H2O Audio Zwift x RIPT Ultra Headphones

The H2O Audio Zwift x RIPT Ultra are excellent headphones for indoor use, with Active Noise Cancellation and exceptional sound quality. As someone who uses music to help get me through the hardest intervals, I put the H2O Audio Zwift x RIPT Ultra Headphones through the indoor training wringer to test their sound quality and how well they deal with the heat and sweat.

> Buy now: H2O Audio Zwift x RIPT Ultra headphones for £226 from H2O

Who remembers the Zwift Big Spin of 2024? Not only was it addictive and fun, but it also allowed users of the platform to unlock various items as a reward for completing group rides. While there were some neat unlocks, such as the Cruiser bike and numerous in-game caps, the item I was chasing was the Zwift headphones – something I eventually unlocked. Fast forward to 2025, and Zwift has partnered with H2O Audio to bring them to life, unveiling the headphones at the Tour de France with none other than Zwift ambassador Mathieu van der Poel, who wore them during his warm-up for Stage 5’s individual time trial.

Design and technical details

H2O Audio is an audio company known for its high-quality audio equipment. The firm’s based in San Diego, just over 100 miles away from Zwift’s US headquarters in Long Beach, California.

According to Kristian Rauhala, the founder and CEO of H2O Audio, the partnership with Zwift was about more than sound; it was also about improving the training experience.

“As a longtime Zwift user, I know firsthand how intense and sweaty indoor training can get,” he said. “Music plays a huge role in driving performance, and this partnership gave us the perfect opportunity to combine Zwift’s dynamic platform with our expertise in sweatproof, high-performance audio.’

While this makes it sound like the headphones were uniquely created from the ground up, they are based on the regular H2O Ript Ultra headphones, and, despite the trademark Zwift orange colour scheme, there are no substantial technical differences between the run-of-the-mill H2O RIPT Ultra headphones and the Zwift version pictured here.

Visually, they are beautifully put together, combining a grey headband, swivel joint, and arm with an orange housing and ear cups. There is a white Zwift ‘Z’ logo on each side of the outer housing, a ‘Ride On’ graphic under the headband, and a blacked-out H2O audio logo on the outer headband just above the swivel joint.

There’s an auxiliary port allowing for wired audio playback. The buttons are also easy to locate and use – there’s an ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) button on the left housing, and an on/off switch and volume controllers on the right. It can be charged via a USB-C port under the left-side housing.

The headphones come with sweatproof silicone cups, but an extra set of leather ear cups is included for everyday use – these also boast sweatproof properties.

Spec-wise, they feature Bluetooth connectivity and a built-in microphone and are powered by custom-developed 45mm drivers that deliver rich sound and deep bass, with a frequency range of 20Hz-20kHz. The ‘RIPT’ acronym stands for ‘Real Isolation Performance Tech’ with Active Noise Cancellation of 30 decibels. Battery life is claimed to be 50 hours.

Performance

I’ve never used over-ear headphones during workouts or indoor rides before, so I was intrigued to see how the H2O Audio Zwift x RIPT Ultras would perform.

The weight feels balanced over each side of the head. At 304g, they are as heavy as a cycling helmet, but you don’t feel this in the same way you would a lid, as they don’t rest on the top of your head. The padded headband provides some comfort without pressing aggressively into your hair/head, so you rarely feel it, allowing the headphones to be used for long periods without discomfort.

I tend to get hot very quickly at the intensities associated with indoor training and this can be exacerbated with over-ear headphones. During testing, I completed multiple sessions with and without a fan.

There’s no ventilation, so you’ll feel a steady buildup of heat, which you don’t really get with the earbud equivalent. This is an expected downside given it covers the ears and so will naturally keep the heat in, but a well-ventilated room will do wonders to mitigate that.

Fan noise is adequately dealt with thanks to the Active Noise Cancellation, while the 45mm drivers are superb and deliver a good balance of bass, mid-range, and treble frequencies. I’ve not sampled many over-ear options, but the H2O Audio Zwift x RIPT Ultras provide crisp and sharp audio.

As mentioned, the headphones are sweatproof. The silicone ear cups are easy to clean and do a good job of keeping moisture from damaging the speakers. They are also removable for easy cleaning or if you want to swap them for the more leisurely-looking black leather ear cups. Having removed and inspected the ear cups and held them under the tap to test their water-resistant properties, I can confirm that the silicone layer does an excellent job of keeping a lot of moisture from seeping through.

Battery life is good. H2O claims 50 hours, which seems about right. I’ve been using these for a good few weeks already and haven’t needed to charge them yet. The headphones will also let you know their charge status (there are audible warnings) and will warn you if they require a top-up.

Value

The H2O Audio Zwift x RIPT Ultras will set you back £226. While these are not the priciest ear/headphone options available, that still represents a sizeable outlay. That said, the sweatproof nature and the fact they’re easy to clean should see these go the distance. They work well when racing too and pair seamlessly with Discord, with good audio and microphone playback.

> Best headphones for cycling 2025 — stay entertained safely on the bike, whether you’re riding indoors or outdoors

There are plenty of other over-ear headphones out there, but few that are firmly pitched as being appropriate for exercising in. Raycon’s Fitness Headphones (£100) are one example. They too feature swappable sweatproof cushions and ANC, but we haven’t tested them.

Elsewhere, Ben tested H2O’s Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport Waterproof Bone Conduction Headphones earlier this year and was broadly impressed.

Apple AirPods Pro are similarly price at £219, but some users have complained of diminishing battery life and poor performance over the long term, which isn’t what you’d expect for premium earphones. Having used these for nearly two years, they also don’t do well when it comes to sweat and often fly out of the ear during high-power efforts during indoor racing.

Conclusion

The H2O Audio Zwift x RIPT Ultra Headphones are stylish, perform well during exercise, and can double up for use during other leisure activities. They will appeal more to avid Zwift users than anyone else but should provide quality sound for the long term. Whether they stay mark-free over the months to come, only time will tell, but based on how easy they are to keep clean, I don’t foresee any issues down the line.

Verdict

A quality, sweatproof over-ear headphone that stay put during indoor workouts or warmups on the rollers

> Buy now: H2O Audio Zwift x RIPT Ultra headphones for £226 from H2O

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