$749 on 3 Gym Headphones

Save yourself time and money if you plan to sweat. Only 1 is worth keeping -- 2 are total skips. Find out which earbuds to buy

If you plan to sweat, only 1 is worth owning

If You’re Human & Sweat When You Workout, Here’s What You Need to Know & Avoid

This experiment was a true accident. An accident I wish never happened. Because there is no way I would have agreed upfront to spend $749 buying different headphones to wear when I workout. But that’s exactly what happened. I had to buy 3 different earbuds — of different brands and styles — totaling $749. Just to find a way to listen to music when I workout and sweat. It shouldn’t be this hard!

The sound sucks. These made me want to cry because they ruined my tunes.

The accident: I didn’t intend to leave my Apple AirPods Pro 2 in the pocket of the airplane seat flying into Milan, Italy. Something I didn’t realize until late that night when I planned to charge them. The “Find My” app showed my AirPods sitting in the plane seat pocket at Linate (LIN) airport. My stay in the country was brief. Like 36 hours brief. Unfortunately, my departure was out of Malpensa. I emailed the airline. Filled out a lost-and-found form in a language I neither speak nor read. And quickly gave up hope.

At this point I’d already had a few pair of AirPods, they don’t last and start to lose their charge. I also had been through — and returned — Bose earbuds because they never properly paired with my iPhone. Only the right ear ever worked.

Annoyed, I decided to wait until I was home to research and find a pair I’d love. Three pair and $749 later, here’s my unfiltered review of the top-selling audio devices: the good, the bad and the don’t bother so you can buy based on your needs. Note: there are no affiliate links or payments associated with this piece. This is strictly editorial based on my money and my experience.