Shokz OpenRun Pro 2: Two-minute review

The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 are particularly excellent for runners, especially long-distance and trail runners. While it won’t quite last the full length of time needed for an Ultra marathon (what can?), they are among the best running headphones out there.

Like the best open earbuds, they allow you to hear your surroundings in a way that even the best wireless earbuds with good ambient / transparency modes can’t. They also are extremely lightweight, stable, and have a nice long battery life. Shokz has also added in air conduction tech to improve the sound quality, as bone conduction headphones typically lag in this area compared to more traditional options.

It’s no surprise, considering how bone conduction headphones work. At louder volumes, these types of headphones tend to create a vibrating sensation that can be unpleasant, even nauseating depending on one’s sensitivity. The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 doesn’t create this sensation for the most part, with one exception that I’ll mention later.

Before we get to that, we should take a look at the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2’s design. They fit the general mold of bone conduction headphones; there’s the portion containing the drivers that sit in front of the ear connected to the electronics via an over-the-ear loop. Both sides are connected by a wrap-around headband, while the whole thing is covered in silicon to provide some waterproofing. In this case, it’s IP55, surprisingly worse than the lower-tier Shokz OpenRun with their IP67 rating.

Where these headphones differ a little from the competition is the fact that, besides providing four colorways (black, silver, orange, and a Kipchoge-signature white and orange silver-and-orange), you can choose between ‘standard’ and ‘mini’ size headbands, whereas most bone conduction headphones come with a one-size-fits-all one.

This is a nice inclusion. In fact, I might have benefited from the smaller headband, as I could feel the headband move a little if I shook my head. Still, the fit was stable and neither the drivers or section that goes over or behind the ears moved at all. On top of that, it’s very lightweight at just around 30 grams, so you’ll barely feel them – unlike many in-ear buds that start to hurt after being stuck in the ear canals for a while.

As far as controls go, I was a bit confused at first since two of them, used for power, pairing, and volume controls, sit under the right side behind the ear, while a third button sits on the driver section on the left side used for changing songs. It’s not a big deal (other than highlighting my mistake of not reading the manual right away), but I’m used to having all the controls on one side. Thankfully, they’re fairly responsive to the touch.

There’s one USB-C port on the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2, which might be why the IP rating is a little lower than expected here, even if it does have a silicon covering. On the brightside, using this port allows for faster charging compared to the old magnetic one, as five minutes plugged in will produce two and a half hours of battery life. Of course, it will take a full hour to charge up to 100% or twelve hours of use.

It’s also worth mentioning that the only form of connectivity here is its speedy Bluetooth 5.3. There’s no onboard storage or MP3 player: if that’s a consideration for you, you’ll want to check out our best waterproof headphones guide, many of which come with MP3 storage.

The feature set on the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 are a bit limited compared to wireless earbuds. Since these headphones are an open-ear design, there’s no active (or passive) noise cancellation. Any kind of fine-tuning involves mainly playing around with the equalization (EQ), which is available in the app, though you can press and hold the volume up and down buttons simultaneously during play to cycle through the various EQ options.

As far as the different EQ options go, there are six modes already on hand, along with a five-band EQ for a more personalized touch, which you can save as a new EQ mode. Of the ones already available, there’s a standard, vocal, bass boost, treble boost, classic, and volume boost.

The classic mode turns off the air conduction for a purer bone conduction experience, which also reintroduces that vibrating sensation when the volume is too high, something that I (and many) find uncomfortable. Luckily, it’s the only setting where I really experienced that phenomenon.

Multipoint connectivity is also available, though you have to turn it on in the app. While not a dealbreaker, be aware of the fact that there’s no on-ear detection, so music will continue to play when you take the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 off.

The improvements in the newest generation of bone conduction headphones have been really heartening, namely that the audio quality is better than before and that I don’t experience those disconcerting vibrations at higher volumes (see my review of the H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport for a similarly improved audio experience).

The audio quality has improved for two reasons. The first is the fact that the OpenRun Pro 2 uses the company’s 10th generation bone conduction technology. The second, and arguably more important, is that these headphones also use air conduction. In essence, these are hybrid headphones as opposed to just bone conduction headphones.

