Customer Ratings & Reviews

I think the OpenDots 2 are the best-sounding Shokz I’ve owned so far. My wife agrees and will probably wind up with them. She loves them! My wife and I have owned several different models of Shokz products since she got us both a pair of Trekz Air for Christmas in 2019. We upgraded to the OpenRun Pros in 2023 and were even more pleased with them, as they have longer battery life and better sound for listening to music. In 2024, I reviewed the OpenRun Pro 2 for Tech Insider Network; Shokz had improved the sound quality even more and switched from a proprietary clip-on magnet charging cable to a standard USB-C connector. Also in 2024, my wife got the OpenFit Air. They are okay, but they don’t sound as good as all the others I’ve mentioned. The OpenDots 2 comes in a convenient charging case and includes a USB-C cable. Sound Quality & Performance: Compared to all the other Shokz headsets I just mentioned, the OpenDots 2 sound the best for music. You get a better, deeper bass response, and the high end goes a little higher and sounds noticeably clearer. Call quality is equal to the others, which is to say, very good. Unlike traditional earbuds, the OpenDots 2 doesn’t go into your ear canal at all. Because everyone's ear anatomy is shaped a little differently, air-conduction audio can sound completely different from person to person depending on how the buds sit in your ear in front of your ear canal. You will probably have to adjust how they sit while playing music to find the sweet spot and get the absolute best sound out of them. Due to the open-ear nature of letting ambient sound in “naturally,” they do not feature active noise canceling (ANC) for the wearer. I tried running with them and doing other activities that might cause them to fall off, and I wasn't able to knock them loose—even when pulling off a shirt, unless I purposely tried to. Design & Real-World Comfort: One thing I love as opposed to the OpenRun and Trekz series is the lack of the behind-the-head band. The traditional Shokz titanium band is incredible for running, but the second you lean back against a pillow, a recliner, or a headrest. The band hits the cushion, pushes forward, and knocks the speakers right out of alignment. By going to independent clip-on units, the OpenDots 2 completely solves the "couch problem." You can lie flat on your back or side, and your audio stays perfectly positioned. Additionally, I’ve frequently had the traditional bands get tangled up with my glasses when taking either the OpenRuns or my glasses off. The independent design of the OpenDots 2 completely eliminates that hassle. However, there is a minor trade-off with the new form factor. Because the OpenDots 2 use a clip-on/cuff design, they rely on a gentle but continuous clamping force on the outside edge of your ear cartilage to stay secure. It’s brilliant for stability when walking or moving around, but after three or four hours of continuous wear, that cartilage can definitely start to ache. App Features & Dolby Audio: Using the Shokz app to tweak the EQ allows you to manually pick from presets or create your own custom profile, which is a big help whether you need to pump up the bass to fight ambient noise or roll back the treble if it feels too sharp. I don't care for how the Dolby Audio sounds with music. It’s pretty common for "spatial" or advanced audio processing algorithms to completely mess with the soundstage of a well-mixed music track, often making it sound hollow, artificially wide, or weirdly phased. It's usually best left off for music, as standard stereo tracks are mixed with specific panning and balance in mind. Where I think Dolby Audio genuinely shines is with podcasts, talk shows, and video content. Turning it on acts like a "voice boost" or a virtual soundstage expander. It helps separate the speakers from any background noise in the production, lifting the dialogue out of a flat center channel and making a long talking-head podcast feel much more immersive and less fatiguing to listen to over long periods. The app is also used to view the battery charge in the OpenDots 2 and the charging case, customize gesture control settings, install firmware updates, and view the owner's manual. It works seamlessly with many recent Shokz headsets as well. Microphone & Call Testing: The OpenDots 2 do not use bone conduction to put the sound in your head like the OpenRun Pro series; instead, they implement a bone-conduction microphone alongside regular air-conduction mics to handle noise cancellation on your voice. It filters out ambient environmental noise very well so the person on the other end of the call won’t hear it or barely will. I tested this in a stiff breeze outside and then on my big, noisy zero-turn mower. It quieted things down to the point that the people I was talking to said they didn’t hear the breeze at all and barely heard the mower. However, there is a practical trade-off: they also barely heard me while the mower was running unless I talked considerably louder to break through the aggressive noise gate. Battery life and charging times easily match Shokz’s claims, though your mileage may vary depending on your listening volume. Wife’s Take; Mrs Low Notes I love these Dots 2! I have tiny ears and have never been able to find earbuds that are small enough to fit my ears. The ball that sits in your ear is 13mm (half an inch) and fits perfectly for me. I’ve been a Shokz fan ever since we got the Trekz Airs. The Dots 2 are my fifth Shokz. I even tried the Open Fit Air Shokz but they are too big and won’t stay on my ears, but my mother-in-law loves them. The Dots 2 are going to be great when I’m outside and want to wear my glasses, over sunglasses and Shokz as well. The Open Run 2 Shokz that I usually wear all day, and the I love ends up being part of a trio of things over the top of my small ears. If I wear them all three too long, the bulk ends up hurting my ears. I’ve worn the Dots 2 all day and they barely made my ears a little tender. Compared to the bulky trio, no comparison. I finally have a set of non bone conduction earphones I can wear! I love being able to pair them with my phone and tablet and go between them without having to repair them each time I switch. I just go to the Bluetooth devices list and turn them off, and the other picks them up when I turn on the other device. Note that you can connect them to two phones at once. Build Quality & Customer Service: The build quality feels incredibly solid, and they come backed by a 2-year warranty. Brand reliability is worth noting here: on an older pair of Trekz and my OpenRun Pro 2, one of the physical buttons failed under warranty. Shokz customer service sent me a new replacement pair ASAP, and I didn’t even have to hassle with sending back the bad pair. Final Thoughts: The OpenDots 2 are the best-sounding Shokz I’ve used so far. If you want classic Shokz situational awareness and comfort without the behind-the-head band, and you listen to a lot of music, these are absolutely the ones to get.

