Customer Ratings & Reviews

Been using Apple Air pod pro, Bose, and others. The Shokz offer much less in sound quality but unlike the others, you’ll get sound everywhere, including in water. Another Great feature is the ability to download music with 32 GB of storage. It charges via magnetic cable, battery life is excellent, Bluetooth connectivity is flawless. The controls are all very simple to use, after several uses your fingers get a very accurate feel navigating through. They are very comfortable, I forget I’m wearing them, for that reason I chose them in red. If you want versatility, look no further!

It has the most amazing battery. Clarity on the receiving end of a phone call is super good. Max Waterproof leaves me feeling free to always use it. Only problem is volume in crowed spaces isnt always loud enough. Trick adjust them to sit in ear canal turn volume down a little after and your all set. Sleek desing for phones.

I got the Shokz OpenSwim Pro for my mom, and it ended up being the best gift I’ve ever given her. She loves swimming, and being able to listen to her favorite music while doing laps has made her workouts so much more enjoyable. She loves that they don’t go inside her ears, they stay securely in place while swimming, and she doesn’t have to worry about bringing her phone to the pool. The sound quality underwater is also much better than we expected! Seeing how much she enjoys her swim workouts now makes me so happy that I got them for her. Such a thoughtful and practical gift for anyone who loves swimming!

Came as described.Very light to use, can't even tell I'm wearing it.Not to mention the sound quality was really good in the water, the bass music almost feels cinematic.I thought it was going to fall but it really stayed in place while doing flip turns, butterfly, breastroke, etc, they really hold up.If anything I was surprised by how easy it was to download music onto it.Overall the money's Worth it.

Great quality. Love the way they fit and are comfortable

Great product! The battery lasts a long time, it comes with ear plugs so you can hear the music better while you swim. Be careful though not to damage it, it can be rather fragile and I've noticed it's very easy to accidentally turn it on while its in its carry case.

Works excellent they have a excellent sound the battery last all day thank you

I do like being able to hear my surroundings while running alone outside but I do miss the noise cancellation inside the gym or on airplanes. I enjoy being able to listen to music while swimming however it pauses every time I turn my head for air. You get use to it but not sure why it pauses, guess the water hitting the sensor.

It’s nice to listen to water in the music. Very light weight, and user friendly. Great sound very durable.

Literally my 3rd pair, bought 2 for gifts Mom loves them, she can run through the neighborhood with music while still aware of traffic and people

My cousin and I are in our 70's and work out at Planet fitness 3 x week. We were looking for a way to listen to our own favorite songs while working out. We are very happy with our choices. She listens to her music at home also. Great, clear sound.

Really water resistant but can’t go that deep in the water When fully submerged it cuts off But it’s really comfortable

I'm in the construction industry, and I sweat a lot, and these headphones have yet to ruin the speakers when they get wet.

Have good blue tooth mode. (but not work under the water) But don't worry. You can download things by itself before swimming and listen beneath the water.