After having listened to all sorts of genres from Indie and Metal to Hip Hop and Folk, I can say that they’re allare enjoyable to listen to. The high-end is fairly present with plenty of clarity, though everything does feel just a tiny bit muted as if the headphones’ natural frequency range rolls off a bit with higher frequencies. The mids are full, almost a little too much, so that any audio I listen to has plenty of body. The bass is a bit pulled back, so bottom-heavy music won’t hit as hard.

Because the highs and lows are not as prominent as the mids, there is a very slight boxy quality to music. They sound very good for the form factor, but aren’t going to replace anyone’s earbuds as go-to listening devices outside of a run or the gym.

Since these are open earbuds, there is some leakage. However, it’s not all that noticeable unless you’re using them in a quiet setting. If you use them on the trail, other presumably headphone-less runners might catch a little bit of what you’re listening to, but only if they’re very close to you.

Lastly, the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 can used to take and make calls. The call quality is pretty good with plenty of clarity, though the speaker’s voice will sound a little far away compared to speaking on a phone regularly.

Shokz OpenRun Pro 2: Specifications

Shokz OpenRun Pro 2: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? $179.95 / £169.00 / AU$319.00
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

You can spend quite a bit less than the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2’s asking price of $179.95 / £169.00 / AU$319.00 for a pair of bone conduction headphones. Shokz’ own more entry-priced OpenRun go for $129.95 / £129.95 / AU$219.00, for instance. And, of course, there are plenty of much cheaper, lesser-known options littering Amazon.

And there aren’t many options out there that go for more, either. Some of the ones that do are a bit more specialized, such as the watersports-friendly H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport, which go for $199.99 / £155.68 (about AU$310) and include 8GB of storage, an MP3 player, and a special feature to record playlists onto it, so you don’t need your phone.

Still, the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 are worth the price in my mind for the simple reason that they mix in air conduction tech with bone conduction for a better audio experience as well as to minimize the vibrating sensation that typically accompanies the use of bone conduction headphones.

As a value proposition, the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 may not be an outstanding deal, but they’re worth the price.

• Value score: 4 / 5

Shokz OpenRun Pro 2: Scorecard

Should I buy the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested

• Tested over a couple weeks
• Listened to different kinds of media
• Tested all the different features

I spent a couple weeks using the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 as my workout headphones. While using them, I listened to all sorts of genres from electronic and hip-hop to rock and acoustic music to get an idea of how they sound. I also tested the various features, most notably the EQ settings.

After testing, it’s clear that these are, per their namesake, flagship headphones for runners. They’re ideal because of the open-ear design from the bone and air conduction, they’re very lightweight, and have good battery life. Plus, they sound pretty good. Check out our guide to how bone conduction headphones work for more details on how headphones like these operate.

I’ve spent the last few years reviewing audio equipment and have spent even longer using my critical ear as a listener and musician to understand what does and doesn’t sound good.

• First reviewed December 2024

H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport: Two-minute review

There might not be a better set of headphones for triathletes than the H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport. Their lightweight frame, flexible build, and host of features, particularly the Playlist+ feature that lets you record a playlist from a source directly to the headset, make it better than the best open earbuds or the best wireless earbuds for use in the water. There’s also a case to be made for considering these over the best running headphones if you’re looking for something specifically for races, marathons, or even a lengthy jog.

Being bone conduction headphones, the H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport aren’t going to be the best sounding option out there,but they sound better than most bone conduction headphones I’ve used. And having completely uncovered ears is crucial if you need to hear your surroundings when on the trail or running alongside traffic.

That said, there’s still some room for growth, as I’ll go into in a bit, and the price is on the higher side for this form factor. But, triathletes, swimmers, and anyone that hates plugging up their ears during a workout (they work well in the gym as well) will get a lot out of the H2O Audio Tri 2 Multi-Sport.

The Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport, at 3.2 grams, is very lightweight. It wraps around the back the head with a frame that can be twisted this way and that, not to mention has plenty of clearance in the back to fit all sorts of head shapes and sizes (and also handle plenty of abuse). It’s extremely stable and doesn’t move at all even with rapid head movements.

Its matte black rubberized covering offers an essentially waterproof IPX8 rating, which is one of the things that makes it so good for use in the water. Its charging port is a unique proprietary one, most likely to keep the headset fully waterproof.

