Shokz - OpenRun Air 2 Wireless Bone Conduction Open-Ear Bluetooth Sports Headphones - Black

The Shokz OpenRun Air 2 is an open ear bone-conduction headset designed for active use and everyday listening. I have gotten where I dislike keeping buds in my ears for long periods of time. I worry about my ear health and they make it difficult to focus on what is going on around me. Enter the bone conduction headsets from Shokz. I have used Shokz headsets for years, and the OpenRun Air 2 feels less like a major departure than a thoughtful update to a familiar design. The wraparound fit is still there, but the headset is a little lighter, and the proprietary charging connection I know from past headsets has been replaced with USB-C. My overall experience has been very positive: it is lightweight, comfortable, easy to use, and delivers clear, detailed sound while keeping my ears open to the world around me. Unboxing: The box includes the OpenRun Air 2 headset, documentation, and the accessories needed to get started. Setup is simple. Pairing with a phone or other Bluetooth devices is quick. Experience: Comfort remains one of the strongest parts of the Shokz design. The OpenRun Air 2 is extremely light and sits securely around the head without putting anything inside or over the ears. It is comfortable enough that I can wear it for extended periods without giving it much thought. Sound is clear and detailed, though the mix leans more toward treble than some listeners may expect. Vocals, podcasts, and spoken audio come through especially well, but anyone looking for deep, thumping bass will want to look elsewhere. Because this is a bone conduction headset, my ears stay open while I listen, so I can still hear people, traffic, alarms, and other sounds around me. The headset has an IP67 rating. Sweat and an unexpected rain shower should not be a major concern, although the headset is not intended for swimming. The controls are easy to reach, Bluetooth performance has been reliable, and the headset stays securely in place during movement. Compared with my earlier Shokz headset, the OpenRun Air 2 feels less like a complete redesign and more like a refinement of a formula that already worked well. Shokz advertises around ten hours of battery life and my experience has lined up with that pretty well. The Shokz app provides access to EQ settings, multipoint pairing, control customization, and other headset options. The first time I launched the app with the OpenRun Air 2 connected, I was also prompted to install a firmware update. The update completed without any problems, although it was not particularly clear what had changed afterward. The app is not required for basic operation, but it is useful for adjusting the headset to your preferences. The interface is easy to navigate, and the available settings add functionality without making the headset unnecessarily complicated. Conclusion: The OpenRun Air 2 does not reinvent the Shokz formula, and I do not think it needs to. It takes a familiar design and improves it in practical ways, particularly through reduced weight and the switch to USB-C charging. It is comfortable, secure, sounds clear and detailed, and lets me remain aware of what is happening around me. For exercise, walking, working around the house, or simply listening without blocking my ears, the OpenRun Air 2 has been an excellent headset. 4.5/5 Recommended

I have long wanted to experience a bone conduction runner style headset, so I jumped at the chance to try the Shokz Open Run Air 2 headphones. I am also new to Shokz so I wanted to see what they are all about. First things first, I was truly amazed by how clear the audio is! There is a slight diffusion compared to the reference quality earbuds normally use, but this headset creates excellent sound reproduction. Whether I was listening to podcasts or music, everything sounded really good. This headset is the exact opposite of my smart glasses that I always had trouble hearing music and podcasts on. The dialogue and music intelligibility is especially remarkable considering how different the sound reproduction technology is compared to direct radiation. Essentially sound is created by vibration through the cheek bones. I don’t understand the science behind how this works but I can very much appreciate that it does work and works well. Overall I rate the sound quality as near perfect and using them to be very enjoyable. The App is excellent and provides a wide selection of features and customization. It is easy to use and offers several EQ presets as well. One thing I had to get used to is that at higher volume bass can cause the earbud to vibrate which I find to be distracting. This can be remedied using the EQ presets or the fully customizable five band EQ. Battery life is great and I got a couple days of use before I had to recharge. The headset is charged directly by a USB-C port that is covered to aid in providing water resistance. The headset is comfortable to wear and easy to forget you have on. Since it doesn’t sit I. The ear drum, I found that there is less ear fatigue. The main benefit of this style of headset is that it is open air and thus does not block the ear canals so outside noise is not blocked. This provides exceptional situational awareness and is beneficial to outside use. I am using it an office environment so I can hear my coworkers while still enjoying listening to music or podcasts. For situations that call for utmost situational awareness, the the Shokz Open Run Air 2 headset is perfect!

