Forty-eight hours of battery with the case, an IP68 rating that allows full immersion, and ear hooks that don't budge a millimetre in a sprint. The JBL Endurance Race 2 bets on sports fundamentals rather than audio specs, at a price that stays below the 90 euro mark.
© JBL, official photo used for editorial purposes
The JBL Endurance Race 2 are in-ear sports earbuds with ear hooks, IP68 rated, with active noise cancelling and up to 48 hours of total battery thanks to the case. Fit while running is excellent and the battery easily lasts a full week of training without recharging, but the ANC is modest and the sound lacks some clarity in the highs compared with pricier models. A rational pick if you put sports reliability ahead of pure audio performance.
JBL has been building the Endurance line for several generations, always with the same positioning: earbuds designed for training first, even if that means giving up a little sonic refinement in exchange for toughness and fit. The Race 2, launched in March 2025 at the same price as the previous generation, sticks to that philosophy. It joins a JBL range already well covered at RunMorph with the JBL Endurance Peak 3, but it targets a different use: where the Peak 3 goes all in on toughness and raw battery life in a closed in-ear design, the Race 2 adds removable ear hooks and active noise cancelling, at the cost of a bulkier case.
RunMorph's advice: if you want maximum toughness and battery life above all, and don't care about ANC, the JBL Endurance Peak 3 remains the more radical choice. The Race 2 is for those who want one foot in sport and one foot in everyday use.
| Brand | JBL |
| Model | Endurance Race 2 |
| Type | True Wireless in-ear with removable ear hooks |
| Water resistance | IP68 (earbuds), IPX2 (case) |
| Earbud battery | 10 h (ANC on) to 12 h (ANC off) |
| Total battery with case | Up to 48 h |
| Fast charging | 10 min of charging = 4 h of playback |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.3, multipoint with 2 devices |
| Microphones | 4 microphones (2 per earbud) |
| Colours | Black, White, Blue, Purple |
| Official price | $79.95 / £69.99 (around €80) |
The earbuds themselves are fairly large and stick out noticeably from the ear, but the removable silicone hook they come with delivers remarkable hold once properly positioned: you need to twist the bud slightly to lock it in place, and after that it doesn't move, even in sprints or HIIT sessions. For non-sport use, JBL also includes a hookless silicone sleeve, plus three sizes of ear tips. The IP68 rating covers sweat, rain and accidental immersion in fresh or salt water, but not extended swimming. The charging case, on the other hand, doesn't keep up: light but bulky, it sits badly in a shorts pocket and is only rated IPX2, versus IP68 for the earbuds themselves.
© JBL, official photo used for editorial purposes
The most complete assessment available on this model comes from an English-language test carried out over several weeks, with regular runs plus cycling, strength and yoga sessions. On fit, the verdict is unanimous: once the hooks are properly positioned, the earbuds don't move at all, even during sprints or hill sessions, a point this tester considers one of the best executed on the market at this price. On battery, the claimed figures hold up in practice: 10 to 12 hours depending on whether ANC is on, topped up by the case to reach 48 hours in total, more than enough to cover a week of training without recharging.
On noise cancelling and ambient mode, however, the same assessment is much more critical: the ANC dampens the noise of a treadmill or an indoor bike, but is ineffective against city traffic, and ambient mode lets through too little of the sound of approaching cars while amplifying wind noise. A French customer review found on a retail platform confirms the same reservation, rating the noise cancelling as very weak and the fit as improvable while running according to this isolated feedback, which partly contradicts the more positive consensus on fit. On sound, opinions also converge: decent for the price, with the punchy bass typical of JBL Pure Bass tuning, but a lack of clarity in the highs and volume that can feel a bit short in noisy outdoor settings.
Aggregated customer reviews from a major French retailer (32 reviews, average 4.5/5) add nuance in the sub-scores: comfort gets praise (4/5), but audio, design and isolation only average 3/5 each, which lines up quite closely with the strengths and weaknesses identified by the English-language test: very good for pure sports use, more borderline for everything else.
| Model | Type | ANC | Total battery | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JBL Endurance Race 2 | In-ear with removable hooks | Yes (modest) | 48 h | ~€80 |
| JBL Endurance Peak 3 | Closed in-ear | No | 50 h | ~€100 |
The Peak 3 goes for an even tougher case and a few extra hours of battery, without active noise cancelling. The Race 2 adds ANC and detachable hooks that make it more versatile for everyday use, at the cost of a bulkier, less water-resistant case. The choice comes down to your priority: pure fit and simplicity with the Peak 3, sport-plus-city versatility with the Race 2.
The JBL Endurance Race 2 are for the runner who never wants to think about their earbuds mid-effort again: total fit, battery that covers a whole week, and a price that stays affordable. It's not the pick if you want the isolation or sonic precision of a premium model.
To structure your sessions while keeping a reliable soundtrack, pairing the Race 2 with a RunMorph training plan lets you stay focused on your pace rather than your gear.
© JBL, official photo used for editorial purposes
The JBL Endurance Race 2 deliver on what matters most to an athlete: a fit that never gives way and battery life that makes daily charging pointless. At RunMorph, we regret noise cancelling that stays marginal against traffic and sound that's decent but no more, yet at this price those compromises are consistent with the positioning. A smart buy if you put sports reliability ahead of a high-end audio experience. 7.7/10.