The downside of the thick covering comes when trying to manipulate the controls, of which there are three: volume down, power, and volume up. The headphones are somewhat slow to respond, especially when trying to use secondary functions, which are triggered by either a double press or a long press. On top of that, if the double press isn’t quick enough, it just registers as two successive single presses.

This is particularly frustrating when trying to switch from Bluetooth to on-board memory in the middle of a run, or when trying to use the Playlist+ feature. I ended up having a few moments of silence that I didn’t mean to record along with the beginning of another song when testing this feature because my presses weren’t always registering.

On the bright side, the H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport comes with 8GB of storage and a built-in MP3 player that allows about 2,000 songs to be loaded for use when you can’t or don’t want to bring your phone, such as in the water where Bluetooth connectivity doesn’t work well. This is all bolstered by the Playlist+ feature, which essentially live records whatever you play through the Bluetooth connection once engaged and turns it into an MP3 loaded onto the headphones.

Of course, if you run a whole playlist while doing this, it basically registers it as one song, so if you want to skip from song to song, you’ll have to start and stop for each song. Still, it’s a welcome way to add music to the onboard storage without buying MP3s.

Since using the buttons can be problematic, engaging the Playlist+ feature and getting exactly what I wanted was a bit of a chore as I ended with the beginning parts of the last song cut off while I was trying to stop the feature without initial success.

Doing that through the app where I could control by pressing on the app was much easier. In general, the app was easy to navigate. My only gripe with the app is that I have to switch from Bluetooth mode to memory mode to see what’s stored on the headphones and then back again to use the Playlist+ feature.

Before I dig into the overall sound quality of the H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport, I want to talk about the vibrations of it and bone-conduction headphones in general. These types of headphones transmit sound by essentially vibrating the frequencies through the high cheek bones. The benefit of this is that it leaves your ear completely untouched so you can hear everything around you – even transparency mode on wireless earbuds aren’t as good. Check out our guide to how bone conduction headphones work for more details. The drawback is that at higher volumes, the vibrations can cause discomfort, sometimes even to the point of nausea. It’s the main reason that I typically don’t use bone-conduction headphones as my daily driver (I’m also only doing around three-mile runs, typically).

However, H2O Audio has somehow managed to greatly minimize this effect to the point where I only get a very slight discomfort at the highest settings, and even then it’s more annoying than anything else. Regarding the sound quality itself, it’s good but don’t expect hi-res audio. When using them during a run or even just around the house, they’re not going to have the detail and clarity of high quality earbuds. But, they do reproduce everything well enough.

There’s a decent amount of bass, though not a huge amount (it probably would create the discomfort issues I mentioned above). The midrange is nice and full, while the high-end is a little rolled off but doesn’t sound veiled. As is often the case with bone-conduction headphones, it’s good for the form factor and that’s good enough.

Interestingly enough, they sound better underwater when used with the provided earplugs. When I put the earplugs in before submerging, the audio gets boomy and somewhat indistinct, but as soon as I go under, everything sounds clear as day with tight bass and balanced mids and high end. It’s really quite something to experience.

While you can take calls with the H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport, they’re not ideal for it as you’ll sound quiet and a bit far away. It’s not a huge deal breaker to me just because of the niche purpose of these headphones (and the fact that most earbuds are still just okay in this department).

Lastly, I want to mention the battery life as it offers nine hours of use (18 total if you spring for the charging case). Though something like the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 offers 12 hours on a single charge, that’s quite good compared to what many wireless earbuds offer and is enough for a marathon, not to mention you won’t have to deal with discomfort of sweaty earbuds.

H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport: Specifications

H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? $199.99 / £155.68 (about AU$310)
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available in the US and UK

The H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport’s price point of $199.99 / £155.68 is a bit pricey for a pair of bone-conduction headphones, but its price makes sense when you think about the fact that the original version of this tri-athlete-focused headset started at $149.99 (£128.00, AU$225.00) and the introduction of the Playlist+ feature added about $20/£20 to the price tag.

Bumping the price up thanks to some design upgrades makes sense as well, though I would have liked to see the Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport keep the same price point as the Playlist+ enabled version 1 it replaced. If you have a little extra money to spend, there’s also a charging case available for an extra $49.99 (about £40 / AU$80).

