Updated October 6, 2026 by Andy Chen.
Swimming audio is a separate category from water-resistant earbuds. Bluetooth becomes unreliable through water, so a credible lap-swimming product needs local storage and an immersion rating rather than a splash-resistance claim.
We only rate products designed for submerged use. The Mifo Gen 4 remains our dry-land wireless-earbud editor's pick, but it should not be worn while swimming.
Shokz OpenSwim Pro: Editor's pick for swimming — $299.95 at Shokz Canada
OpenSwim Pro is the most complete current swimming option because it combines a properly sealed IP68 design with local storage for underwater playback.
- Underwater audio. The 32 GB MP3 mode stores music locally because Bluetooth signals do not travel reliably through water.
- Water protection. The IP68 design is rated for submersion in fresh water up to 2 metres under Shokz test conditions.
- Dual use. Bluetooth 5.4 works on land, while a physical control switches to MP3 mode for swimming.
- Battery. Shokz rates playback at up to 9 hours over Bluetooth or 6 hours in MP3 mode.
Shokz OpenSwim: Best lower-cost swim player — $199.95 at Shokz Canada
The standard OpenSwim is the lower-cost lap-swimming alternative. It gives up Bluetooth and carries less local storage, but its simpler MP3-only design is still appropriate underwater.
- Playback. This model uses local MP3 playback only; it does not include Bluetooth streaming.
- Storage. The 4 GB capacity is much smaller than OpenSwim Pro but still holds a practical training library.
- Water protection. IP68 construction is intended for swimming rather than merely resisting sweat or rain.
- Battery. Shokz rates the standard OpenSwim for up to 8 hours per charge.