I’ve been testing these workout headphones for a week, and they are a must-have for gym goers — but there are a few things I don’t love

Sure, you could use any old headphones when you're working out, but you probably want the best workout headphones. The H2O RIPT Ultra over-ear headphones offer a solution that is completely sweatproof and won’t leave you with broken earbuds or degrading earcups after a few months of use at the gym.

The interchangeable earcups give you the option of comfort from faux leather or practicality from sweatproof silicone, and the ANC is great when using the faux leather cups. Not to mention, they are extremely comfortable. The 50-hour battery life is also a major win for these cans, so you won’t be charging them up every day.

The lack of environmental noise cancellation for calls is a let-down, though.. An absence of companion software available from most other headphones on the market meant I couldn’t make any personalized adjustments, leaving me with a sound profile that struggled with bassy tracks and controls that I couldn’t customize.

But, if you’re a fitness fanatic, could these headphones be for you? Keep reading this full H2O Audio RIPT Ultra review to find out.

H2O Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? Headphones made with athletes in mind.
• Who is it for? Anyone who wants headphones that can double for gym and daily use.
• How much does it cost? The H2O Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones are available at Amazon U.S. for $249 and at Amazon U.K. for £241.
• What do we like? The headphones are sweatproof and extremely comfortable because of the interchangeable ear cups. They have a massive 50 hours of battery life and effective ANC.
• What don’t we like? There is no environmental noise cancellation for calls, no companion software for EQ alteration, and the bass crackles at times.

H2O Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones review: Specs

H2O Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones review: Price & availability

The H2O Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones are available at Amazon U.S. for $249 and at Amazon U.K. for £241. The headphones are available in a black or gray colorway and have blue detail on the ear cups. I personally think these headphones are far too expensive for what they offer, but over-ear headphones that are sweatproof are hard to come by.

When I’m working out, music is my biggest motivator, so I look for something with the best sound possible. For around the same price, you could pick up the Beats Studio3 headphones ($169), which have far superior audio, but they’re not sweatproof and are more suited for in-depth listening. However, these are the headphones I have used for running for the last three years, sometimes in light rain, and I haven’t had any issues with sound quality or the condition of the ear cups.

Workout audio gear most commonly appears in the form of earbuds or open-earbuds, but then you don’t always experience the same level of ANC that the H2O Audio headphones can offer. The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 bone conduction headphones offer a more secure solution as opposed to in-ear earbuds, and have a waterproof rating of IP55, so they are protected from sweat and water splashes. The H2O Audio RIPT Ultra headphones don’t have an IP rating, so you get more peace of mind with the Shokz.

But one of the perks of the H2O Audio headphones is the active noise cancellation capabilities. This is a great feature to keep you focused, but the Soundcore Space One headphones ($99) outperform them in this department. And while the H2Os have 10 extra hours of battery life, there are more color options available with the Space Ones. But again, these aren’t waterproof or sweatproof, but since they are much cheaper, you may be willing to sacrifice the longevity of the earcups to save a bit of cash.

Moreover, the 50-hour battery life of the H2O Audio RIPT Ultra headphones is a huge sell. But the Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW2 earbuds ($159) offer up to 65 hours of battery life at a much lower price. The ANC is still epic in these earbuds too, but again, you lose the security that comes with an over-the-head design.

H2O Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones review: Design & controls

• Sweatproof
• Extremely comfortable
• Interchangeable ear cups

The design of the H2O Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones isn’t something I would typically spring for. I’m a fan of minimalist headphones and usually reach for something either completely matte black or totally white with metallic accents. So, naturally, the light blue trim and logo on the ear cups weren’t initially my cup of tea.

That being said, they are undeniably comfortable. H2O Audio says these headphones are designed to best suit the lifestyle of an athlete who could be using these everywhere from the gym to the office. And while I wouldn’t directly describe myself as an athlete (because who am I kidding), I enjoy staying active by hiking and running, so I can appreciate how the comfort of these cans is a big win for anyone who is fitness-obsessed.

A major reason I found them so comfortable is the interchangeable ear cups. The headphones come with two pairs, one for working out and one for everyday wear. You simply twist the ear cups on and off to switch them around.

For day-to-day listening, I used the faux leather ear cushions, which were very soft and molded to the shape of my head with ease. After using these, I noticed how stiff the cups of my Beats Studio3 headphones are — the H2Os are much more comfortable for long-term wear.

I switched to the silicone ear cups when I was running, and while not as comfortable as the faux leather, these are great to wear while working out. It’s totally gross, but these didn’t start to stick to the side of my face like faux leather cups do when I started to sweat. The silicone felt a lot more breathable too. Over time, the oils from your skin and sweat will start to break down the faux leather material, but that issue is completely taken care of by the silicone cups, prolonging their life. The silicone cups can also be wiped and washed, which is more hygienic.

H2O Audio says the headphones are totally sweatproof, but there is no IP rating to indicate what the headphones could potentially withstand. They do, however, state that the headphones should not be fully submerged, so no swimming! Thankfully, models like the H2O Audio Tri Pro 2 offer IPX8 water-resistant, pool-safe musical companions for swimmers.

The adjustable headband is also great for getting the perfect fit, and the headphones are foldable. This means they fit into the included carry bag to keep them dust-free when not in use, and it makes it easier to carry them everywhere with you. The headphones are charged via USB-C on the left side, and can be used wirelessly or with the included 3.5mm aux jack.

There is no app compatibility with the H2O Audio RIPT Ultra headphones, so you have to make all control alterations manually, the old-fashioned way. Unfortunately, this also means there is no scope for EQ personalization, which I think these headphones could benefit from — more on that later.