Spending around $200 on bone conduction headphones is not unheard of. For example, the Suunto Wing has a similar price point at $199 / £169 / AUS $319. Of course, it doesn’t have the Playlist+ feature and its sound quality is underwhelming. However, it does offer up to 30 hours of battery life with its charging case. You get up to 18 with the H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport only if you pay extra for the charging case.

• Price: 4 / 5

H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport: Scorecard

Should I buy the H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested

• Tested over a month
• Listened to different kinds of media
• Tested all the different features

I spent a month using the H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport as my workout headphones. While using them, I listened to all sorts of genres from electronic and hip-hop to rock and acoustic music to get an idea of how they sound. I used them in various settings such as on a run and even under water. Check out our guide to how bone conduction headphones work for more details.

After testing, it’s clear that they serve their purpose well as they are, per the name, for triathletes, swimmers, and athletes in general who want to hear their surroundings while listening to music.

I’ve spent the last few years reviewing audio equipment and have spent even longer using my critical ear as a listener and musician to understand what does and doesn’t sound good.

• First reviewed November 2024

Shokz OpenSwim Pro: Two minute review

The Shokz OpenSwim Pro is a more capable, upgraded version of the regular Shokz OpenSwim headphones. It adds Bluetooth connectivity for live music streaming to the existing built-in MP3 support, making the headset more attractive to anybody wanting to listen to music in non-swimming settings as well as underwater.

Targeted at both aquatic and regular activities, the OpenSwim Pro is best suited to open-water and pool swimmers. Its IP68 rating means it's protected to depths of up to two meters, for up to two hours. Enough for a pretty intense triathlon swim, and certainly enough for an hour in the pool.

Like the rest of the Shokz range, the OpenSwim Pro sits over the ear, rather than in it, which means it fits more ear shapes. The bone-conducting technology may not match the sound quality of conventional earphones, but the PremiumPitch 2.0+ technology makes sure that the audio is clear and bass is reasonably strong.

It’s a shame that, even though it launched two years after the OpenRun Pro, the OpenSwim Pro uses eighth-gen bone conduction technology, whereas the Run model uses ninth-gen tech (which Shokz calls TurboPitch).

Where the Shokz OpenSwim Pro excels against other earphones is the fact that (just like the rest of the best bone conduction headphones) you can hear ambient sounds, such as traffic and people talking, very clearly. In fact, even as an avid AirPods Pro and AirPods Max user (with Transparency Mode), I found myself choosing to pick up the OpenSwim Pro headphones for a quick run or walking the dog because I felt less disconnected from the outside world. 

The device only weighs 27.3 grams, which means there’s little to no ear fatigue. Plus, you can pick one of two designs that match your style – a vibrant, active-inspired orange headset or a safer grey color.

Although the device is waterproof, Bluetooth signals aren’t, so you’ll need to use MP3 mode to listen to your tunes when you’re in the water. This is fine, because you’re unlikely to have your phone nearby anyway, and you can switch between MP3 and Bluetooth modes by holding down the two volume buttons.

The 32GB of onboard storage is enough for around 8,000 songs, and transferring files onto the OpenSwim Pro is as easy as dragging and dropping files onto it as if it were a regular flash drive (although this is no good if, like me, you rely on streaming services for most of your auditory needs). It’s a shame that the included cable uses a regular USB connection rather than the newer, increasingly popular, and more versatile USB-C connection.

There are two noise-cancelling mics for taking calls or interacting with voice assistants in Bluetooth mode only. I took a few calls in the office, as well as while walking and cycling, and received no complaints about the quality of the audio.

The battery life is a particular strong point of the OpenSwim Pro, which is capable of up to nine hours of audio playback on Bluetooth mode, or six hours when playing from the built-in MP3 library. It might fall short of the OpenRun Pro’s 10 hours, but it does support the same quick charging speed, with a short 10-minute charge powering up to three hours of extra audio. Put it this way – I used the headphones for an entire working day and they were still ready to keep going for a little longer.

Compared with the regular OpenSwim, the OpenSwim Pro has upgraded bone conducting technology, support for quick charging, 28GB more onboard storage and Bluetooth support for streaming and calls, so it’s easily worth the small premium, priced at $179.95 / £169 / AU$299.

