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I’ve been a fan of Jabra’s wireless earbuds ever since the Elite 3 became my go-to earbuds two years ago, so I jumped at the chance to test out the ultra-rugged Elite 8 Active Gen 2. Although I liked my older Elite 3, they don’t have the active noise canceling (ANC) feature that I’ve been missing out on, and as someone who regularly tests e-bikes, camping equipment, and other outdoor gear, I really needed dustproof, waterproof, and sweatproof earbuds to keep up with my active lifestyle. Jabra kindly sent me a pair of slick olive-green Elite 8 Active Gen 2 earbuds, and after many hours of listening to them while riding through thunderstorms and sweltering summer days, I’m glad to say that the only thing more impressive than their durability is the rich and immersive audio.
In addition to the Elite 8 Active Gen 2 earbuds, the box includes its companion charging case, three sets of swappable liquid silicone rubber EarGels in small, medium, and large, and a USB-C/3.5mm dual-end-cable. I was pleasantly surprised to see the earbuds arrived with several hours of charge, and it was nice to set them up and enjoy listening right out of the box as I left its case to charge.
Speaking of setup, pairing the Elite 8 Active Gen 2 to my iPhone and configuring its Jabra Sound+ app wasn’t just easy, it was fun to play with the different audio presets, enable features such as Spotify Tap and Find My Jabra (to track down a misplaced Jabra device,) become acquainted with the on-ear control guide, and note the earbuds’ battery life at a glance.
Whether you prefer a pair of olive, black, navy blue, or Jabra store-exclusive coral Elite 8 Active Gen 2 earbuds, they’re priced at $229.99. This includes a free engraving service of up to 22 characters, free shipping since the order will be over $99.99, and Jabra offers a generous free 100-day return window for choosy buyers.
I know how difficult it can be for some people to find a pair of earbuds that fit just right and are wary about buying them online without testing them in-store. If you fall into this category, it’s worth buying directly from Jabra just in case their pliable and grippy liquid silicone rubber EarGels aren’t for you due to their lenient return policy.
If you need a set of earbuds that will easily survive your longest runs, toughest exercise routines, and fast-paced daily life, you won’t be disappointed by the impressive durability of Jabra’s Elite 8 Active Gen 2. They’re 100% dustproof, making them an excellent option for frequent beachgoers, and its IP68 rating ensures they are waterproof, sweatproof, and will easily survive being submerged in almost 5 feet (1.5 meters) of water.
Between shrugging off your sweatiest workouts, being unphased by rain, and how easy it is to rinse them clean at the end of the day, it’s rare to find earbuds this durable and enjoyable to listen to.
Its on-ear controls use both tactile buttons and light taps, and although the slight click (or three) of its miniature buttons (one on each bud) may be a tiny split-second distraction for some, I appreciate the feel and tactile audio cue of the little inputs.
Examples of its intuitive actions include pressing either button to take an incoming call, pressing and holding a button to turn audio up or down (right and left buttons, respectfully), triple-pressing the right button to replay a music track, and my favorite — double-tapping the left bud to activate Spotify Tap and start playing my favorite music app right where I left off.
While I anticipated that the Elite 8 Active Gen 2 would sound superior to my older Elite 3 earbuds, the level of rich, full, and immersive audio outdid my expectations. With a booming base, loud yet crystal-clear maximum volume, and consistently crisp sound that is greatly enhanced by activating Dolby Audio via the Jabra Sound+ app, it’s an absolute treat to do yard work or ride my bike with perfectly balanced spatial sound beaming my tunes from what feels like multiple directions for a somewhat orchestral twist to my Spotify playlists.
Jabra Sound+ is available for both iOS and Android, and it’s a must-download app for getting the most out of your Elite 8 Active Gen 2 earbuds. The app is a snap to navigate, and unlocks some of the earbud’s best features, including a comprehensive sound calibration tool that includes multiple sound presets to match your favorite musical genres, spatial sound, and voice commands via Siri or Google Assistant.
If you’re in the market for long-lasting, feature-packed earbuds that sound excellent, yes. Jabra may market the extremely durable Elite 8 Active Gen 2 to gym-goers, adventurers, and audiophiles of the great outdoors, but frequent travelers and students will get their money’s worth from the powerful sound and impressive battery life.
Anyone shopping on a budget may understandably hesitate because of its $229.99 price tag, however I’d consider it an excellent long-term investment because of its waterproof, dustproof, and sweatproof design, as well as its user-friendly earbud-tracking app just in case they are lost or stolen.
