JLab earbuds are the Wyze Labs of the headphone industry, making quality headphones with premium sound with a wallet-friendly price tag. Keeping prices at a minimum does have its caveats, however, and some premium features don’t make it past the drawing room floor.
As a result, there are no JLab earbuds that are 100% waterproof. There are some that are advertised as “splashproof” and “sweat-resistant” but that’s generally as far as it gets.
In some cases, even “waterproof” doesn’t mean full submersion underwater. The system utilized by most electronics manufacturers is the IP rating. IP stands for (Ingress Protection) and it covers everything from dust and sweat to full submersion.
Understanding The IP Ratings For JLab Earbuds
An IP rating is listed as the letters IP, followed by two digits. The first digit represents Intrusion Protection, while the second digit represents Moisture Protection. The higher the number, the more protection the device offers.IPX Raiting Intrusion Protection Moisture Protection 1 Protection from large objects intruding. Protection from condensation. 2 Protection from fingers and prying. Protection from water droplets up to 15º outside of vertical falling. 3 Protection from tools and wiring up to 2.5mm in diameter. Protection from water up to 60º from vertical. 4 Protection from solid objects up to 1mm. Protection from water droplets coming from all directions. 5 Partial dust protection. Low-pressure jet spray protection. 6 Complete protection from dust and other particulates. Protection from direct, high-pressure water streams. 7 N/A Full Submersion protection up to 1 meter. 8 N/A Protection from full submersion under water. The depth and time frame stipulated by the manufacturer. 9 N/A Vehicle applications.
For Instance, the JLab JBuds Air is rated at IP55. This means that they feature partial dust protection and protection against low-pressure jet sprays, such as a quick hit with a sprinkler.
Occasionally, you will run into an IPX7 type of rating. The “X” indicates that there is no information for that category, while the 7 means full submersion protection for up to 1 meter in depth.
Which JLab Earbuds Are The Most Water Resistant?
Several JLab earbud offerings have decently high water and sweat-resistant ratings.
- JLab Epic Bluetooth Earbuds: These earbuds have an IPX4 rating and the JLab claims they are sweatproof, splashproof, and washable.
- JLab Epic2 Audio Bluetooth Earbuds: The successor to the Epic, these have a higher IPX5 rating and can withstand up to low-pressure jet spray.
- JLab Airplay Gaming Headphones: Despite a design intended for gamers, these earbuds are IP55 rated and, like the Epic2, can withstand low-pressure spray.
- JLab Epic Air ANC: These earbuds feature an IP55 rating for protection against low-pressure spray. the Epic Air ANCs were announced alongside the next earbuds on the list.
- JLab Epic Air Sport ANC: These truly wireless earbuds are rated at IP66 and can withstand direct, high-pressure water streams and heavy rainfall.
The JLab Epic Air Sport ANC earbuds are the highest weatherproof rating earbuds in the entire JLab lineup. While it’s heavily water-resistant, it still couldn’t withstand submersion underwater.
Most, if not all of the earbuds manufactured and sold by JLab, have water and sweat-resistant features. The lowest rated are still going to feature protection from sweat and rain droplets if you get caught out in the open.
Can You Shower With JLab Earbuds?
You certainly could, but it isn’t recommended. The JLab Epic Air Sports come the closest and you could probably shower while wearing them and get away with it but it’s a risk.
It’s doubtful you’d want to risk a $99.00 pair of earbuds in the shower, but they are suitable for heavy activity, sweat, and dust. If you’re wearing them and get caught out in the rain, the JLab Epic Air Sports would be fine.
They’re rated at IP66 and can withstand high-pressure water spray for up to three minutes. A shower, however, is different—even if you don’t have high-pressure showerheads—in that it’s saturating the earbuds for a sustained period.
Unless you plan on taking showers for fewer than three minutes, it’s probably not in the best interests of your wallet or the JLab Epic Air Sports to take a long, hot shower.
Is JLab Producing Waterproof Earbuds?
Right now, that’s hard to say. There haven’t been any official announcements on upcoming JLab earbuds since February of 2020 when JLab announced both the Epic Air Sport and Epic Air.
Both the Air Sport and the Air feature ANC technology, so JLab is focused on innovation and improving their products for each new release.
Also, because both Epic Air Sports and Epic Air received some love in the weatherproofing department—with an IP66 and IP55 rating respectively—there’s a hopeful trend for completely waterproof devices down the road.
The Epic Air Sports is about as close as you can get to full waterproof features. With swimming, white water rafting, canoeing, deep-sea fishing, boating, and several other outdoor activities to consider, there’s certainly a market for pure, waterproof headphones.
You can also sign up for the “First To Know” newsletter by entering your email on the JLab website. Any new or upcoming JLab device or product announcements will be delivered straight to your email.
All Things Considered
While there are no JLab earbuds that are considered fully waterproof, almost every earbud and headphone device that JLab offers is resistant to water and dust to some degree.
You can’t go swimming with any of them, however, most of your sporting needs are covered, especially activities that involve a lot of sweat and might find you caught out in the rain.
One thing that can be said about JLab is that they offer innovative products that are budget-friendly and each succeeding device is better than the last. So it’s probably only a matter of time before we see an IPX7 or IPX8 earbud down the road.
The unfortunate side effect of offering a ton of features at an incredible value is that some features get left by the wayside. Fortunately, JLab is one of the few earbud designers and manufacturers that can pull off a waterproof earbud that has no compromises.
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