I have had a long-standing apprehension to open-ear headphones because I worried that too much sound would escape, but the OpenDots 2 have completely changed my view on that. These are perfect for listening to audio while keeping tabs on my kids now that they are home for the summer. *Design* The fit of these headphones is amazing. I wear these for over five hours straight some days and have not experienced any discomfort. At most, I feel the slightest bit of soreness when I remove them, but it passes within a minute. Their staying power is also remarkable. They do not move or shift whatsoever, and I can do a full workout with them knowing they will stay put the entire time. *Sound* There is always a trade-off when it comes to open-ear compared to in-ear earbuds, bass and leakage being the main concern, but I find that these do a great job when it comes to these aspects. Unless the environment is exceptionally loud, I do not find leakage to be too noticeable. The bass is quite punchy, deep, and tasteful. The mids are rich and highs are well balanced, clear, and vibrant, with the slightest hint of harshness for certain high beats. Besides music, I listen to lectures and podcasts, and these have been great for standalone vocals as well. They carry the vocals crisply and clearly with the vocal EQ setting being quite helpful in removing any extra bass from it. *Mic* The mic works well but could be better for having three mics. It picks up voice well, but it focuses too much on the deeper frequencies causing the voice to come across as muffled. I also noticed wavering in how it picks up voice so there is a lack of consistency and smoothness plus it cuts out high pitch vocals completely, which I suppose is nice for the person on the other end but not great if you are recording yourself. I have to wonder how much of this is the AI assuming that certain vocals are just background noise. *Intuitiveness* The earbuds come with customizable tap and button “pinch” controls. They are fairly easy to get a hang of and memorize and hard to trigger by accident. *App* These pair with the Shokz app, which allows you to view the battery life of each earbud and the case, switch EQ modes and Dobly, customize gestures, and even locate individual earbuds. The one thing I wish it also had was locating the case, because I do misplace it often. *Battery Life* The battery is something else that I find notable as I am not used to earbuds lasting this long. I listened to them for 5 hours straight while working once and each individual earbuds still had 70% life left. That is longer than indicated on their specs, which states up to 10hours. With the case they have a total of 40-hour playtime, but I wonder if it is more as well considering the forementioned. Additionally, they will give you a whole 2 hours of playtime with just 5 minutes of charge. *Conclusion* Overall, the OpenDots 2 have fully changed my perception of the capabilities of open-ear headphones. The sound output is rich, the design is stable and comfortable, and the battery life is outstanding. They are great for both workouts and environments in which being able to listen to your surroundings is necessary. This have become my go-to right now that my kids are home for the summer, but I want to continue my online studies and work from home.

