Gifts for runners and sporty people: ideas that actually get used
What makes a good gift for sporty people
A good gift for someone who does sport is one they use at every workout, not one that sits in a drawer. Sport earbuds are the safest choice, because almost everyone listens to music or podcasts when they run, cycle or lift.
What matters is matching their sport. A runner on the road needs to hear the traffic; someone at the gym wants earbuds that do not fall out on jumps; a cyclist wears a helmet and sometimes glasses.
For runners
For road running, open-ear earbuds make the best gift: they leave the ear free, so the runner hears cars and bikes. The GOJ05 are light, 8.1 g a bud, with 8 hours on a charge, enough for a marathon. The GOG100 have an ear hook with a flexible titanium core and IPX5 protection, for sprints and rain.
If you do not know what they prefer, open-ear is a safe choice: nothing goes into the ear, so tip size does not matter.
For cyclists and glasses wearers
Cyclists wear a helmet, and many wear glasses too, so an ear hook can clash with the arms. The Ola 1 clip onto the rim of the ear, at 6.8 g a bud, and are IPX5.
For the bike, the Pod mini is a bonus idea: an IP67 speaker with a silicone strap that fixes to the handlebar or a backpack, for quiet rides on bike paths, where it is allowed and disturbs no one.
For the gym
At the gym, earbuds have to stay put through burpees and jumps and handle sweat. The GOG100, with a hook and IPX5, fit well. For someone who prefers small buds that shut out gym noise, a noise cancelling model such as the Free7, IPX5 and 3.9 g a bud, is an alternative.
Our guide to gym earbuds explains in detail what matters for strength training and cardio.
For hiking and long races
For hiking, trail and long races, battery matters most. Earbuds whose case adds hours, such as the GOG100 with 42 hours in all, last a whole weekend in the mountains without a socket.
For camps or evenings by the tent, the Pod mini, with 12 hours on a charge and IP67, stands up to dust and rain.
How to choose without asking
If you want it to be a surprise, look at what they wear now. If they have in-ear buds that keep falling out, open-ear with a hook solves it. If they always wear glasses, choose the clip. If they run in the evening on the road, open-ear is safer than anything else.
Online purchases can be returned within 14 days, under the right of withdrawal, so if you do not get it right, it can be changed. Keep the packaging intact until the gift is opened.
Small details that matter
Check whether the person has an iPhone or Android: all TESNA earbuds work with both, so you cannot go wrong. Think about colour too: sport earbuds are visible, and some people want something discreet, others something easy to see on the road at night.
A small extra: a microfibre cloth for cleaning the buds after training. Sweat is sport earbuds' worst enemy.
For outdoor sport in winter
In winter, runners and cyclists wear a hat or a headband over their ears. Open-ear hook buds usually fit under a thin headband, and the Ola 1's clip sits on the rim of the ear under a hat. Cold lowers battery life for a while, so the tip that goes with the gift is simple: keep the earbuds' case in an inside pocket where it stays warm.
On short days that get dark early, open-ear buds matter even more: on the road in poor light, hearing makes up for what you cannot see. If the person runs on paths in a park, a light colour makes the buds easier to spot too.
Every model is in the shop, under open-ear sport earbuds.