For a while now, I've been having a super annoying problem with my Powerbeats Pro where only one of the headphones would charge, and after browsing Reddit and Twitter, I know I'm not alone, but that doesn't make it any less frustrating, I was about to go out for a run when I realized that, once again, my left earpiece was dead, and I was fed up.

The point here is that I have run and sweated with these best running headphones many times. I have had these headphones for 3 years and have used them on almost every run during that time. I've run (very wet) marathons with these headphones, I've used them in sweaty spin classes during lockdowns, and I've used them in a lot of other things as well.

Like my trusty running companion, the Powerbeats Pro has never let me down, keeping me entertained and connected to my playlist for hours and hours. I hate to admit how many times I've used it to listen to Harry Potter audiobooks or The Greatest Showman playlist, but suffice it to say we've been through a lot. And now, sadly, we've reached the end of the line, so to speak.

After going through the various steps with Apple support, we cleaned the case to make sure there was no debris blocking the earphone connection and reset the headphones. Once the left earphone was securely fastened to the case, it was able to charge, but this was not a long-term solution and I was hoping for a simple repair.

After inspecting the headphones, the geniuses at Apple came to me with a conclusion. According to Apple, the Powerbeats Pro is "designed to be enhanced to withstand sweat and water even during the toughest workouts and runs," but the Apple Genius explained that on rare occasions the earbuds would get too sweaty, get wet, and lose their charge. Excellent.

Since replacing the earbuds at Apple requires a $100 price tag, I have decided to go back to my trusty Powerbeats for now, which are similar in design to the Powerbeats Pro, but are connected via wires rather than separate earbuds. I'm also keeping an eye out for the new Beats Fit Pro. This one is waterproof and has excellent sound and call quality.

But how can one prevent this from happening with running headphones? My Apple Genius had one simple solution - wipe the headphones with a towel or tissue after putting them in your ears to make sure no sweat or liquid remains on the earphones before putting them back in the case. A little moisture is unlikely to damage the headphones, but excessive or prolonged perspiration can shorten the life of the headphones.

When it comes to cleaning Powerbeats Pro and other Beats headphones, Beats recommends in its cleaning guide that you use a dry cleaning cloth and avoid aerosol sprays, solvents, and abrasives. The charging case is not waterproof, sweatproof, or water resistant, so be careful not to allow water to enter the openings.