I'm always a little skeptical of companies that release updates to products that are a year or less old. Software products make sense for regular update cycles, but hardware like headphones don't make as much sense. Usually the update is cosmetic or adds a single new feature (like Apple releasing "new" headphones where the only change was the connector). I inevitably end up skipping the update. Shokz may prove me wrong though with their terrific update to the one year old OpenDots One earbuds. I bought the OpenDots One when released in May 2025. It was a great set of open ear earbuds that I've enjoyed a lot since the purchase. When the OpenDots 2 were released, I wasn't really interested in upgrading, but thought I'd give it a try since my wife was eyeing my One's for a while. She gets the One's and I get a new set. The OpenDots 2 follow the same design as the previous generation. They consist an ear clip design with speakers connected to the battery/control unit by a flexible arm. When in place, the speakers sit inside your ear without blocking the ear canal, the flex arm curves around your ear, and the larger battery pod sits behind your ear. The design allows you to hear the sound form the earbud perfectly without blocking out your surroundings. I use mine in the office all day long. I can listen to music while still being aware if someone is trying to get my attention. It works wonders oover my previous noise cancelling buds that worked so well that I often looked up to see someone was in my office door trying to talk to me and I didn't necessarily see them. The Open Dots 2 sound terrific. the first gen were good, but these seem louder with a lot more bass. Music is crisp and phone calls are clear. Callers say the microphones sound great and they had no problem hearing me. The Shoksz app (I have the iOS version) works well and connects fast. You can use it for changing the gesture controls, loading new firmware, pairing, some basic audio equalization and a really nice "Find my" option for locating lost buds that plays a loud sound which helps you locate the bud.. You can also turn on/off Dolby Audio and wear detection. The buds also have multipoint pairing so I can have my phone and Mac connected at the same time for smooth switching between sources. There really aren't many downsides to the OpenDots 2. If I had to pick on anything, the gesture control is a bit confusing and difficult to use. For genesture control, you can tap the flexible stem or pinch the battery/control pods to initiate a function. You can set the functions in the app. I have to say, the One's worked better with the gesture control. Both are set up the same, but the OpenDot 2's focus more on actions that involve pinching the control pod and limits (to a degree) the flex arm tapping. Maybe they did that beause tapping the arm on either unit is hit or miss. Pinching the pods works every ntime, but it's not as easy to do as my ear gets in the way. It's a small nit, but it is a difference and an issue. I love the OpenDot 2's. If you have the previous generation, the sound quality makes it worth the upgrade alone. I highly recommend these earbuds.

I wear earbuds of some sort pretty much all day every day at work. Always looking for the unicorn of buds. I thought I had the unicorn in my last budget pair, but the batteries went south after a couple months and only gave me about an hour of run time. So it was time to try a premium pair. I’ve grown fond of the open ear style so the Shokz OpenDots 2 seemed like a good option. Unboxing was simple and uneventful. The box contains the 2 earbuds, charging case, USB C charge cable and some paperwork/manuals. I did install the app, I don't believe it is required, but it is needed to set custom EQ, turn Dolby on/off, firmware updates etc. The app did require creating an account, which isn’t my preference, but pretty common these days. The first thing I noticed with the app was the microscopic text font. I know I’m getting old, but I had a hard time reading even with my cheaters on. I walked through the steps in the app for pairing, the tutorial and the firmware update. You have the option in the app to choose some preset equalizers or you can go through the custom eq setup, it’ll play a little tune twice and ask you if you prefer the A or B version. After about 6 samples it sets your custom eq based on choices. When all was said and done I prefer listening to music with the Dolby turned on (which also turns off the EQ) During my daily use with these Shokz OpenDots 2, I’ve been finding them very comfortable. At first I had some minor soreness/pressure points but they went away. They might have been just a tad tight, but are now breaking in. Previous ear buds I’d usually only wear 1 at a time and swap left and right all day due to discomfort. With the Shokz I can wear both all day long. Sound quality is very good for open ear design. Sometimes open ear types need to be ‘rotated’ to the sweet spot for good quality sound. Shokz documentation even shows you the proper way to wear them. In use I’ve found that sweet spot to be quite large, they don't have to rotate a certain perfect way for optimal sound. They strike a nice balance of good quality sound while still being able to hear your surroundings. While using for phone calls, I’ve also been told they sound good. Battery life seems to be on par with the claims. I can get almost a full work day with them on. They do state using Dolby will shorten battery life. I usually just drop them in the case for a little bit during lunch and then they last the entire day. Speaking of the case, it’s nice and small and easy to get the Opendots 2 in and out of. I’ve only found one issue as of now. Shokz claims Opendots 2 are interchangeable between left and right side. In use this seems to be the case in regards to the left and right side ‘gesture’ controls (play/pause/volume/etc). I was however able to grab the Opendots 2 from the case, put them in the opposite side of where they had been worn last time, go and play a stereo test video with left and right audio, and the Opendots 2 would be outputting sound on the wrong side compared to the test video. This wouldn't be a big issue just listening to music, but if you are watching videos/movies you want the sound stage to match what your eyes are seeing. I did test this a few times on different videos and after inserting/removing the Opendots 2 from the charging case etc, and I was able to duplicate it. Hopefully this is something they can fix in firmware. The fix for now for me is to take them out of the case and put them in the same side ear. All in all, I’m happy with the function, sound and comfort of the Shokz OpenDots 2. They are reaching up there in price range, approaching over the ear noise canceling type, but for the open ear style I think they are worthy of the premium price provided they last me at least through the 2 year warranty period.