Verdict: The Shokz OpenSwim Pro Headphones deliver all the strengths of bone conduction earphones, and much more. They are sturdy, stay in place, easy to use, and actually work in the water. However, I think they are not for everyone and/or not for many situations. If you buy them for specific uses, you will be very happy. Initial impressions. They are sleek and nicely designed. While very light, they stay in place well, even while running or swimming. The buttons have nice tactile feedback. The earphones come with a nice pouch, a quick start guide, charging cable, and earplugs. Setup. Very easy and typical setup for earphones, including with my Apple Watch. However, I had to “forget this device” on my iPhone before I could connect to the watch, so I think these headphones have a 1-device at a time limit. Sound. This was my first time using bone conduction headphones, so I didn’t know what to expect. While the technology is very cool and works well, sound quality is not for audiophiles… Without earplugs, the sound lacks a little clarity, but mostly suffers on the lows, with mids at average, and highs being quite good. The headphones sound much louder at the same level when putting on earplugs, and now the lows are noticeable, but sound lacks significantly clarity, almost sounding muffled. I understand that it’s just part of the bone conduction delivery, and it’s ok. Running. Restating the obvious… there is no passive noise cancellation on these because they are open-ear. However, this also means that they are not optimal for listening in loud environments. I tried to use these on a treadmill for a running workout and it was not enjoyable because in this case, earbuds are used to block some of the noise and provide an immersive experience. On the other hand, I used these for an outdoor run on a forest trail, and they provided a unique experience; I could hear my music, and I could also hear birds chirping, my shoes hit the ground, and maintain awareness of other runners. Pretty cool! While I would not recommend these for commuting and indoor workouts (treadmill, gym, etc.), they are GREAT for quiet environments where you want to be more connected with your surroundings. Also, they are easy to grab, turn on, throw on, and go. Swimming. I thought I would be sooo smart by connecting my Apple Watch to these headphones so that I could swim and listen to my playlists on my watch, but nature won… I guess Bluetooth (BT) doesn’t travel well through water, so that didn’t work. It dawned on me that this was the purpose of the MP3 function… So I loaded music on the headphones from my computer. Essentially, the earphones become a thumb drive, and you can add MP3 files into the Swim Pro drive that appears on your computer. I also happen to have thousands of MP3s from the “old days” so no-big-deal to create an epic playlist for swimming. As a millennial, this was easy for me, but this could be foreign concept for younger generations… my teen kids don’t know what an MP3 is! Performance in the water is good, with the same comments about sound from the previous paragraph. The headphones stay on, and you have music while swimming. Pretty cool! Controls. Switching from BT to MP3 is easy by holding both the + and – buttons at the same time until you hear the notification. This is nice because you can access unlimited music through BT, then switch to your MP3 playlist for swims. The general controls are easy to find and work very well, even in the water. Things I like: - Very easy to put on and use - Comfortable - They stay on while running and swimming - Great to maintain awareness of surroundings - Bluetooth and MP3 capable - It comes with a pouch and earplugs - The quick start guide is actually useful - Decent battery life - Easy to charge connector Things I don’t like: - Not great to use in loud environments or noisy activities (i.e. running on a treadmill) - Sound quality is ok, but it’s a worthwhile tradeoff depending on the activity Overall, I think that the Shokz OpenSwim Pro Headphones are not for everyone, but if they fit an activity or use case for you, you will love them and they will perform very well for you. While I will mostly stick with other earbuds and headphones that block out the rest of the world, I do plan to use these regularly for nature runs and swimming… they are wonderful for these activities. As a general pair of everyday earphones, I would rate these at 3 Star. For a pair of bone conduction headphones and solution for nature runs and swims, I would rate these at 5 Star. I hope this review helps a few people.

Let’s start with the most important feature of this headset – if you want to be able to listen to music while doing laps, these do the trick! They make swimming for exercise and doing laps much more enjoyable which is their whole point. Now for the details - The sound quality is decent, but don’t expect great. These are bone conduction headphones that rest on your head near your ears, but not in them. So like all bone conduction style devices they won’t sound like “in or over ear” headphones. They leave your ears open to hear ambient sounds and are good for running/biking/skating etc. or any scenario where you want to be able to hear your surroundings in addition to music. Bonus though is those near you don’t hear them. There are multiple modes for listening to music – 1 is via Bluetooth and the other is via MP3 for listening to audio copied to the storage of the headset. The MP3 mode is what you use for Swimming. Bluetooth Mode: - Let you connect to up to 2 devices (multi-point pairing – say a phone/tablet/PC/etc.) - Has 2 EQ modes: Standard (better for music) and Vocal (better for calls/podcasts, etc.) MP3 Mode: - This is the mode for Swimming - Let you listen to downloaded audio that’s downloaded via the USB charging cable. It comes up as just a storage device (HD/USB stick etc.) and you simply copy audio files to it - Has 2 EQ modes: Standard and Swimming - Has 3 playback modes: Normal, Shuffle, Repeat. Personally I would use normal if I wanted a specific order to my songs like for a race or shuffle if I’d like to just mix it up while swimming. Comfort: These are quite comfortable both in and out of the water. They rest on top of your ears and against your head. While jogging or swimming they don’t really move at all which is great. The app is a must! Download that out of the gate. I couldn’t figure out the buttons at first, but as soon as I downloaded the app it walks you through it and you can customize a couple of them for different features. You can use the buttons to switch modes, etc. but the app is very easy and intuitive. The pause button is easy to tap for pause or move to the next track even in the water. Same for volume up/down. You definitely want to use the ear plugs while swimming (one pair included) – they greatly help improve the sound quality in swim mode. In addition to headset, ear plugs for swimming, charging/music copy cable, they also come with a water friendly silicone case that even has water drain holes for you to simply toss in there while wet when your done with your swim. Battery is easily charged with the included USB magnetic cable. Note that it is proprietary - so don’t lose it, but this is necessary to keep the unit sealed and waterproof. You can check battery status by tapping a volume button while music is paused and it will tell you High/Medium/Low, but I find the app is easier and it shows you the specific % of battery when connected to the headset via Bluetooth. I swam for about 30 mins and battery was still at 90%. Some general observations to be aware of: - You must have music downloaded to use MP3 mode/swimming mode. You can’t use a music service offline mode etc. as that would still require a Bluetooth connection. It doesn’t have to be just MP3 either, there are lots of audio formats supported. - There doesn’t appear to be a way to organize the order of the music, so I wouldn’t recommend audio books, etc. and plan on your music being mostly random that you track forward/back on. - There’s also no way to scroll forward / back to a point in time on a song – only Previous / Next track, Play / Pause. So if you download something that’s an hour long for example you have no way to scroll to a point in time. - They do not float. I only plan on using in a pool, so not an issue for me, but if you were planning on using in the ocean I’d highly recommend a swim cap over them. Looking forward to lots of swim exercise this summer while rocking out!