On the whole, the OpenSwim Pro is easy to recommend for anybody who spends a lot of time doing a variety of exercises – the fact that it’s genuinely one of the best waterproof headphones and not just water-resistant is advantageous, but even if swimming has become a failed New Year’s resolution, it’s a versatile, long-lasting and great-performing headset.

Shokz OpenSwim Pro: Specifications

Shokz OpenSwim Pro: Scorecard

AllTrails: Should I buy?

Buy if it...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested

I replaced my AirPods with the Shokz OpenSwim Pro for listening to music and taking calls when in the office, walking the dog, running, cycling and swimming – both in the pool and in a lake. I compared speaker and mic quality in various settings, used Bluetooth and MP3 modes, and configured some settings in the Shokz app.

Emeet Airflow: One minute review

If you haven’t heard of Emeet before, you’re not alone. Previously, the company only made other work-based tech products, like cameras and speakers. It also has two pairs of over-ear headphones, but the Emeet Airflow are the brand’s first pair of earbuds. 

The Emeet Airflow have an open-ear design, which uses air conduction tech by positioning a small speaker on the outside of your ear, not in your ear canal like most of the best wireless earbuds. This style has become popular over the last few years. Our best open-ear headphones guide is filled with options to suit a range of budgets. Smaller audio tech brands are introducing open-ear designs, and big tech companies like Bose are getting in on the action. 

Open-ear headphones are appealing because they free your ear canals, enabling you to listen to music while still hearing sounds around you. The complete opposite proposition to the best noise-cancelling earbuds and best noise-cancelling headphones. Ideal for runners, cyclists or people who generally would like to be more aware of their surroundings in any situation. Like those who need to be on hand at an office or listen out for their kids as they work at home.

They also appeal to people who don’t like the feel and fit of other kinds of headphones. Some people don’t like the stuffed-ear feeling they get from wearing a pair of the best true wireless earbuds in their ear canals. Or the pressure of the cups and headband when they’re wearing over-ears.

But although there’s a lot of appeal to this design, it’s not always easy to get right. I tested many of the buds in our best open-ear headphones guide, and several were a little fiddly to put on when I was also wearing glasses or were unstable when I wore my hair down. So, how did the Emeet Airflow compare? 

Surprisingly well. I initially had some minor fit issues when I had to position them behind my ears alongside glasses. But otherwise, they’re a secure and comfortable fit that I prefer over bigger name brands. The audio on offer here isn’t perfect. But for a pair of open ears, the sound is clear, can get loud, and is ideal for a work-based setting. 

A couple of added features make the Emeet Airflow unique, including a detachable mic – a bonus for upgrading work calls – and a charging case that claims to clean the buds with UV light. 

As long as you’re not expecting sonic excellence – which isn’t really possible where air conduction is concerned – the Emeet Airflow are a surprisingly solid choice of open-ear buds. They’re especially good if you’re looking for a pair of buds predominantly for the office or for making work-based calls, as they straddle the line between buds and a headset.

Emeet Airflow: Price and availability

• Cost $179.99 in the US 
• £129.99 in the UK 
• About AU$272 in Australia (actual pricing tbc)

The Emeet Airflow cost $179.99 / £129.99 / about AU$272, and they’re available now.

How do they compare to rivals? This price makes the Emeet Airflow a little cheaper than the similar 1More Fit Open Earbuds S50, which cost $149.99 / £149.99 / around AU$290, and a similar price to the JBL Soundgear Sense at $149.99 / £129.99 / AU$231.

The Shokz OpenFit are significantly more expensive at $179.95/£179.99/AU$289. Although the Shokz OpenFit are one of my favorite pairs of open-ear buds, so the elevated price does make some sense.

With this in mind, they’re priced in the mid-range, and I’d say performance-wise that adds up. I think it is possible to find better and cheaper true wireless buds, but if it’s the air-conduction style you want, this price represents good value. 

•  Value score: 4 / 5 

Emeet Airflow: Design

• Stable fit compared to rivals
• Comfortable 
• Simple design

Looks-wise, the Emeet Airflow have a basic design that I’d describe as quite corporate. That’s probably because they strike me as a buds-meet-headset offering. That’s not to say they look bad or you can’t wear them outside of the office and, again, this is down to personal preference – in fact a few people I spoke to liked the more “serious” look and feel of these buds compared to sportier ones.