One thing I do not like about typical ear buds is the pressure it places inside the ear, often starts making my ear sweat and the next thing you know, it’s not holding tight or causing pain. These OpenDots 2 on the other hand, sit outside the ear and are surprisingly stable and loud. They clip over the ear, but yet don’t have a lot of pressure on them, so they are comfortable for long periods of use. They don’t go inside the ear, so it leaves breathing room and avoids the issues I have with regular ear buds. They are surprisingly secure for the little amount of pressure as well. These supposedly have two 11.8mm drivers in each bud and by how loud they get, they certainly sound bigger. The sound really relies on positioning in your ear, so it might take some maneuvering to find the best spot for you. But, once you find that sweet spot, these pack a punch. You don’t have to worry which one goes in which ear, as they auto sense when you put them on. They can also sense when you take them off, so they can pause the audio. Having them sense which ear is also nice if you just want to use one at a time and like it always to be on one side. Play time is listed as about 10 hours on a single charge, then the case can charge them fully 3 more times with a 15 minute charge giving 2 of use. However, if you do use them 1 at a time, that becomes an endless loop of use, till the case runs out at least. The case can be charged with USB-C or wireless as well. Call quality is pretty nice on them as well. They show there are 3 microphones on each bud, one being a bone conducting microphone so it can help with noise reduction. With that, the calls were clear. The only thing I did notice is that there is a bit of a latency when watching videos, whether I was using my phone or my PC. For straight audio they were nice, crisp and loud, but I could easily notice the milliseconds of delay with video as they don’t appear to use any of the lower latency codecs. Overall, these are a nice alternative for in-ear or on ear headphones. Kind of like a middle ground for both styles, giving you the small form factor, but not shoving something into your ear. They really put out the volume for something so tiny.

