Traveling can be an exciting adventure, but dealing with bulky over-ear headphones in your luggage isn’t ideal. If you’re seeking a more compact and travel-friendly audio solution, earbuds could be the Best Travel Headset option for you. Models like the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 True Wireless offer a compelling alternative. These earbuds prioritize comfort and feature a ShakeGrip coating, ensuring they stay securely in your ears even when you’re navigating busy airports or train stations. Their sound profile is generally well-balanced, providing a pleasant listening experience for various genres. While there’s a slight emphasis in the mid-treble range, which might occasionally sound a bit sharp, you can easily customize the audio to your preference using the Jabra companion app’s EQ and presets. A particularly useful feature for travelers is the case’s ability to act as a Bluetooth transmitter, allowing you to connect to in-flight entertainment systems via a 3.5 mm jack or USB-C port.
The Jabra Elite 8 Active excels at minimizing distractions during your journey thanks to its impressive Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). It effectively reduces common travel noises such as the rumble of buses and trains, as well as ambient conversations. While the continuous playback time of approximately eight hours is less than some over-ear headphones, the charging case provides an additional three full charges, extending your listening time significantly. However, it’s worth noting that the Jabra doesn’t support advanced Bluetooth codecs like aptX Adaptive or aptX Adaptive Low Latency. If codec support is a priority for you, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless are worth considering.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds offer enhanced comfort for many users compared to the Jabra. However, their ANC performance isn’t quite as strong, and they have a slightly shorter battery life on a single charge. Ultimately, both the Jabra Elite 8 Active and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are excellent contenders for the best travel headset, offering portability and noise cancellation for your travel needs.
For those wanting to explore a wider range of earbud options, we recommend checking out our guide to the best noise cancelling earbuds for more inspiration. You’re sure to find the perfect best travel headset to accompany you on your next adventure.
