Traveling can be stressful; there’s the lack of legroom that comes with all forms—whether you’re flying, driving, or taking the train (especially if you’re even moderately above average height).
Each mode of traveling can provide its own stressors as well—the fear of death/crashing that many people experience when flying, or the lack of mental stimulation/boredom that people who take the train/car may experience.
However, one way to avoid these fears/stresses is the escape that music provides. Music can transport us to different places free of the stress of our realities. But to do so, the music must be played through a reliable set of headphones.
These are some of the best wireless headphone options for travelers.
Bose QuietComfort 35 II
These noise-canceling, over-ear headphones are truly state-of-the-art. Their ability to isolate ambient noises, from the low rumbles of bus engines to the sharp sibilance of S and T sounds, allows you to let the music truly transport you without jarring interruptions.
They have an excellent battery life—they can last for 20 hours and only take two hours to charge. Plus, they can be paired to multiple devices at the same time, and they can be used passively without noise-cancelling features if the battery is dead.
Sony WI-1000X
These in-ear noise-cancelling headphones have a sleek design that is less bulky than the over-ear headphones—perfect for people who are looking for noise-canceling headphones but prefer the earbuds style and fit.
The Sony WI-1000X earphones have a noise-canceling system that blocks out ambient noise, and, due to their in-ear design, they leak sound less than their over-ear counterparts.
While they don’t have the greatest battery life, they can be used passively with their micro-USB cord, and they also provide a bevy of options when it comes to sound customization.
Jabra Elite Active 65t
These in-ear headphones are truly wireless—they cancel noise as well as any other headphones on the market, and they hardly leak any noise, meaning you can blast your tunes as loud as you want without fear of bothering other passengers (or perhaps being judged for your taste in music).
The Jabra Elite Active 65t headphones have a five-hour battery life, but they can store two additional charges in their compact case for a total battery life of 15 hours. They also can’t be used passively due to the fact they’re truly wireless, and they have some latency which can be frustrating when trying to watch movies/TV.
Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2
These over-ear headphones offer noise-cancelling sound at a reasonable price. They have a very user-friendly control scheme that makes skipping tracks easy, plus they come with a durable, hard storage case that will protect them if you decide to toss them in with your luggage.
The Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 headphones have a 30-hour battery life—great for particularly long flights/train rides—and they have several battery-saving features to extend that battery life even more.
While their noise-cancelling features are adequate, they’re not as functional as some of the other noise-cancelling headphones on the market, and they don’t have many sound customization options.