These earbuds are great for wearing while active: working out, running, etc. They are reasonably comfortable, and the sound quality is decent. Overall they are relatively comfortable, good sound, and great battery life. In fact, everything about them is pretty good except for some regular Bluetooth connection issues in my experience. AESTHETICS AND FIT I chose the “Pearl White” color. They definitely lean more “pearl” than “white” and they have gold accents that give them an elegant look. In the ear they are unobtrusive, but they are definitely noticeable. Left and right dots are interchangeable—they adapt their function based on which ear they are clipped on. When wearing them, they fit loosely around my ear, never blocking my ear entirely. That means they don’t interfere with my ability to hear what’s going on around me, which I love when I’m outdoors or having to interact with other people. They are not the most comfortable things, but I didn’t have any trouble wearing them for over an hour at a time. The ear clip feels loose (i.e. no pressure on my ear) but still secure. Even though they might move around a bit, I’ve never had one fall off, even if it gets bumped or caught on something. Packaging included a minimal cardboard box that minimized waste while still having a nice look. Points. FUNCTION Each dot has a couple “buttons” or maybe “gestures” that control things like volume, play/pause, and track forward/back. There’s a tap, double-tap, squeeze, double-squeeze that can be applied to each dot. I found that they require a more significant force than I was expecting. The tap, for example, isn’t just a touch like a capacitive switch, but it requires a strong, forceful tap. Once I got a feel for it, it was easy enough to use. There’s no active noise cancelation or anything. Instead, the physical design makes the sound from these earbuds play through without disrupting the ability to hear other sounds in the space. The result is that my personal sound is added to the sound from around me, but outside sound is not muffled or distorted at all. The Bluetooth allows pairing to multiple devices (not sure how many exactly), but I did experience some glitches with the connection. For example, paired to my Apple Watch listening to music while I was running, one or the other dot would cut out for a moment, or the two would get out of sync so the music sounded wonky. This only lasted less than a second, but it happened a few times during an hour of use. No complaints about battery life. Out of the case, the dots were good for well over 2 hours of continuous use (they reported 70% remaining after 2 hours). In the case, they charge quickly. I didn’t test the claim of 48+ hours total, but I believe it. I’m more interested in how long the dots last without recharging, and in my case they had plenty of life to go longer than I had any opportunity to use them during the week I’ve had them. The case itself is capable of charging with USB-C or wireless charging. SOUND QUALITY I love good sound quality, and that’s often hard to get from earbuds since they tend to sound quite different depending on how they are positioned on the ear. These are decent and pleasant to listen to, but nothing to write home about. The frequency response is limited. Nothing below about 50Hz or over about 15KHz. In between the response is reasonably flat, but sound is not superbly crisp or clear. Bass is dominant, especially at lower volume levels. At higher volumes, mid-treble becomes dominant and overpowering. That said, there’s plenty of headroom in the volume for clear listening even in noisy environments. I listened to a variety of music and spoken word. It all sounded reasonably accurate, without any distracting distortion. These are not audiophile earbuds, but they do a very reasonable job in all situations. There is a microphone that works in a pinch, if you need to take a call. I wouldn’t recommend it, though. Additionally, like many Bluetooth devices, the sound you hear is extremely degraded when the microphone is active. The app has a function to enable Dolby Audio. This feature gives the sound more presence and adds an expansiveness to the soundstage.

So glad I got these Open Ear earbuds. The clip on style is truly comfortable and using it all day is ideal. No sound leakage at all and sound quality is amazing. I have to say that this is the best earbuds I've had throughout many style and brands. I must have for sure! Highly recommend.....!

I really liked these and they are so much more secured then the open fit pro were. The sound is good for me as well and I don’t need to put up the volume as I thought I would need to.

They are very comfortable and sound great. The mic does a good job canceling our background noise while on phone calls.

Best open ear design. Very secure fit, small case, long battery life and a definite improved sound!

The product looks nice and fits well but the sound is not that great.