Earbuds can isolate you from outside noise and often include active noise cancellation, which can be beneficial in busy environments. However, earbuds can become uncomfortable after extended use, and traditional over-ear headsets can cause fatigue as well. The Shokz OpenRun Air 2 headphones take a different approach. Utilizing Shokz's bone conduction technology and open-ear design, the headphones sit just in front of your ears while the lightweight wraparound band rests comfortably behind your head. Unlike traditional headphones, nothing actually blocks your ears, allowing you to remain aware of your surroundings while still enjoying music, podcasts, or conference calls. This is particularly useful when walking, exercising outdoors, or working in a home office where occasional interruptions from family, deliveries, or household noises can occur. One of the first things I noticed is how lightweight the OpenRun Air 2 headphones feel, they virtually disappear after a short time wearing them. The sound quality continues to favor clarity over bass, this type of design lend itself to punchy low end bass. While these still won't replace a dedicated set of high-end music headphones, they provide a well-balanced listening experience while maintaining awareness of your surroundings. The ability to adjust EQ settings through the Shokz app is also a welcome addition. The OpenRun Air 2 offers up to 10 hours of playback on a single charge, and a quick five-minute charge can provide up to two hours of listening time. Unlike some previous Shokz products, charging is now handled via USB-C, which I consider a major improvement. I never liked carrying their proprietary charging cable and greatly prefer being able to use the same charging cable that already powers my phone, tablet, and many other devices. The dual microphone system with AI-assisted noise reduction does a respectable job on phone calls and virtual meetings. While these are primarily exercise-focused headphones rather than dedicated business headsets, when I asked people on my team for sound feedback they said I was coming through clear (although I did not test calls outside, during wind or a lot of movement). Really the strength of the OpenRun Air 2 is comfort and on that they deliver a no fatigue experience over typical in ear buds. >>> Pros >> Bone conduction open-ear design preserves situational awareness >> lightweight at 26.4 grams >> Comfortable enough for all-day wear >> USB-C charging replaces proprietary charging cables >> Up to 10 hours of battery life with quick charging >> IP67 water resistance makes them suitable for workouts and outdoor use >> Clear microphone performance for calls and conferencing >> also available in mini size (I have the standard size for my big head) <<< Cons << Open-ear design is not ideal in very noisy environments << Bass performance still cannot match traditional headphones or earbuds << not suitable for air travel, likely you will not have enough volume to overcome the background noise << Audio leakage at higher volume levels may be noticeable to nearby people.

I am no stranger to Shokz devices, I own an earlier version, but I’d say the Shokz team has done a great and improved job with the OpenRun Air 2 product, creating a set of headphones that is very comfortable to wear and that provide great sound while still being aware of the surroundings. I have been wearing the OpenRun Air 2 almost every day, especially in the office and at the gym. I already found out early on in my use of bone-conduction technology earphones that one appropriate use of this device is at the office: you won’t miss someone calling your name or some in-the-air comment. It is very light and fits tight enough on my head that I can wear it while working out at the gym with no issues. I haven’t tested how it withstands the more aggressive elements, such as rain, and I was even entertaining going to the sauna wearing it, but I like this product so much that I am not inclined to expose it too much to the elements. The battery life is decent enough to last a couple of days of use, and with its USB-C charging interface, you can use one of those cables and chargers you own for a fast charge. I highly recommend this product to anyone that wants to enjoy music or listen to some podcasts or talk on the phone, while being aware of the surroundings. Also, for people that don’t feel too comfortable wearing in-ear or over-the-ear headphones, this is the perfect device. >> Minimalistic contents One thing that caught my eye was the minimalistic approach to the contents in the package, you have a big enough box that simply contains headphones, no carry bag or case and no charging cable. For the charging cable, I am very glad they got rid of their proprietary charging port interface that came in the earlier version and went for a USB-C charging port instead. The lack of a USB-C cable in the package makes sense as you can just reuse one of those cables that you carry around for your other devices. Although one of the intended uses of this set of headphones is for workouts where you sweat and “punish” them, I’d have liked to have at least bag to cover/protect this device to some extent. >> Sound and comfort I own an earlier version of this set of earphones, and I think there are several enhancements, especially sound quality and comfort. I can wear the OpenRun Air 2 all day long, I barely notice it, I just assume sound is coming from somewhere close to my ears. It is lighter and slighter smaller than its earlier version and I think that would explain why I can wear it for prolonged periods of time, and as I said, I barely notice it. I even went to bed a couple of times without realizing I was wearing them. I also think that the sound is much better than its earlier version, you can be aware of your surroundings, walking or jogging outside, in the gym working out, in the office, or at home, and you can still clearly hear what is coming out of the headphones crisp and clear. One other improvement I noticed is that at higher volumes, it doesn’t have that buzz feeling you get with the earlier version. Note that I am not a sound expert, and although the sound quality is not as high when compared with high-end in-ear and over-the-ear headphones, I’d say I am extremely satisfied with the sound quality. I’d say great job to the Shokz team.