The inclusions of Adaptive Hybrid ANC and Natural HearThrough noise control features gives these earbuds another layer of versatility. For example, I wouldn’t normally recommend riding a bike along traffic with noise canceling headphones or earbuds in for safety reasons, but a single tap will turn off your tunes, and amplify the ambient sounds around you so you can focus on safely getting from Point A to Point B. Natural HearThrough is a feature users will quickly become familiar with, as it automatically activates whenever you get an incoming call.
For those times you want to melt away into your music during a stroll, hyper-focus while studying, or get in the zone during a workout, you’ll want to activate its Adaptive Hybrid ANC mode. Although you’ll still be able to hear some louder muffled sounds with ANC on, this works surprisingly well at negating constant and higher-toned sounds like whistling wind, background traffic zipping by, and a noisy overhead air conditioner.
Although Jabra advertises that its Elite 8 Active Gen 2 earbuds will provide 8 hours of battery life per charge, I got about 8.5 hours with active noise canceling on. Fitness enthusiasts looking for a “grab it and go” audio solution will appreciate how the case itself holds another 24 hours of charge, and that the earbuds themselves will hold over an hour of battery life after charging in its case for just five minutes. Note that users will get around 56 hours of battery life total with its charging case without ANC on, but with its already long battery life and fast-charging, I recommend enjoying the premium sound canceling mode whenever you feel like it.
It takes about three hours to fully charge the earbuds, but thanks to its color-coded LED battery indicator, you’ll always know when to toss them back in the case for another five to ten minutes of extra charging. These earbuds even had a handy sleep mode that automatically activates when you’re not listening to them to preserve additional power.
The Elite 8 Active Gen 2 sports a Bluetooth 5.3 connection and a range of about 33 feet. While most users are going to keep their smartphone in their pocket while jogging or working out, this is a convenient feature to keep in mind for anyone who wants to walk around their home while taking a call while their phone is on the charger. It also features Bluetooth Multipoint, allowing the earbuds to hold a Bluetooth connection with up to two nearby devices at once, such as your smartphone and smartwatch, and it’s a snap to swap between them as needed.
If a wireless connection is unavailable for whatever reason, the charger cable incorporates a USB-C/3.5mm audio jack that streams sound from the audio source, through the charger, and directly to your earbuds.
Since these waterproof earbuds are a snap to rinse off after a workout, I suggest using them for taking calls too. A pair of Elite 8 Active Gen 2s contain six microphones and do an excellent job of isolating and amplifying your voice while blocking out environmental noise — even in relatively noisier spots outdoors, such as a sidewalk beside a high-traffic roadway.
In a world of ugly, bulky, and overly designed earbuds, the modern and sleek look of Jabra’s Elite 8 Active Gen 2s is a breath of fresh air. I like the minimalist pop of color, and although everyone’s mileage may vary, I felt that its EarGels had that soft “midrange” in-ear feel that isn’t tunneling into your eardrum, yet its grippy texture kept the device securely in place despite my running, biking, etc.
If you’re concerned about losing an earbud during your fast-paced activities, don’t be. Mine always stayed firmly in place, and during my testing, the only time I was able to dislodge one was after thrashing about like a chimpanzee at a heavy metal concert just to see how much force it would take to lose one.
Marathon listeners and anyone looking for quality earbuds for running will appreciate the featherweight and slim charging case, and how easy it is to toss in a bag or slip in your pocket to recharge their earbuds at a moment’s notice. The case has a secure magnetic closure and is also dust and water-resistant, so don’t hesitate to bring it along.
If you love the Elite 8 Active Gen 2 but want a more reasonably-priced alternative, consider the Elite 4 Active. Although these workout-ready earbuds are remarkably similar in many aspects, the Elite 4 is a slight downgrade in most areas, including a dust-resistant (but not dustproof like the Elite 8) design and a maximum battery life of 28 hours (versus 56).
Jabra’s Elite 5 earbuds are more affordable than the Elite 8 by $50, and while these cozy headphones sport six microphones, hybrid active noise canceling technology (not quite as advanced as the Elite 8 Active Gen 2, but still noteworthy!), and a uniformly cozy fit, they are not a good fit for workouts because they aren’t sweat-resistant.
Jabra’s Elite 8 Active Gen 2 has excellent audio quality, a universally comfortable fit that stays secure in your ear, an impressively rugged design, and a long-lasting battery life. These premium wireless earbuds are a top pick for athletes who need a pair that will last for a long time to come, but anyone who regularly listens to earbuds for long periods will appreciate the immersive ANC mode, waterproof design, and featherweight feel of these sleek earbuds.
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