My New FAVORITE Bluetooth Audio Device! These have stepped up the game on open ear sound. There are so many great things about these that I honestly looked forward to writing this review because I am so happy with them. The sound on these is impressive! Period! Are they as good as ear buds that you insert into the ear? No. They lack a little mid and they lack bass in comparison but it is not “off putting” or noticeable while these are in use. These sound great both in and out of the water and, to be honest, these have become my “daily drivers” over my ear buds that I was in love with. I look at it now like, it’s a bonus that I can swim and do water activities with them instead of they are purposed for just those activities. There’s a couple reasons for this and things that SHOKS just “GOT RIGHT” with these. Just as an aside, I am a Contractor and Business Owner so I need hands free in my ear(s) all day every day BUT, I also need to hear my surroundings for safety related reasons and to stay alive. I have been using the “hear through” function on my beloved ear buds but the experience was less than perfect but pretty good. These SHOKS allow FULLY OPEN HEARING to my environment in a way that no other pass through or hear through option could hope to do. It is absolutely amazing to be able to hear EVERYTHING around me while still being able to listen to music or podcasts as I work. I don’t have to pull out an ear bud to talk to people all the time and I do not have to be hyper visually aware like I have to be with my ear buds plugging up my ears. People cannot even tell that I am listening to stuff on these while I am talking to them and they handle phone call perfectly in my ear as well as the mic passing my voice over the call. I have had zero issues with people being able to hear me or complaining about noise around me and not being able to hear me. I have found that 50-80% volume is all I need to get through the day and they advertise 9 hours of music and calls BUT I get 11.5-12 HOURS before they shut themselves off! That is amazing battery life! I no longer have to switch to a different set of headphones partially through my day. In addition to that, THEY RECHARGE FAST! I have gone from completely dead, shut off on their own, to fully charged in somewhere around 90 minutes. So 90 minutes for another 12 hours of use. Good Deal in my book! This is the ONLY REASON why I do not mind having a weirdo proprietary magnetic charging cable. Because they last all day easily I can leave the cable at home and I have no need to charge them on the go through the day. It is concerning that if the cable goes missing or gets damaged that I would not be able to charge these though. That kind of stinks and that is why I am not thrilled about the proprietary charger. The BLUETOOTH RANGE IS AMAZING!!! I can leave my phone in the truck and walk all over a job site and even go in and out of buildings and I stay connected with no choppy audio. The connection here is strong and allows a long distance of freedom away from the Bluetooth device that it is connected to. I never have to worry about missing a call or having to reconnect to my phone like I used to have to do multiple times a day as I came back within range of my phone. These just stay connected and working seamlessly. The physical button controls are super smart and easy to use and remember. Here is one thing that I consider to be a “miss” on the part of SHOKS….there is no access programmed into the button to access my assistant, “hey google” and it doesn’t actively listen or integrate with my assistant like my ear buds do. Meaning no matter how far away from the phone I am, as long as my buds are connected, I could softly say, “hey google” and it would respond and there is also an option to long hold to activate the assistant. These SHOKS have none of that and no way to access the assistant unless I am directly next to my phone and then my phone can hear me and respond through the SHOKS Bluetooth connection. If they fix this and integrate the assistance access to these they would literally be the perfect headphones for ALL activities from day time wear all the way through working out, swimming, running and sports. I love how I can adjust the volume from the back of the right ear and that there is only one big button on the left side that does a ton of stuff depending on how and how many times it is pressed. Pretty smart design. Now, the next best thing about these and why I am in love with them is the fit and comfort of them! They stay put through the entire day and do not need constant readjustments. They are not constantly falling out of my ear and I no longer have the fear of losing one