Swimming is one of the most effective training methods on the planet. It builds cardiovascular fitness, develops full-body strength, is low-impact on joints, and is the foundation of triathlon, open water, and water polo. But for many swimmers, it has one persistent drawback: the silence.
Lane after lane, length after length, with nothing but your own breathing and the sound of water. For some, that’s meditative. For others — particularly those logging serious training volume — it becomes a grind.
Music changes that. But getting music underwater is more complicated than most people realise.
WHY MOST “WATERPROOF” HEADPHONES FAIL SWIMMERS
Walk into any sports shop and you’ll find earbuds rated IPX5 or IPX6 marketed as “waterproof.” For sweats or running in light rain, these ratings might survive. But for swimming, they’re not.
IPX5 and IPX6 ratings cover water jets and splashing but they are not designed for submersion. In a pool, these headphones will degrade. Some fail quickly, some last a few weeks if lucky — but the seals weren’t designed for the sustained, repeated submersion that swimming involves. Chlorinated water is particularly harsh on components not built to handle it.
The rating you need for swimming is IPX8 — full submersion to a defined depth (>1.5m) for a defined period (>40min). This is the only rating that reflects what actually happens in a pool.
WHY BLUETOOTH DOESN’T WORK UNDERWATER
The second problem most swimmers discover is that Bluetooth — the wireless protocol that powers virtually all modern headphones — doesn’t transmit underwater. Radio waves don’t propagate through water the way they do through air. Within centimetres of submerging, the energy is obsorbed by water and the signal drops.
This means any headphone that relies solely on Bluetooth will stop working the moment your head goes under. For backstrokers, this happens on every single stroke.
The solution is onboard MP3 storage. Load your playlist directly onto the device before you get in, switch to MP3 mode, and the music plays independently of any phone or Bluetooth connection. No signal required, no interruptions, no surfaces.
HOW THE AMPACT SPRINTER 100 IS BUILT FOR SWIMMERS
The Sprinter 100 was designed with swimmers at its core — because the founding team are swimmers. Here’s what that means in practice:
IPX8 WATERPROOFING
Rated for full submersion. Pool sessions, open water, ocean training — the Sprinter 100 handles all of it without degradation. Chlorine, saltwater, and freshwater won’t affect performance.
8GB ONBOARD MP3 STORAGE
Load up to approximately 2,000 songs directly onto the device. Toggle between Bluetooth and MP3 mode with two clicks of the M button. In MP3 mode, 4 clicks switches between shuffle and sequential play. Just leave your phone in your locker.
BONE CONDUCTION — THE ONLY AUDIO TECH THAT WORKS UNDERWATER
Unlike in-ear earbuds, bone conduction doesn’t rely on sound travelling through air. The vibrations travel through your cheekbones directly to your inner ear. Water doesn’t interrupt this transmission. You hear music clearly at every depth your swimming takes you to.
FIT-TIP ADJUSTABLE ARMS
The 35° Fit-Tip arms allow the transducer position to be adjusted for your face shape, ensuring both optimal sound quality and a stable fit under a swim cap. The frame hugs the head closely — the Mini variant sits 1cm closer than the Regular, making it particularly suited for use with a cap and goggles.
OPEN EAR — HEAR YOUR COACH DURING SETS
Because the ear canal stays completely open, you can hear your coach calling splits or feedback without removing your headphones. This is something no in-ear headphone can offer.
TWO SIZES TO FIT ALL
A shorter Mini size for swimmers who want to fit everything under the cap!
WHO THE SPRINTER 100 IS FOR
Competitive swimmers looking to improve session quality and make high-volume training more sustainable. Triathletes who want consistent audio across swimming, cycling, and running without swapping devices. Open-water swimmers who need a waterproof headphone that handles submersion reliably. Recreational pool swimmers who simply want entertainment in their sessions.
And many more!
THE BOTTOM LINE
Not all waterproof headphones are equal, and the pool is an unforgiving environment for products not properly engineered for it. If you swim regularly and want music that works underwater — not just beside the pool — the specification floor is IPX8 rating and onboard MP3 storage.
The Sprinter 100 and Mini clear both, and adds the open-ear awareness and adjustable fit that competitive swimmers need.
Ready to make a splash with music? Grab a pair and dive in!