I’ve recently gotten really into swimming, so I bought an annual gym membership and I’m in the pool for an hour almost every other day. While swimming, I couldn’t help but think that just counting laps for so long was a bit boring. Could I use this time for something else? Like… learning Spanish? After all, living in Spain, you always want to keep improving your language skills.
Once this idea popped into my head, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. So, I started researching waterproof headphones on the market. Initially, I considered regular waterproof Bluetooth earbuds, but I quickly realized that was a misconception from my time learning to swim on your own. Bluetooth signals transmit very poorly underwater; they basically disconnect the moment you submerge, making them completely useless. Therefore, if you want to listen to something in the water, your only real option is bone conduction headphones with built-in storage that function as an MP3 player.
After doing some research, I ended up buying two different models. One was recommended by a friend and was quite affordable; the other I saw at MediaMarkt and was a bit more expensive. Both claim to be IP68 waterproof, come with internal memory, and are perfectly fine for swimming. The sensation was strange at first. The music doesn’t come from your ears but is transmitted directly to your auditory nerves through skull vibrations. It’s incredibly clear underwater, and you can still hear ambient sounds, which feels very safe.
User Experience Comparison
To make it easier to compare, I’ve put together a simple table outlining the main differences I found between the two models I used, which could be helpful if you need some Spanish swimming vocabulary:
| Feature | Model A | Model B |
|---|
| Sound Quality | Clear underwater, but volume is a bit low | Better quality, noticeable bass |
| Comfort | Lightweight, but can clash with goggles | Slightly heavier, but more compatible with goggles |
| Storage | 8GB | 16GB |
| Controls | Physical buttons, easy to use underwater | Also physical buttons, but more compact |
| Price | Great value | More expensive |
If you just want to casually listen to podcasts or news and aren’t too demanding about sound quality, the more affordable model is perfectly adequate. However, if you’re interested in swimming in Spain and want to listen to music with a good beat, or if you need more storage for a lot of Spanish learning materials, then spending a bit more on a better model is worthwhile. I now load them up with my DELE exam listening practice audio and some Spanish news podcasts. I listen while I swim, and the time flies by. My learning efficiency has somehow improved a lot too. I wonder if there are other ‘underwater learners’ in the forum? What devices are you using, and do you have any good audio material recommendations?