into a hole, wet concrete, into a toilet or drain, etc. while I am working. These fit securely on my dome but they do not dig in and I actually forget that I am wearing them except for the fact that I can hear my podcast playing. They are super comfortable, to the point that after 12 hours of playback I am not in a hurry to get them off my head and take a break and often forget they are still on while I am feeding the dog and getting dinner going. The last thing that sets these apart is the 32GB of on board storage these provide for audio files to be locally stored on the headset itself! No device or bluetooth needed and 32GB is enough to get me through multiple days of listening and training without hitting a repeat in the playlist. Its a lot of space to store audio files that can be controlled with the buttons on the headset. It is SUPER EASY to load files to the headset with the magnetic cable. Plug into the headset, and the other end into the computer and look for the “SWIM PRO” drive and just move the files over. That’s it. Now there's all those files on the headset that can be listened to at any time with no phone or Bluetooth connection needed. Super nice and handy feature and it is nice to be able to keep my phone locked up in a safe place and not need it to stay entertained. Also, switching between MP3 Mode and Bluetooth can be done right from the headset, so swapping back and forth doesn’t require my phone to be close by or any complicated stuff. There's no app and that is good and bad. Good, being that it keeps everything simple. Bad, being there’s no way to get firmware updates, like if they wanted to fix access to phone assistants like I mentioned above and not way to remap button presses and functions. I REALLY WISH they had access to assistant. BUT….. Beyond that one gripe, you can clearly see why these have become my daily drivers. These can survive a construction site, sweat, rain, swimming, direct sun, mud, dirt, sawdust and all sorts of stuff and keep on ticking for 9+ hours (11.5-12 hours with my use). They are comfortable to wear that entire time and I don't have to fidget with them all day. They stay connected and allow FAR distance with a solid Bluetooth connection that does not drop on me. The sound is amazing both in and out of the water and they come with a nice HIGH Quality storage bag with dry out holes in it and a complimentary pair of ear plugs. While swimming they sound great with or without ear plugs in but I prefer the sound of ear plugs in. Plus, I prefer swimming with ear plugs in, so it is a win-win for me. I have tried them multiple times without plugs in and the sound is still very good. Just 2 different sound profiles. Neither is better than the other except for personal preference of wanting water in your ears and being able to hear the water sounds more or having plugs in and being able to not hear water sounds and have a slightly more mid and bassy sound with plugs in. These are the most well rounded headset that I have had for my lifestyle in the past…well….ever! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE being able to easily and clearly hear my surroundings but also be able to hear my audio at the same time all while no one has a clue that I am listening to my audio and I can carry a conversation without telling someone to “hold on” and take an ear bud out or pause my playback in order to hear them. THESE ARE AB-SO-LUTELY RECOMMENDED! Hands down the best and most unexpected pleasant experience I have had with testing earbuds and headphones in years. I was dead set against open ear because the audio was so un-nice or they were uncomfortable. These have none of those concerns and come packed with Bluetooth and 32GB of on board storage! If I had access to my assistant I would literally have nothing to complain about. Since getting these I have not worn my beloved, super expensive, in ear, earbuds other than to compare sound. These just work so well and fit right into my life perfectly. I am so happy to have them and I wouldn’t give them back even if they threatened me. I have adopted these and will never let them go willingly. A++++ Headset. If you are skeptical about open ear audio, had a bad experience with open ear or are unsure if open ear would be a good fit for you….like I wa…..then I HIGHLY RECOMMEND picking these up. I think once you do, and you hear how good they sound and how easy you can carry on life without addressing the audio playback in your ear then you’ll be as sold and over the moon about these as I am. Big Thanks to SHOKS for literally making multiple improvements to my life and making my days easier and more pleasant! Please add access to assistants! ;)