I've been curious about the new trend of "open" ear headphones that clip on rather than sit inside the ear canal. I usually only wear my headphones at the gym or for long phone conversations because I don't love the suction feeling you get from most noise-canceling earphones, and I haven't found a pair of over-ear headphones comfortable enough for long-term wear. I decided to put my intrigue to the test with the latest open earbuds from Shokz. The OpenDots 2 promise great sound quality, light weight and good call quality, all while clipping gently to the outer edge of your ear, with the speaker resting just outside your ear canal. This is truly the first time I've tried this style of earbud -- none of my friends have this style, either -- so I wasn't sure what to expect. The OpenDots 2 arrived in a small package, and I was pleased to find an abundance of recyclable material used. No plastic wrap or styrofoam, Shokz instead uses paper and cardboard, and to good effect. Once again, I'm glad to see manufacturers taking real steps to package and ship products more sustainably. The OpenDots themselves live in a small, ovoid case like most wireless earbuds, with the bottom half covered in a matte soft-touch material and the lid rendered in shiny plastic. The case, and the buds themselves, are an attractive mix of textures in a sleek dark gray/black combo. They're attractive and feel well made while also being very lightweight. I would prefer just a bit more grip on the case itself, but it's easy enough to open, close and slip into a pocket, and I haven't dropped it yet. The Dots themselves are strange looking on first glance, with a small round ball end connected to a slightly larger cylinder by a thin, curved band. The band and the parts of both ends that touch your skin are a nice, soft silicone material, while the rest is a shiny plastic. Again, the OpenDots 2 are very lightweight, and feel a bit breakable on account of the flexible band, but once you figure out how they attach to your ear it all makes sense. Setup is as simple as pairing the OpenDots to your phone, computer or other device and then putting them in your ear. I'm glad Shokz includes a little quick start and positioning guide, as it feels a little weird the first few times you use the OpenDots. I quickly adjusted, though, and can now put them in and take them out as easily as I do my AirPods. I definitely recommend downloading the Shokz app to tweak settings and whatnot; the app connected to the OpenDots 2 immediately and performed a firmware update. The app is well laid out, straightforward and responsive. I've had no trouble with it or the bluetooth connection of the OpenDots when using my iPhone and my MacBook Pro. Multipoint pairing is available and works great. Bluetooth has definitely improved over the years and I'm glad Shokz has a solid implementation of the latest standards here. Once connected I immediately opened Spotify to check out the audio quality. The OpenDots 2 default sound profile is fine, somewhat balanced and flat; in other words, nothing to write home about. Where they really come alive, in my opinion, is flipping on the Dolby Audio sound effect that lives front and center when you open the Shokz app page for the OpenDots 2. This is not a sound enhancement gimmick at all; the Dolby processing really seems to bring music to life. Bass is noticeable, voices are clear and highs are sparkly without painful sibilance. Props to Dolby and Shokz here -- this is a great setting and one I've left on. If the Dolby profile isn't to your liking you can choose from a few other built-in EQ modes, take a sound test for a custom sound profile, or mess around with a graphic equalizer to fine-tune the sound. The "Smart EQ" option didn't wow me, but did improve the audio over the standard profile; I still prefer the Dolby Audio sound over all other EQ settings. That said, you should have no trouble dialing in settings for yourself if you like to tweak EQ. I'm impressed with the amount of bass these open-ear 'phones can produce. At low to moderate volumes in a quiet space, I prefer the sound of the OpenDots 2 to my AirPod Pro 2s, which have been my sound benchmark for a long time. With the open design the stereo separation and soundstage are expansive, helped by the Dolby tuning, I'm guessing. I've found myself wearing the OpenDots at work, and I never wear 'phones at work. The sound is very good but avoids annoying others in the office as with a regular speaker. It's a great compromise. Audio quality on a phone call is another highlight. I've had a few long conversations while doing chores around the house, and I think this might be the "secret" weapon use case for me. When things are quiet the tight fit and noise canceling of my AirPods are more annoying than they are helpful; I find the effect of hearing your own muffled voice through the noise canceling annoying. The OpenDots, meanwhile, put your caller's audio right in your ear, but with the open design, you hear your voice the same as you would talking on speakerphone. In other words, it's much more natural. This is where the exceptional comfort of the OpenDots 2 really comes in clutch: simply put, these are the most comfortable earphones I've ever used. Once you clip them on, they practically disappear. They grip my ears firmly, but they're next to weightless; you can hardly feel them on. They stay put and hardly shift, even when exercising. Definitely the first pair of earphones I can wear all day without complaint. While they're great for office, around the house and solo outdoor exercise, the open design has clear limitations: namely, there's no active or passive noise cancelation at all, which is important to keep in mind with these open-style earbuds. I wore the OpenDots 2 to the gym, and while I was able to turn the volume up enough to hear my music, I could not drown out the blasting gym speakers without giving myself a headache. Just keep in mind the open design is both the best part of these 'phones and the biggest limitation. Overall, I really, really like the Shokz OpenDots 2. They're well-made, supremely comfortable for all-day wear, and offer robust, surprisingly good sound. I really enjoy using these for music and phone calls at home and the office, and I reach for them more often than any other headphones or earphones. That said, the open design is both the highlight and the achilles heel here, as there's no noise canceling to speak of. Despite their comfort these are not a great option for really noisy environments. As long as you're aware of their design limitations I don't think you can go wrong with the Shokz OpenDots 2.