There are ANC controls on the underside of the left earcups, which are altered by pressing the button and cycling through the options. You can choose from noise cancellation, transparency mode, and noise cancellation off. The buttons on the right ear cup control the volume and play and pause the music. The play button can also be held down to turn the headphones on and off.

Having the controls on the underside of the earcup means they’re not visible when wearing the headphones, so it keeps them out of sight and the headphones looking sleek. However, the positioning is a little tricky to get to grips with at first, especially when moving around.

H2O Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones review: Features & connectivity

• Bluetooth 5.4
• 3.5mm aux included
• No companion app

The headphones use Bluetooth 5.4 to stream wirelessly, but there is no option for Hi-Res or LDAC streaming codecs. Bluetooth 5.4 has a lower latency than previous versions, but without Hi-Res streaming, it’s not something noticeable. While the Bluetooth range of these headphones is not stated by H2O Audio, I was able to walk around my house and away from my phone without any interference.

The headphones also come with a 3.5mm aux jack for lower latency streaming. There are no multipoint connectivity options with these headphones, which is something you can find in most audio gear these days.

As I mentioned, there’s no app connectivity with the H2O Audio RIPT Ultra headphones. This is a letdown, as I think the sound profile could benefit from EQ alterations based on my personal preference and the music I listen to. This also means that the headphone’s settings can only be changed manually.

H2O Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones review: Sound quality

• Crackling bass
• No EQ personalization
• Lack of depth

The H2O Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones have passable audio, but for $250 I expect a lot more, or at least an option for personalization. H2O Audio describes these headphones as having deep bass, but I think the 45mm drivers miss the mark where depth is needed the most.

For example, I listened to Death & Romance by Magdalena Bay. This is the definition of the ultimate pop track with piano, synth, and soft, breathy vocals. But in the chorus, where the drum beat kicks up, the headphones had issues with crackling bass. This is an issue that also cropped up when I listened to pretty much anything by CharliXCX.

Sure, heavy bass isn’t what everyone listens to, and when I work out, my playlist is a little muddled. I get my motivation from different genres on different days… and sometimes I need to be screamed at. I listened to King For A Day by Pierce The Veil, which is a true screamo anthem that uses a mix of death growls, fry screams, and high vocals, and it sounded surprisingly decent. I say ‘surprisingly’ because since the pop track went down like a lead balloon, I thought that such a mix of vocal styles might lead to the headphones struggling. The vocals sounded clear, but some elements of the production were lost, with the rhythm guitar fading into the background.

I finally listened to Heroes by David Bowie. This is a classic that uses sounds like it was plucked right off the score of an epic. The vocals were clear, and I would say this was certainly the best-performing song with these headphones, so they thrive with 70s new-wave. The whole song sounded well-balanced.

H2O Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones review: ANC

• Effective noise cancellation
• Performance depends on the earcups used
• Three levels of noise cancellation

The 30dB of active noise cancellation with the H2O Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones is very effective; however, there is a marked difference in how it performs depending on which ear cups are being used.

There are three levels of noise cancellation (noise cancellation, transparency mode, noise cancellation off), but I used the highest noise cancellation setting to help with focus. When using the faux leather ear cups, the ANC was very effective, and I could hardly hear the tapping of my keyboard or the chatter of the people working around me. But when using the silicone earcups, I could hear more tapping and could start to make out conversations.

The Soundcore Space One headphones offer far superior ANC capabilities and are a fraction of the price of the RIPT Ultras. As someone who values focus, I would certainly be more inclined to reach for the Space Ones.

H2O Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones review: Call quality

• Clear call quality
• No environmental noise cancellation
• Can use the built-in controls to answer calls

Now and again, I have to take a call when I’m out on a run or a long walk. It’s easier to leave my phone in my pocket, so I like that I can use the RIPT Ultra’s buttons to answer calls.

When I spoke to my dad on the phone, he said my call using the built-in microphone of the headphones was clearer than when I spoke on my phone normally. However, since there is no environmental noise cancellation with the microphone, he could hear the traffic near me when I was speaking, which caused some interference.

Environmental noise cancellation is a very useful feature when using headphones or earbuds to take calls, so it’s a shame the RIPT Ultras don’t utilize it. The Edifier WH950NB headphones have great environmental noise cancellation, which makes taking calls a breeze.

H2O Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones review: Battery life

• 50 hours of battery life
• USB-C charger

The H2O Audio RIPT Ultra headphones have a battery life of up to 50 hours, meaning I was covered for all of the activities I was undertaking all week long. After 10 hours of listening over two days, the headphones sat at a respectable 80% battery life. This was with ANC turned on at around 35% volume. The longevity of the battery will change depending on ANC settings and volume usage. The headphones are charged with a USB-C cable, which is included.

If you need more battery life than this, you can look at the Edifier WH950NB headphones, which have 55 hours of listening time, or the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE headphones, which have 60 hours of battery life.

H2O Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones review: Verdict

The H2O Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones may not be my first choice when I want to listen to my favorite music, but they are the perfect headphones to have when working out. They are sweatproof and have interchangeable earcups, so you don’t ruin the faux leather on the cups, and you can use the silicone cups for sweaty workouts instead.

The 50 hours of battery life make them great for long hikes, and they are extremely comfortable to wear for extended periods too. The ANC is also ideal for staying focused, whether it’s at my desk or the gym, but the function reduces when you change the earcups to silicone, which you’ll want to do when working out.

The lack of environmental noise cancellation for calls is a letdown. There’s also no companion software to personalize the headphones, whether that’s tweaking the EQ of the sound profile or the touch controls. And most importantly, the headphones proved unable to cope with much bass.

So while I don’t think these headphones are the right choice for audiophiles, they are a decent choice for anyone who spends most of their free time being active and needs a sweatproof audio solution.