JLab Epic Air Sport ANC Gen 2 Review: Gym-Tested Earbuds With 70-Hour Battery

Looking for workout earbuds that can survive your toughest gym sessions without dying mid-set? The JLab Epic Air Sport ANC Gen 2 makes a strong case at $99.

The JLab Epic Air Sport ANC Gen 2 is a pair of true wireless earbuds built for fitness. They feature active noise cancellation, Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, over-ear hooks for a locked-in fit, IP66 water resistance, and a staggering 70+ hours of total battery life from the charging case.

I tested these wireless earbuds through weeks of sweaty gym sessions, outdoor runs, and daily commutes. The ANC, controls, and battery held up through intense workouts and loud environments.

The short version? They nail the fundamentals that fitness-focused listeners care about most, though the noise cancellation leaves room for improvement. Here is what I found.

What I Liked

The JLab Epic Air Sport ANC Gen 2 earbuds impressed me in several areas during testing. Here is what stood out.

Battery Life That Goes the Distance

The headline spec is 15 hours per earbud with ANC off, plus 55 additional hours from the charging case. That adds up to 70+ hours of total playtime. Even with active noise cancellation enabled, each earbud delivers around 11 hours.

In practice, I charged these earbuds roughly once every two weeks with daily hour-long workouts. One Reddit user reported charging their pair only five times in a year and a half of use. The quick charge feature is a lifesaver too: 15 minutes plugged in gives you another hour of listening.

For comparison, the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC tops out around 20 hours total, and the Nothing Ear (a) hits roughly 24 hours. The JLab’s battery life is in a different category entirely.

Secure Ear Hook Design

The over-ear hooks are the reason these are sport earbuds and not just earbuds with a “sport” label. They lock around the top of your ear and keep the buds firmly seated during running, HIIT, and weight training.

Not once did I need to readjust during lateral-heavy workouts. Reddit users in r/running confirm the same: “The kind with the ear hooks. I’ve got the Jlabs Epic Air sport and they stay in just fine.”

JLab includes six sets of ear tips in the box: three standard silicone gel sizes, two extra-long options, and one set of Cloud Foam tips. The Cloud Foam tips mold to your ear canal and made a noticeable difference in both comfort and passive noise isolation.

Wireless Charging and Tile Tracking

At $99, getting both Qi wireless charging and built-in Tile tracking is uncommon. Drop the case on any wireless charging pad or use the integrated USB-A cable for wired charging.

The Tile integration lets you ring the earbuds from the Tile app if you misplace them. It is a small feature that becomes invaluable the first time you lose a bud between couch cushions. Few competitors at this price point offer either feature, let alone both.

Sound Quality and EQ Customization

The 8mm dynamic drivers deliver a bass-forward sound signature that works well for workout playlists. The default JLab Signature EQ emphasizes sub-bass and low-end punch, while the Balanced preset provides a more neutral listening experience.

The JLab app takes things further with a full 10-band custom EQ. You can shape the sound precisely to your preference. The app also lets you customize touch controls, adjust ANC levels, and toggle between music and movie mode for low-latency video playback.

One Reddit user noted: “I bought the Jlab ANC sport earbuds and they have been excellent. 1/3rd the price of Bose and honestly sound better IMO.”

IP66 Water Resistance

The IP66 rating means these earbuds are dust-tight and can withstand powerful water jets. In practice, that translates to full confidence during sweaty workouts and rainy runs.

I used them through summer training without any moisture-related issues. The sweatproof rating is not just marketing. The Be Aware transparency mode also proved useful during outdoor runs, letting ambient sound through so I could hear traffic and other runners.

What Needs Improvement

No earbuds are perfect, and the JLab Epic Air Sport ANC Gen 2 has a few areas worth addressing.

ANC Performance Falls Short

The active noise cancellation is the weakest link. It handles low-frequency droning sounds like air conditioning and engine noise reasonably well. High-frequency sounds like voices and traffic cut through with minimal reduction.

Tom’s Guide noted that “ANC performance has declined from the original” generation. SoundGuys confirmed the technology “pales in comparison to other heavyweight models in the category, even when set at max level.” If noise canceling is your primary purchase reason, the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC delivers noticeably stronger ANC at the same price.

The Be Aware transparency mode, by contrast, works well. It lets in enough ambient sound to stay aware of your surroundings during outdoor runs without sounding artificial.

Touch Control Inconsistency

Single and double taps register reliably. Triple taps and long presses are another story. During workouts with sweaty fingers, multi-tap gestures frequently misfire or fail to register entirely.

The JLab app lets you remap controls to minimize this issue. I assigned my most-used functions to single and double taps, which helped. But if you rely on quick gesture changes mid-run, the inconsistency can be frustrating.

Bulky Case and USB-A Charging

The charging case weighs 144g and is noticeably larger than competing earbud cases. It fits in a pocket but takes up more space than expected. The integrated USB-A charging cable is convenient in theory, but the short length limits where you can plug it in.

JLab still uses USB-A instead of USB-C for the built-in cable. In a world moving to USB-C, this feels behind the curve. The Qi wireless charging partially offsets this, but a USB-C cable would have been a welcome update.

How It Compares

The budget sport earbuds market is competitive. Here is how the JLab Epic Air Sport ANC Gen 2 stacks up against the main alternatives.

vs Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC ($99)

The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC is the closest direct competitor at the same $99 price point. Anker’s offering delivers noticeably stronger ANC that handles a wider frequency range. If noise cancellation matters most, the Soundcore wins.

The JLab fights back with battery life. At 70+ hours total versus the Soundcore’s roughly 20 hours, the JLab lasts more than three times longer between case charges. The ear hook design also gives JLab a stability advantage for intense workouts that the stemmed Soundcore design cannot match.

vs Beats Fit Pro ($159)

The Beats Fit Pro is the premium step-up option with Apple’s H1 chip, superior ANC, and tight Apple ecosystem integration. It also uses an ear-hook style design for workout stability.

At $159, the Beats cost 60% more than the JLab. You get better sound quality, stronger noise cancellation, and spatial audio support. But you sacrifice significant battery life and wireless charging. For Apple users who can afford the premium, the Beats are worth considering. For everyone else, the JLab offers 80% of the experience at a fraction of the cost.

vs Nothing Ear (a) ($99)

The Nothing Ear (a) matches the JLab on price and offers a more compact, stylish design with better ANC performance. It is a strong general-purpose earbud that handles commuting and casual listening well.

Where it falls short for fitness use is fit security and endurance. Without ear hooks, the Nothing Ear (a) relies entirely on ear tip friction. Battery life tops out around 24 hours total, a third of what the JLab delivers. If your earbuds live at the gym, the JLab is the better pick.

Final Verdict

The JLab Epic Air Sport ANC Gen 2 delivers where it matters most for fitness-focused listeners: secure fit, exceptional battery life, and durability you can trust through any workout.

I am giving it a 4.1 out of 5.

The weak noise cancellation and bulky case hold it back from a higher score. But at $99 with wireless charging, Tile tracking, and 70+ hours of battery life, the value proposition is hard to argue with.

Bottom line: If you need reliable workout earbuds that will not die mid-session and can handle sweat, rain, and rough use, the JLab Epic Air Sport ANC Gen 2 is a smart buy. Look elsewhere only if strong ANC is your top priority.