TLDR version: This is a new model of the OpenSwim headphone from Shokz and this new Pro model has both bluetooth and internal storage making it ideal for water sports such as swimming and for other sports out of the water such as biking, hiking, tennis, or jogging / walking. In addition, one could wear them at a sports event and listen in to a local streaming radio station for the play by play coverage from a smartphone via bluetooth while also hearing the immediate crowd and stadium announcements since a user’s ears are not covered. I found this on the Shokz website: “The sound bypasses your eardrums, traveling directly to your inner ears (cochlea). The result: A reinvented listening experience, through an open ear design. Premium audio, situational awareness and extreme comfort—second to none.” My understanding: Bone conduction uses a process where a vibration of sorts of the audio produced by the headphone is transferred internally via a user’s cheek bones into the auditory cavity of human ears and the user hears the sound produced by the headphones. I am not a scientist nor a medical professional who has studied anatomy but that is my understanding on how bone conduction works in headphones. The “open-ear” feature still allows road and adjacent sounds to be heard so that a runner, sports player and user is not totally isolated from surroundings for safety. These OpenSwim Pro models are totally waterproof for swimming while using and adds bluetooth 5.3 that the original model did not have; the internal memory has also been increased 8 times to 32GB of internal storage for adding music files, spoken books, podcasts or anything else one wants to listen to either while dry or wet in a pool or shower or hot tub or steam room or wherever it is wet and damp. The Shokz website says 32 GB is enough to hold approximately 8,000 songs. There is a button that instantly switches from internal storage to bluetooth. The onboard preset equalizer modes on the headphones cover a swimming mode,a vocal boost mode, and standard flat mode. As in the original model, the OpenSwim Pro is IP68 rated for water and dust-resistant. The description from Shokz indicates the headphone can be submerged in a couple of meters of water for several hours without worry. Shokz specifies a full charge is good for 9 hours of playback time. I am a swimmer and tried them in the lap lanes at my local fitness center. They work to play music to time my lap swimming so I don't swim too fast and tire myself out prematurely. By selecting the MP3 format music files I loaded into the internal memory I can swim at a steady pace for more beneficial benefits. Swimming is a great exercise and does not introduce joint impact as does jogging and court sports. It is an easy process to connect a USB cable to my computer and use an easy Shokz app, to transfer music files into the OpenSwim Pro. The headphones are wonderful for allowing me to swim while listening to music. The sound is very good as it envelopes my sense of hearing and with excellent stereo separation. It is clear and quite loud so adjust the volume before swimming. As stated, I am also able to hear any sounds around me (such as lifeguard whistles and instructions) if need be. Wearing these while swimming makes the lap swimming exercise more enjoyable for me. They are also conversation starters in that other swimmers will ask about them and we start lap lane friendships. I tried them while swimming with Bluetooth from my phone approximately 12 meters from the longest distance to the headphones (since the lap lanes are 25 meters long and I placed the smartphone in a deck chair equidistant from both ends of the lap lane) . Later on, with research, I learned that the bluetooth signal travels less than 1 foot (only inches) in water. The headphones sporadically connected and disconnected as my head came up above the water surface as I inhaled on each stroke. This is not a deficiency of the Shokz headphones, it is a fact of physics and of the existing Bluetooth low power protocols. Of course, playing music files stored in the 32GB built-into the headphones has no such limitation. When out of the water I used them to play a news stream on my Android smartphone and I was able to walk approximately 125 feet away and still heard the stream. The headphones are so lightweight that one will forget they are being worn. The headphones are re-charged using a small USB A cable which ends with a polarity charged magnetic end. It fits only one way using the built-in magnet to the OpenSwim Pro headphones; it fits onto the right ear side of the headphones where 4 waterproof and corrosion proof metal contacts are located. The cable then plugs into a USB port on any computer or into a plain USB phone charger to charge the headphones. The same cable also allows moving music files onto the headphones when plugged into a computer that has the music files. Shokz is compatible and will play MP3, WAV, AAC, WMA and FLAC format music files. Note: I also have a Shokz OpenRun Pro headphone and the charging cable for that model WILL NOT work with the OpenSwim Pro model; the contacts are slightly different and the shape wont fully dock together. Use the correct cable if you have other Shokz models See the attached images where the Swim Pro USB cable is on the left and the SwimPro headphone is also on the left. You can see that the charging ports are slightly different. They sound good and allow swimming with onboard music files as well as being used with bluetooth above water while perspiring or running or playing sports in the rain.

