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!

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.

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.

Shokz has a good thing here when you have consumers that are looking for the best of great bone conduction, light weight, and ip67 rating headphones. Athletes and everyday consumers for sure want to not worry about their headphones falling out, getting caught in the rain, and having decent sound quality. At first unboxing, I was a bit surprised when I held the headphones because they are sooo light. This is one of the main reasons these are so comfortable when you are wearing them. Especially, when running or being active, these headphones stay on and you even forget you are wearing them. Now for sound quality, they are good enough, being that they do not sit in your ear. You have to learn to compromise with these though. Especially in a busy city setting, them being open ear, you learn to drown out the surrounding life and merge that with whatever you are listening to. But safety is also being a main concern, you balance your surroundings and sound. This is just me coming from noise cancelling, in ear headphones. The switch did take some time to get adjusted to. These aren't the headphones I would take to mow the lawn or commute with but for when it matters to go for a run on busy streets, you best believe I am taking these with me.