they fit in the ear perfectly.

Additionally, you can detach the cables if if want to replace them. The only bad thing is that there is no microphone or in-line control module that would work with modern smartphones.

Also, they’re not the cheapest, but not expensive for IEM headphones either.

So, if you’re looking for top-notch in-ear monitors with ear hooks, check out the RAPTGO x HBB HOOK-X.

Honorable Mentions

Skullcandy Push Ultra

Aukey EP-T32

SENSO Bluetooth ear hook headphones

Bose Sport Open Earbuds

Shokz OpenRun Pro

How We Tested Them?

Each pair of headphones in our list is objectively tested by measuring frequency response (see graphs in full reviews).

Then, we listen to them personally and describe what we hear. Altogether, we test them on 9 key points: Audio quality, noise isolation, ANC, battery life, comfort, features, etc. This helps us compare and pick the best-performing earbuds that we can confidently recommend.

See our testing and scoring methodology.

How did we choose the models?

For headphones with ear hooks, we primarily focused on 3 decision points:

Sound quality: Headphones have to sound good before other things start to matter.

Comfort: Many ear hook headphones suffer from bad comfort. The ear hooks irritate the skin or create pressure points which create pain. This is why we picked comfort as one of the most important aspects.

User experience: Things like battery life, how they feel in hands, whether they are waterproof, how you charge them, software support, etc. All these things create a pleasant (or unpleasant) user experience.

All recommended headphones perform better than alternatives in the same category. We choose from many headphones (192 tested so far). Then, we ranked them at different price points and styles of headphones.

Why Get Headphones With Ear Hooks?

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

If you’re physically active with your headphones, then you know how important it is to keep them in place. You don’t want to deal with constantly readjusting your earbuds.

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

Ear hooks attach to the back of your ears and keep headphones in place. A wire or rigid hook, usually plastic or silicone, adds extra stability while you move.

There’s one problem…

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

Thankfully, we’ve excluded those from our list.

Check other sports picks:

• Best workout headphones
• Best headphones for running
• Best earbuds for running

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? 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 (or 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.

You can also find on-ear headphones with ear hooks. But no good ones, and 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 ear hook design is easy to get wrong. There are examples of ear hook headphones 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 don’t want to listen to them.

Whichever headphones you are looking into, pay attention to the audio 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 equalization? If you like to play around with custom sound, EQ is a must-have.

How to Choose Earbuds with Hooks

Choosing ear 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.

Set Your Budget

There are affordable ($50) and more expensive ($200+) options you can choose from.

Set your budget and see what you can get for this price. Often, a budget version is all you need.

Consider the Fit

Headphones with ear hooks should comfortably fit your ears. If you’ve ever worn in-ear monitors as a musician, you’ll know 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 provide plenty of stability with superior comfort.

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

In our opinion, the top wireless headphones with ear hooks are Beats PowerBeats Pro (review).