There are two large, shiny circles on the buds with the Emeet logo. This is the area you can tap to use touch controls. These worked well, especially because I managed to achieve a secure fit. This means activating a touch control doesn’t throw off the stability.

The buds have large hooks to sit behind your ear and position the speaker next to your ear canal. These hooks have a 1mm titanium memory steel wire inside, which makes them flexible and skin-friendly silicone on the outside. These buds also have stabilizing fins, which you can add for an even more secure fit. 

Weighing in at a mere 8.5g per bud, they’re incredibly light and on par with their competitors. The combination of their design, materials, and lightweight form made the Emeet Airflow a joy to wear, especially after I had adjusted them to my liking at the start – a process that took only a minute or two. 

Once I had them on, I found myself forgetting about them several times. The Emeet Airflow's design and fit make them perfect for work, but their comfort and stability also make them a great choice for sports and walking. There’s a little movement, but not enough to be a concern. 

The only time they moved a little was when I took them to the gym and used the cross trainer – then again, these aren’t explicitly for workouts, and they still fared exceptionally well on a rowing machine, while lifting weights and doing some functional fitness. They also have an IPX5 rating, meaning they're sweat-proof. But although sweat won’t damage them, it might have caused the fit to become a bit loose when I tested them. 

This comfortable fit experience elevates them above some key rivals, particularly the 1More Fit S50, a decent pair of open-ear buds that were just not crafted for smaller ears like mine. 

• Design score: 4 / 5

Emeet Airflow: Features

• Multi-point connectivity
• Detachable mic
• 40-hour battery life

The Emeet Airflow has some handy features onboard, cementing them as a solid choice for offices, work and calls. 

The most interesting is the detachable mic, which easily slots into a port at the base of the buds – you can pick either side – making them more of a headset-meets-earbuds hybrid. This mic is small and thin, but there’s a little spot for it in the charging case, so you can keep it safe when you’re not using it.

Battery life is good at 8 hours from the buds and 40 hours from the case. This is more-or-less exactly the amount of time I got from them during testing; this varied a little depending on how many calls I made. The more calls, the quicker the battery seemed to drain. 

For comparison, the Shokz OpenFit have 7 hours of battery in the buds and 28 hours in the case, so the Emeet outperform them. Then again, the OneOdio OpenRock Pro have an exceptional 19 hours of battery in the buds and 46 hours from the case, so it is possible to get better if long-lasting power from this form factor is a priority.

The charging case isn’t small by true wireless earbuds standards, but it is slim and pocketable. It has a premium look and feel despite feeling like plastic. The case has an added trick up its sleeve as it cleans the earbuds as they charge. Emeet promises the case can sterilize 99.99% of common bacteria. This isn’t common, but I’ve seen similar tech in other true wireless bud cases – given they go into your ear canal it’s probably more necessary there. I doubt anyone would favor the Emeet buds over a rival for this feature, and it is hard to quantify whether it works, but this is down to personal preference.

The Emeet Airflow come with a small USB dongle. This allows you to connect them to a laptop. The process felt a little fiddly and annoying compared to the easy experience I had connecting them to my phone.

Emeet Tune is the accompanying app. It has many simple features, such as showing the status of the buds, allowing you to tweak the EQ, and customizing some on-ear controls.

• Features score: 4 / 5

Emeet Airflow: Performance

Sound quality here isn’t excellent, but it’s surprisingly good considering the design of the buds. Music sounded clear and detailed with some richness and even bass – especially at higher volumes, likely due to the large 16.2mm drivers.

Tracks like ‘Back on 74’ by Jungle and ‘Got It Bad’ by Leisure sounded clear and melodic across the range, with bright vocals and pleasing drum beats, even at the highest volumes. Overall, I felt the Emeet Airflow were really well-suited to tracks like this, which are soulful and a little poppy with smooth basslines.

But don’t expect strong bass here or the feeling of immersion you’d get from a different, closed design. I noticed this lack of immersion most distinctly when it came to heavier rock or punk tracks, like ‘Beat Your Heart Out’ from The Distillers and ‘Sick, Sick, Sick’ from Queens of the Stone Age, which sounded fine, but flatter and less lively than other kinds of buds, especially at high volumes.