Shokz has done it again with the OpenDots 2. I was quite unsure about the new clip-on style of earbuds as I assumed that the audio quality would fail to compete in with in-ear buds or even the over the ear clip earbuds. I do love my over the ear clip earbuds, but the case and the clips themselves are larger than I'm looking for. I've also never found a pair of in-ear buds that actually stay in! The OpenDots 2 fixed everything and I'm never going back. On the most important front, these sound incredible. They get loud while maintaining a robust soundstage. I regularly checked over my shoulder thinking that there was someone behind me but no, it was just how well these headphones can create a full sound immersion, just being clipped to your ears. Speaking of clipped to your ears, I never had any discomfort and never had them fall off, even when exercising with them. The microphones proved to be excellent as well, with the other side of phone calls reporting no difference then when I held the phone up to my head. These are easy to pair to your phone, Android or iOS. It also has Android and iOS based tracking which is great because these clips are small and I could easily see myself losing them. The convenience continues including wired and wireless charging as well as the ability for the earbuds to detect which ear they are clipped on so you can put either earbud on either ear. My complaints are small. The sound quality out of the box is good, but only once you use the app and turn on Dolby Audio do you get the best audio. And while the play pause on these headphones are easy, once it gets into a series of taps and squeezes to do different things, I immediately forget and really only use the play/pause function since it's a simple squeeze. These earbuds are worth it. Regardless if you are like me wanting small earbuds, but also don't want in-ear buds, these have fantastic sound, long battery life, and a simplicity that I love. Shokz has been on a roll lately and I can't wait to see what they do next. Pros: Fantastic, large sound despite the size Long battery life Simple pairing Easy to clip on Clips are interchangeable Excellent mic clarity on phone calls Wired AND wireless charging Built in tracking in case you lose these very small clips Cons: Need app to get the best audio (by turning on Dolby Audio) Touch controls are complicated other than play/pause

I am really enjoying my time with these clip-on ear buds by Shokz. The Open Dots 2 is a clip-on style ear bud that does not go in the ear. While I have another pair of clip-on ear buds that are good, the Open Dots 2 is IP57 rated against sweat and water which is a huge bonus for me and now my wife as she gets to use these on her runs. We both avoid the in-ear ear buds because they are just uncomfortable to wear. The Open Dots feel barely there even though they are the biggest conduction clip-on pair I have. The OD2 comes with a 10 hour battery life, which is more than enough for me. Uses a Type-C charge which is fast in my opinion. The shell seems very small for what it is. This is technically a drawback for me, though not a big deal: the shell, while small, does not have a sitting base to sit it up. I just have it lying there on its back. Getting back to the features, I like that I can tap to change songs which seems standard. With the OP2, you can use 2 fingers to pinch the battery area behind the ear to do the same function. I just like this because it feels better doing that then tapping my ear all the time. The ear buds also come with Bluetooth 6.1 which is nice. Pairing is fast and is done the first time. The OD2 can pair 2 sources at the same time. The sound is really, really good. Even for open ear type of buds, you crank the volume up in public, you can’t really hear anything else. Not like you would use this all the time, but one use case was when they were used for running along a busy street with a train going by. Pretty impressive to me. The last point I want to bring up is the price. For clip on ear buds, $200 msrp can be a big ask, especially when others in this category go for much less, if they are willing to go without a feature or two. For clip-ons, these are the premium versions to get. They can’t compete with proper over the ear noise cancelling ear phones of course, they are perfect for just wearing and forgetting about them. Calls were clear and I had no issue hearing the other person the line when we spoke. I would recommend the Open Dots 2 by Shokz if you are looking for a good pair to work out with, like running and resistance to sweat. The charging shell, while very small, can be perfect for throwing in your bag for the day. The $200 may turn off some, but if you take the plunge, you won't regret it.

I am a huge fan of the clip-on style earbuds. After having been through several different brands' take on the format, I'm back to Shokz and their Opendots 2. They follow the typical design of barrel and earpiece joined by a half ring that clips around your ear, but there are some considerations that Shokz has made, such as having a softer rubberlike material cushioning the areas that have contact with your ear. The ring portion is made of the same material, allowing some flex for a more comfortable fit. While the Dolby Audio mode that can be enabled through the app does provide some added warmth to the mix, not unlike the difference between a song on a cd vs one on vinyl, I find that it adds too much fuzz to voices, causing everyone to sound slightly like they are talking through a kazoo. Otherwise, audio is nice and clear, and the volume is the loudest I've found in all the different brands of clip-on earbuds that I've had. Even on my commute via elevated train, I haven't had to raise the volume on my phone more than 50% in order to listen to music at a comfortable volume while still being able to hear everything around me. The bass, especially in the bass eq mode, is probably the deepest that I've experienced with this style of earbuds. The charging case is pretty standard, other than the decorative silver band. I do like the pearl white color, it reminds me of my limited edition Gundam Base Barbatos model with the special coating. It is a little bit finicky to open, and I find myself inadvertently pressing the button on the back. I like the fact that the earbuds can go on either ear, and as a result can be placed back into either side of the case. I often share an earbud with my wife or daughter while we are walking or doing chores, and tend to switch which ear is in use depending on where the other person is walking so that we can hear each other better, so not having to figure out which one goes where when putting them back in the case saves like a second of cognitive power.