These Shokz OpenSwim Pro headphones are absolutely incredible. I’ve used plenty of sports headphones over the years, but nothing comes close to the comfort and performance of these. The bone conduction design feels weightless—no pressure, no slipping, no ear fatigue. They stay perfectly in place whether I’m swimming, running, or lifting. Sound quality is shockingly good for bone conduction, with clear vocals and surprisingly strong bass. Underwater, the music still comes through clean and consistent, which is a game changer for long swim sessions. The battery life is fantastic—long enough for multiple workouts without thinking about charging. They’re also super durable, fast to pair, and the controls are simple and responsive. Overall, an awesome product that’s fast, fun to use, and perfect for anyone who trains hard—especially swimmers. Worth every dollar. Highly recommended!

The Shokz OpenSwim Pro bone conduction sport headphones are by far the most interesting and innovative headphones I have tried, and as a music connoisseur I have owned dozens through the years. While the sound quality isn't at the top, it's the many other unique features that really excite me and as a result, these are going to get a ton of use, especially over the summer. Here are the highlights: 1) First, these are not over the ear headphones, these are bone conduction headphones where the drivers rest against the cheekbones in front of your ears and the vibrations emitted generate the sound you hear; and because they don't cover your ears, you can hear other noise around you just fine. I have to admit, when I first connected these to my phone and started listening to music on Sirius XM, I was originally underwhelmed by the sound quality, especially at high volumes, but it was fine overall, but the lower the volume the better they sound. Then again, superb sound quality isn't what these were made for; these are swimming/work-out headphone purpose built so you can hear things around you. 2) Because of the design, these go around the back of your head and then hook over your ears, these aren't going anywhere. You can run, swim, do any kind of workout; and heck I would even say wear these on an inverted roller coaster, and they aren't coming off. I even wore them to bed and fell asleep listening to a YouTube audio track of crashing waves, and they were still on and secure in the morning. While the band isn't adjustable and there's just one size offered, it fit me just fine with a little slack in the back, so they will fit any size head. 3) I love the MP3 player functionality! it holds 32gb of music in a variety of formats for hours upon hours of listening pleasure. No need to be within Bluetooth range of your phone, you can enjoy these headphones as a standalone unit. There is a universal button on the side of the headphones where you use a double or triple click to skip forward and backward through your songs; and then on the other side of the headphones are buttons for power, volume, and mode. 4) Once you get the OpenSwim Pro in the water, it really shines. I was absolutely blown away by the difference in sound quality when I was swimming, the bass response is significantly better and the sound in general is higher quality. With an IP-68 rating, you can stay in the water for hours without worry. 5) Charging is via a custom magnetic cable, which I see as both good and bad. You don't have to worry about water getting inside and fouling a USB-C connector, but if you break or lose the charger, it's going to be harder and more expensive to find a replacement. Wireless charging would have been a nice added feature. If you connect the cable to your PC, it sees the headphones as a hard drive and you simply drag your music files into it; no app or program needed. 6) There is a Shokz app you can download for controlling various features of the headphones. You can customize what the buttons do (Bluetooth/MP3 switching, Voice Assistant, EQ settings, and more). I have an Android phone, and the app works flawlessly. My final impression of the Shokz OpenSwim Pro is immensely positive. Besides the features reviewed above, these headphones come with a 2-year warranty which is a big selling point. Also included are some earplugs for when you're swimming, and a waterproof case; basically everything you'd need. So far, in the week I have owned them I have only had to recharge once, and have spent an hour in the pool; gone on a 2 mile walk; slept with them overnight (although they powered off at some point after the computer went into power saving mode) as well as just using them playing MP3s while surfing the web. I can strongly recommend these for anyone looking for waterproof headphones with all the additional features mentioned above. You can't go wrong!