The Shokz OpenRun Air 2’s ended up in a weird place for me. They solve PRECISELY the problems they were meant to—specifically, they provide fulltime full-environmental awareness without resorting to external mics to feed distorted “ambient sound” into your ears; they are impossibly comfortable to wear (and even beat out over over-the-ear designs by being completely glasses-friendly); and they do everything they need to without sticking a single piece of hardware, foam rubber, or silicone down your ear canals. So why do they only get a tepid recommendation at best? The answer is simple: if you care even one iota about sound quality, the OpenRun Air 2 is probably going to be a BIG disappointment. Don’t get me wrong; these earphones are definitely NOT without merit. Like I said, they are impossibly comfortable. I have at least a dozen different earbuds in my current rotation including several pricier models that clock in above the $400-$500 range. But they all have one thing in common—eventually, I have to stick something in my ears to hear anything. That being so, even the most comfortable of my earbuds eventually get fatiguing, and that’s one thing the Shokz Air 2 simply doesn’t suffer from. If you are sensitive at all to in-ear fatigue, hotspots, or pain from using any sort of earbuds, even the dangling earpod variety, you will find using the Shokz an absolute revelation in comfort. No fiddling with wings, eartips, flanges, different sizes of anything that you have to keep track of in a little box somewhere—just set the conductor pads on the tough bones forward of your ears and forget about them. The bone conduction sound system works surprisingly well to create a spaciously wide soundstage in the middle of all the hubbub around you that it’s easy to forget that no one else can hear what you are listening to. For those of you who like your music to accompany you during a VIGOROUS workout, the behind-the-neck band that connects both sides just doesn’t move—like…at all. You don’t really appreciate how nice it is not to have to stop in the middle of a brisk run, a sweaty workout, or just living life in general without needing to futz with earbud fitment--until you go back to a pair of buds and have to reseat them in your ears after they’ve jostled loose from activity or just feel a little less than optimally comfortable. Operation is also dead simple with only a single volume rocker that also doubles at the power/pairing button, and a single multifunction button, a BIG one that is really easy to locate and operate, that gives you everything you really need for listening on the go: volume up and down, track skip forward and back, play/pause, voice assistant activation, and phone call controls. What is really nice about the Shokz is that operating the multifunction button--or the volume/power control—doesn’t make you feel like you’re jamming anything down into your ears while you’re operating the earphones. As for the experience of wearing them, unlike earbuds that must resort to using external mics with some kind of “hear-through mode” to keep you aware of what is going on around you, the Shokz are never in your ears to begin with. Other than getting lost in the music, or whatever you’re listening to, using the Air 2 ensures you always have 100% situational awareness of the environment around you. From a safety standpoint, that is likely part of the reason why the Shokz are so popular with people who exercise or work outside, or with those who simply enjoy listening to audio in crowded or busy environments where ignoring someone who is trying to get your attention isn’t necessarily an option. That all sounds great—and it is…in theory. So, what’s the actual problem with the Air 2s? The answer is simple: the sound quality you get from bone conduction alone is simply…meh. Sure, part of the reason is that your music/audio is, by definition, competing with the ambient noise around you—but again, that is part of the point of the Shokz open-ear design in the first place. But the real letdown here is the bass—or more to the point, the total LACK of it. I have used plenty of budget buds that had anemic bass response, but the Shokz’s bone conduction design takes hollow, tinny sound to a whole new level. Perhaps that is being too harsh—after all, these earphones aren’t designed for audiophile-grade sound reproduction in the first place. And if all you’re after is a safe, comfortable way to enjoy audiobooks or maybe some light background music in an environment where you MUST stay aware of your surroundings, the OpenRun Air 2 will probably be your jam. It even did a great job handling phone calls with surprisingly clear caller and mic audio quality. But in musical tracks that I knew well, especially bass-heavy passages or music with thick, complex layers of lower-register notes or deep male vocals, the lack of bass response was VERY conspicuous by its absence and just ended up making things sound…a little wrong. Now, there is a companion Shokz app that offers a few EQ settings and a small, 5-band custom EQ to let you dial things in a bit more to your tastes, but even with full bass-level boost and volume boost, I couldn’t overcome the sonic limitations of the bone conduction design. BUT, I was so intrigued by that design, and the positive features that the Shokz DID bring to the table, that I tried my hand at the Pro 2s just to see if there was anything there. Other than coming with a small zipper case and a short little USB-C cable (neither of which the Air 2 provides in the box), the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 adds small open-air transducers right next to the ears to augment and enhance the bass notes that bone conduction alone simply can’t reproduce. The difference was—frankly—night and day. NO, even the Pro models won’t be a good substitute for a really high-quality pair of earbuds/in-ear monitors when it comes to providing rich, expansive, and nuanced audio reproduction; but with the Pros, music and video tracks that were SUPPOSED to have some heft to them actually sounded GOOD…like, good enough that I didn’t feel like I was really missing out on much with the open-ear design. Of course, the Pro 2s are a bit more expensive than the Air 2s; but on a good sale (at least as of this review), the price difference between the two can fall to within as little as $10 of each other. In my own experience, waiting to grab the Pro 2s is a no-brainer, even if you have to spend a little more…but again, that is only IF sound quality is something that is really important to you. If you simply want something ultra-comfortable and safe without needing to stick anything at all in your ears, the Air 2 will fit that bill nicely. Otherwise, the step up in audio performance between the Air 2 and the Pro 2 is so pronounced that I really can’t make a strong recommendation for the Air 2 unless price is THAT much more important to you than sound quality.