‘If music be the food of love, play on’ 

The bard & master wordsmith never overstated. Music is our ever-companion. Any mood, any occasion, any day music fits right in. Now with the hurried lifestyle, everyone has, we try & squeeze in music even when we are travelling en route to work or back, at the gym or while on a long trip. For these needs, music needs to be on the go. Headphones, especially weatherproof headphones are a godsend in such cases. 

You, nowadays, can choose from a range of sweat-proof, splash-proof, waterproof, dustproof & weatherproof headphones. With the plethora of headphones available offering all the services, we are demystifying the concept in its entirety for you. 

If you are interested to know which Bluetooth headphones are best for your needs, you might like to pay attention to its IPX ratings. For many, it would be common to see this rating on the latest cellphones models, Bluetooth earphones, wireless headsets, smartwatches and many more.

What is IP Rating? 

It is short for Ingress Protection mark. The IP rating is a 2-digit grading system to define the resistance of the item/product against various intrusion (in this case dirt, water, moisture etc) and other environmental pressures. Which helps you define your item’s resistance durability. 

The first numeric after IP indicates the level of protection against solid particles such as dust. The second numeric after the IP indicates the level of protection against liquid elements such as water.

In some products, you might have seen IP ratings as IPX7, IPX5X, IPX6 or so. The X simply indicates that the numeric rating is only provided for one of the two ingress types (foreign bodies or liquid). For example, products with IPX4 means it will resist water splashes from any direction, whereas IP6X means it’s completely dustproof, but not certified for moisture (liquid) resistance.

What does a different level of IP Ratings indicate?

Higher the IP rating, Higher the resistance. The below list will clarify the IP rating and what does it indicate.

IP Ratings for dust protection (IP0X, IP4X, IP5X, etc)

• IP0X: The product is not protected against any physical contact or objects.
• IP1X: Only protected from objects larger than 50 mm. You won’t accidentally stick your hand into this product, but you can still easily get, say, your finger in. You probably shouldn’t.
• IP2X: Protected from any object larger than 12.5 mm. This now includes fingers.
• IP3X: Protected from things above 2.5 mm, which includes most tools and thick wires.
• IP4X: Protected from anything bigger than 1 mm.
• IP5X: Dust resistant. Some dust may get through, but it won’t be enough to damage the product.
• IP6X: This product is fully dust-tight.

IP Ratings for liquid or moisture protection (IPX0, IPX6, IPX9K, etc)

• IPX0: The product offers no special protection against ingress of this type (Water).
• IPX1: Can protect the device against vertically falling droplets, sufficient that no damage or interrupted functioning of components will be incurred while using the device.
• IPX2: Protection against water that hits the product at a 15° or less vertical.
• IPX3: Can take water sprays of up to 60°.
• IPX4: Can resist splashing water from any direction, tested for a minimum of 10 minutes with an oscillating spray.
• IPX5: Can resist a sustained, low-pressure water jet spray from any angle.
• IPX6: Protection against high-pressure, heavy sprays of water from any direction.
• IPX6K: Can resist water jets of extremely high pressure. Rarely used.
• IPX7: Can be submerged to the depth between 15cm to 1 meter in water for 30 minutes.
• IPX8: Can be submerged deeper than 1 meter. The exact depth is specified by the manufacturer.
• IPX9K: Resists high-pressure, high-temperature sprays or streams. Cleaning procedure at close range.

In other words, there are water-resistant, waterproof and dust-proof headphones. Many of our buyers get confused with IP ratings. Therefore, you might have to have a closer look at the product details, specifically the IP rating if that’s your one concern.

This IP rating is given by the International Electrotechnical Commission and is applicable worldwide. IP ratings will help you understand how much durability to expect from your Headphones or other devices.

IPX0 too IPX3 rating devices are not for workouts or water splashes, But IPX4 is best for working out or sports activity or in rains. IPX5 and 6 are good for environmental conditions unless you’ll be jumping in a pool with it, IPX7 is highly recommended for such activities.

We hope this article might have helped you before you go shopping for your Bluetooth or wireless headphones. Also below are the finest pairs which we have tested, have a look. 

• boAt Rockerz 261 – IPX7
• boAt Airdopes 201 – IPX4
• boAt Rockerz 255 – IPX5
• Portronics Harmonics 216 – IPX5
• boAt Rockerz 270 V2 – IPX5
• boAt Rockerz 255 Pro – IPX5
• Portronics Harmonics X – IPX5