These Open-Ear Dots 2 Clip-On Earbuds are the latest clip-on earbuds from Shokz. They are open-ear style earbuds that clip onto your ears rather than being inserted as others might be. With excellent sound and rich bass, the Shokz excel in providing clear phone calls with 3 microphones inside. The Shokz Clip-On earbuds provide all day comfort with up to 40 hours of listening when fully charged. Dolby audio is also included and Shokz provides a 2 year warranty covering the Dots 2 clip-ons. After downloading the Shokz smartphone application, connecting the Shokz earbuds to my smartphone via bluetooth was quick and easy with the earbuds case being open and the earbuds still inside. The Shokz earbuds show up under the smartphone's device list as "OpenDots by Shokz". Once connected to your smartphone, open the Shokz application to check for any firmware updates to the earbuds. If yes, the update only takes a few minutes and you will be ready to go with the latest updated firmware. While these Shokz On-ear clip-on earbuds are not noise cancelling, they work well allowing you to take calls and hear music while hearing outside sounds. This makes them perfect for walking, running, working out in the gym or just sitting at your desk working. The earbud case allows for charging the earbuds on a magsafe charger. I really like these new Shokz Open-Ear Dots 2 Clip-On Earbuds. They are a complete package of great sounding earbuds! After registering your Shokz open-ear clip-on earbuds,

I don’t like in-canal headphones unless I’ve showered and cleaned my ears within the past 12 hours. I also don’t like AirPods 4 that don’t go in deep but never stay in. I’ve always been on the lookout for headphones I can wear at work that won’t fall out and don’t need to be jammed into my ears. I had some Bose that went behind my ears a decade ago but they were large and obtrusive. I had the Bose that are similar to these but they clamped way too tightly, to the point of being uncomfortable. These OpenDots behave essentially the same as the Bose, but they don’t have as aggressive a clamping force. Setting them up was very simple: I opened the case and they popped up in my Bluetooth menu. From there, they clipped on to my ears and played my music. Sound isn’t going to thump unless you jam the drivers deep toward your ear canal, but then they are a little out of position and uncomfortable. In a natural position, they are extremely comfortable and the sound is clear. I wouldn’t listen to heavy bass music with them, but they work. You can also hear everything around you and they will never fall out. All in all, I’m very happy with these. The magnetic case keeps them charged and they’re an excellent addition to my daily routine. They pause when you remove them and the on device squeeze controls work intuitively and reliably. Highly recommended!

These are comfortable headphones and earbuds - where typical earbuds can be uncomfortable as they need to sit in your ear to work, the design of the Shokz OpenDots 2 is genius - allowing you to have them rest gently on your ear without being inside your ear. This makes long sessions great and comfortable. They also do a really good job of maintaining sound quality. Once in a while one earbud loses connection, but it appears intermittent and likely to be solved by firmware. Overall, it's very rate and could be related to environmental factors. They are also super, super light adding to the comfort. In addition, the battery really does last the full 10 hours before requiring a charge, so you can get all day listening out of them and then you can get 4x that charge by placing them back in the charging case. They also charge really fast, and even seemingly fast on a wireless charger. They work perfectly with any Qi-certified charger (I've tried a few that I have). Overall, I highly recommend these headphones!

These are great headphones for exercise if you come in with appropriate expectations. They are small, open-ear headphones, so the bass basically isn't present. This can result in music sounding a little muddy as the mid frequencies seem over-emphasized. Despite this, the audio is generally good. For podcasts, you're not really even going to notice unless you're used to listening to 99% Invisible with Roman Mars on real headphones or speakers (bass-heavy voice). The battery life is amazing. I've been using these for at least a couple of hours every day, usually more, and when I connect them to my phone, the battery level is showing 60% for the case and 100% for the earbuds. If you keep them in the case, I'd expect you can go at least a week or two without having to charge with moderate use. These, as with any Shokz headphones, are meant for exercise, and I'd say that these are comfortable enough to wear for a couple of hours at a time while still being able to hear the environment around you. If you're going for a run and need to be aware of traffic, these are a great option.