Emeet says the buds are designed to be anti-sound leakage. I tested this and had to ask a friend to get close to hear the sound. Playing ‘Burn The Witch’ by Queens of the Stone Age at full volume stood around 1 meter away; they could make out sound in that sort of tinny, distant way. To some extent, it’s impossible for no sound leakage with a pair of open ears but I felt like this performance was impressive. This makes me confident to recommend them for wear in most offices – just be wary about cranking the volume up to the limits.

As you’d expect, calls here sound great. This is thanks to the detachable mic, which improved clarity and made calls way more pleasing overall. But it isn’t necessary for decent call quality if you don’t like it because there are two built-in omnidirectional microphones in the buds, too. 

Emeet also offers what it calls a “VoiceCore algorithm,” which can filter out noises on both sides of the call up to 50dB. I definitely felt like taking calls with these buds was better than with other air-conduction earbuds I’ve tested.

• Performance score: 3.5 / 5

Emeet Airflow: Scorecard

Emeet Airflow: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested

I wore the Emeet Airflow buds every day for three weeks. This gave me the chance to use them in different situations.

I used them to listen to music and podcasts while I was walking around a few different cities and the countryside. As well as on jogs along the beach and when I worked out at the gym. 

I paired them with an iPhone 14 Pro and mostly used Spotify and Apple Music to test them. I paired them with a laptop and used them to listen to movies on Mubi and Disney Plus.

I’ve tested lots of different headphones and earbuds over the past 12 years, especially devices that are designed for fitness. I’m particularly interested in audio tech that prioritizes comfort and ease of use. 

First reviewed: July 2024

Editor's Note

• Original review date: July 2022
• OpenRun Pro 2 launched August 2024
• Launch price: $179 / £159.95 / AU$250
• Official price now: $179 / £159.95 / AU$250

Update: November 2024. The Shokz OpenRun Pro are some of the best bone conduction headphones on the market, but they're no longer Shokz's latest and greatest. The company unveiled its OpenRun Pro 2 earlier this year, and the new version boasts better audio thanks to a new driver for the high and mid ranges. There's also an integrated air conduction driver for bass, new dynamic 3D audio, and four EQ modes.

Vibrations have also been reduced, and you'll get an extra two hours of battery life to boot. However, you'll find the OpenRun Pro 2 often priced at around $179 / £159.95 / AU$250, whereas the original OpenRun can often be found for less than $100/£100 in major deals events. As such, if you can get them at a good price, they're definitely still worth considering in 2024.

Two-minute review

Shokz (formerly known as AfterShokz) has long held the top spot in our guide to the best running headphones, and the OpenRun Pro are its best-sounding headphones yet.

The main difference between this new set of headphones and the Shokz OpenRun (originally called the Aeropex) is the addition of new bass transducers to the pads that channel vibrations to your aural nerve.

The upgrade is immediately noticeable when you hit play, and means opting for bone conduction rather than in-ear headphones no longer means a big compromise on sound quality. It's particularly impressive if you enjoy heavy music, which is far richer than with other bone conduction headphones.

The downside of the new transducers is the way they vibrate more noticeably against your skin. It's no more than a tickle, but if you prefer to run with the volume high then you may find it becomes irritating over time. All bone conduction headphones suffer from this to some extent (it's pretty much unavoidable due to the way they work) but the extra bass means it's particularly tangible here.

The other upgrades here are small, but thoughtfully designed. For example, the control buttons used to adjust power, volume, and tracks are now slightly larger so they're easier to press when you're wearing the headset. Shokz has also relocated the OpenRun Pro's charging connector so it's no longer occupying the same area as the buttons, and is easier to use.

Like the recently upgraded OpenRun, the OpenRun Pro have a quick charge feature that gives you an hour and a half of playback after just five minutes of charging; a game-changer if you've forgotten to power them up and it's time to hit the gym. If you rely on tunes to get you through a workout, they come highly recommended.

Price and release date

• Most expensive Shokz to date
• Available to order now

The Shokz OpenRun Pro were announced at CES 2022 on January 5, 2022, and became available to pre-order from the company's website the same day for $179.95 (about £130 / AU$250). That makes them the most expensive headphones in the Shokz lineup.

