Workout headbands are actually pretty vital pieces of fitness gear—right up there with more obvious items like sports bras, sneakers, and moisture-wicking socks.
It sounds minor, but having your hair fall into your eyes during your workout is incredibly annoying. While hair ties, clips, and bobby pins sometimes do the job, having a solid workout headband on hand can just make your whole session go a little smoother—and allow you to focus on your workout at hand, not your hair.
Whether you’re doing Downward Dogs during yoga, logging miles outside, climbing hills in a (virtual) indoor cycling class, or crushing weights during HIIT, you need a workout headband that is reliable, keeps sweat out of your eyes, and won’t leave your head throbbing from unnecessary pressure.
“I keep multiple headbands in my gym bag so that I can easily shower and throw one on quickly between sessions,” Chevy Laurent, a NASM-certified personal trainer and founder of Rydefyr Cycling Studio in Los Angeles, tells SELF. She looks for bands that are stylish, stay in place, wash well, and maintain their comfort. “You definitely don’t want to ruin your workout by wearing a headband that’s too painfully tight or way too loose and slipping all over the place,” she says.
Design and material are also big details to pay attention to. Roz Jones, a certified personal trainer and yoga instructor in Houston, searches for wide-width headbands that are stretchy and made of quick-drying, moisture-wicking material, like polyester, spandex, and Lycra.
It’s not all about function, though. Let’s be honest: Sometimes you want to choose an accessory that simply makes you feel amazing, which could make you feel more confident and eager to take on your workout. And because workout headbands tend to be less expensive than other types of gear, you can keep a bunch on hand to match your band to what you’re feeling.
“Don’t be afraid to select bright bold colors, textures, and prints, especially if you wear a lot of monochromatic fitness gear,” says Laurent. “A great bold and bright headband can add just the right pop of color to your look.”
We asked fitness pros and instructors to share their go-to workout headbands that keep their hair out of their face and their workouts running smoothly. Here are their favorites.
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