For comparison, the Shokz OpenRun (originally known as the AfterShokz Aeropex) cost $159.95 / £149.95 (about AU$240) when they landed in October 2020. At the budget end of the range, the Shokz OpenMove launched at $99.95 / £79.95 (about AU$140),

Design

• Larger buttons than OpenRun
• Repositioned magnetic charging port
• IP55 water resistance rating

Shokz has struck upon a design that works, and the OpenRun Pro don't deviate from that formula. Following the same OpenFit schematic as the company's other headphones, they feature a pair of pads that sit on your cheekbones and transmit sound via vibrations to your aural nerve, leaving your ear canals open. These pads are joined by a flexible but springy titanium band, which keeps them firmly in place while you run without ever pinching (an issue we sometimes had with the budget Shokz OpenMove).

A large button on the left pad allows you to receive calls using the headset's built-in microphone, and the right pad features multi-functional controls for power, volume, track, and battery status.

The OpenRun Pro are currently available in black and blue.

At first glance, the new headphones looks almost identical to their predecessor, the OpenRun, but there are a few significant differences. Firstly, the control buttons are larger, making it easier to adjust the volume, skip tracks, and power the headphones on and off without seeing what you're doing. Holding the volume down button during playback will tell you whether the power level is high, medium, or low.

Secondly, the charging connector has been repositioned. Like the OpenRun, the OpenRun Pro use a proprietary magnetic charging cable, which is much easier to connect than the fiddly micro-USB used by older models. However, for the newer model, Shokz has moved the charging port so it's no longer in line with the control buttons, making the cable easier to connect.

In all other respects, the two headsets are very similar. The OpenRun Pro are very lightweight and comfortable, even for long runs, and their light titanium construction means they never bounce as you move.

They have a water resistance rating of IP55, which means they'll be fine when you're sweating hard or running in the rain, but aren't suitable for swimming. For that, you'll want a set of waterproof headphones like the Shokz OpenSwim.

Performance

The sound quality of the Shokz OpenRun Pro is extremely impressive. The new bass transducers make a real difference, and the overall result far surpasses anything we've experiences from bone conduction headphones in the past. We particularly enjoy a rock and metal playlist while running, and the OpenRun Pro are the first model that really does justice to heavy music. It's not on a par with a pair of top-tier conventional headphones yet, but the gap is definitely closing.

The downside of the extra bass is that you don't just hear it – you can also feel it as a more noticeable buzz against your face that pulses with each beat. All bone conduction headphones produce this effect to some degree at high volumes, but it's particularly noticeable with the OpenRun Pro.

The sensation isn't uncomfortable, and unless you crank the volume up high it's little more than a tickle, but if you're wearing the headphones while concentrating at work then you might find it a distraction.

Another frequent problem with bone conduction headsets is the sound leakage; with no silicone seal between the transducers and the outside world, it can be easy for those nearby to overhear your songs, audiobooks and phone calls. You might annoy workmates in a quiet office if you crank up the volume on the OpenMove Pro, but when kept at modest levels they're the least leaky Shokz headset we've tested to date.

Despite the improved bass, ambient noise is still clear thanks to the open-ear design. Many noise-cancelling headphones have a 'transparency' mode that uses a microphone to transmit external sound to your ear, but this doesn't give the same directional awareness you get from bone conduction headsets.

When AfterShokz announced that it was rebranding as 'Shokz' in December 2021, it also launched a new version of its Aeropex bone conduction headphones with quick charging. This is a feature that it's carried over to the OpenRun Pro, and a five-minute charge while you're getting changed and lacing up your running shoes will provide 1.5 hours of playback.

When the OpenRun Pro begin to run low on juice, a voice will warn you that it's time to charge them. You'll receive two warnings before the headset powers off, so if you're close to home or at your desk, you'll have time to plug them in.

A complete charge will keep your music playing for up to 10 hours (a figure matched in our tests) which is the most impressive battery life of any headset we've tested to date. If you've been turned off other bone conduction headphones due to their short playtime, it's well worth checking out the OpenRun Pro. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

• We've tested and ranked the best running watches