Customer Ratings & Reviews

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.

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.

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.

The Shokz OpenRun Air 2  In my book and above all else motivating brand loyalty to SHOKZ: •     This OPEN EAR SPORTS HEADPHONE is designed to convey audio via bone conduction and is hard-to-lose because, when not in use, the featherweight curved mount holds the left to right sides together in a manner that can sit conveniently at the neckline, ready for engagement, while eliminating fear of losing an ear bud after an unforeseen impact or, inadvertently, not having seated an ear bud securely. •     This wiser SHOKZ design than loose and unsecured ear buds does NOT expose the wearer to predatory microbial terrains that can be the source of ear infections in the manner that ‘in-ear’ bud designs threaten.  When ear bud surfaces are not cleaned regularly after regular wear and/or sports activities, lack of vigilance in hygiene easily results in surfaces becoming ripe for microbial growth leading to ear infections, especially for the hypersensitive. •     On review of the Shokz product line in retrospect, their R&D Team seems always in gear to reach for new tech that refines earlier models i.e. achieving: improvements in audio performance, a lighter frame with next gen composites, higher logic in consolidation of control button function, etc. OTHER OBSERVATIONS: The unit arrived in a sleek, zip-to-open box that is a convenience upgrade to competitor packaging that always presents obstacles-to-unbox. On first look, the unit's appearance in the box seemed so small that I thought the company had mistakenly sent me a small person's size. But, surprisingly, when set on my head and around my ears, there was room to spare.  So, what looked like a child-sized version expanded to fit me fine. The unit’s diminutive size motivated me to search online to see if there are different sizes. Somehow, while considering options previously, I did not see that, indeed, there are two sizes: Mini and Large.   Since a significant other may want to borrow the headset, information about the two options may have prompted me to select the larger size to accommodate the potential need to share. This AIR 2 is truly featherweight as compared to a previously owned older model that had the mic boom extension.  I was pleased to find the microphone now hidden in the unit’s infrastructure. As noted earlier, I initially became a fan when the design relieved me of having to be hypervigilant about cleaning my ear buds.   Since the unit conveys audio via the jawbone, the risk of exposure to predatory microbes is totally eliminated.  In my world, the audio by bone conduction design is an especially critical feature since, as a blood type A_non Secretor, I have the most fragile blood type of the ABO System of Metabolic Typing i.e. hamstrung by a weak immunity and prone to infection. But, my concerns about hygiene serves others as a warning from a ‘canary in the mineshaft’ to be taken seriously. As someone who sometimes works up a considerable sweat during fitness routines such as jogging and cycling as well as while mowing, gardening, et al, I really appreciate the IP67 Sweat-and-Rain Rating. Though I have not yet been caught in the rain, one less worry is knowing that testing has been executed to ensure consumers are protected from the risk of electric shock if the unit is exposed to water. One good tip in the small print of the tiny book is, if the device is wet from sweat or any moisture, let the unit dry before charging.  Moisture in the portal could lead to a short circuit! So, READ THE SMALL PRINT in the manual for lots of tips, even if you are a ‘know-it-all’. BTW, the unit does provide the promised 10 hours of charge. I did not expect that the required USB C charging cord is not provided.  These days, I was not too overly shocked in light of how every manufacturer is looking for every way possible to cut corners. So, be duly warned, consumers should expect to borrow the charging cord of another on hand device with the requisite USB C connection to get the device up and running or pony up to buy one. Audiophiles should note that sound quality is an upgrade in clarity when compared to my retired model, purchased when AFTER SHOKZ was brand name. The difference was especially discernible while streaming the same music as years back, giving me solid experiential grounds for my new take. A variety of adjustments are packed into easily accessed multi-function buttons: The PRINTED MANUAL affords a User Friendly guide illustrating the following: ON/OFF buttons are consolidated into one right-handed panel that begins with the following: NOTIFICATION of the remaining battery level; Start PAIRING with the unit turned OFF; Then press + hold the upper +VOLUME+ button for 5 seconds for the LED to flash red and blue; Then open your device list of Bluetooth Connections to find the SHOKZ listed for a one click connection. VOILA! LEFT SIDE Multi-Function Button affords:   One click = Answer Call One click = End Call One click = Play Pause Two click = Next Song Three click = Previous Song Seems YT and podcast listening requires interface with the source for navigation. As noted, the device gets high praise as a secure solution that allows users to move through the world without an underlying fear that an earbud might pop out and roll. The wrap around design would have prevented my recent heartbreak when an ear bud dropped while throwing mulch and has yet to be found.  I had broken the promise to myself never to wear those unsecured buds while making big moves. With this Shokz OpenRun Air 2 the expensive loss of an unsecured bud is no longer a problem. Of course, there’s no protection from the potential loss of the unit when off-body!!  LoL! Boxed is also a tiny book, promising a 24-month WARRANTY for new devices and a 12-month WARRANTY on refurbished products.   Unfortunately, though the tiny book describes potential for cross device electro magnetic interference, and a warning for those wearing medical devices, implants, etc, there is no mention of the impact of EMF (electro magnetic field) emissions on our human biology.   Fashionable these days is that material scientists are (in many cases) not reporting due diligence executed for protection of consumer health and welfare when interfacing with devices such as headsets, flat screens, laptops, etc, though smart phones may still post a notice. So, it behooves all users to execute their own boundary protection via detox protocols to clear EMFs and other toxicity, bioaccumulated over years of exposure.   Subsequent daily detox mitigates turning on inherited genetic markers for premature aging, early disease expression, and premature death.   The holistic community is tuned into these challenges but the mainstream is not and may never catch up in our lifetimes.   So, for youthful aging in a toxic world, research then execute Detox Rx protocols to avoid a painful and tortured aging. But, best to see www.shokz.com for most of the enchilada.  Attending to the 'unreported' potentials remains our responsibility in these unhinged times. So far, The SHOKZ OpenAir Run gets double thumbs up from “back of my ‘neck of the woods’”!

The Shokz OpenRun Air 2 is a perfect headset for workouts. This headset liberates us from the inconvenience of wearing earbuds with all the sweat; no more concerns for the headsets falling out in the midst of a workout; no more constant fidgeting to keep it in place; and no more salt scale on the earbuds and the case. I truly feel liberated. The Shokz OpenRun Air 2 is extremely lightweight and comfortable to wear. The wraparound neckband frame structure and the ear hook design keeps the headset in place for the entire duration of the workout regardless of the activity. There is no soreness or discomfort or slipping for the entire duration. This has an IP67 dust and water resistance which is durable for sweat and rain, but not for swimming. The bone conduction technology is a blessing for those who prefers to leave the ears open. It sends signal thru vibrations on cheek bones directly to inner ears bypassing the eardrums; absolutely no physical pressure on the ears. The placement of the physical buttons is thoughtful and super convenient. The physical button behind ears on the right controls volume up and down (and powers on/off) and the action button controls at the front on the left pauses and plays with a single click, and switches to next and previous track with double and triple clicks. This can be customized via Shokz App). The multipoint Bluetooth allows the headset to connect to two devices at a time and seamlessly switches between them. The battery life on a single charge is excellent lasting about 10 hours. It has a fast charge (via USB-C port) where a quick 5 minute charge offers a couple more hours. As much as this headset triumphs in comfort we can’t say the same for sound quality. Although the music sounds good, it’s a bit muffled. For exceptional sound experience choose the Openrun Pro 2 which has dual sound technology (Bone conduction and the additional Air conduction which provides deep, powerful bass). However, Shokz OpenRun Air 2 has an excellent call quality. It eliminated the wind noise to a great extent and the person at the other end could hear me loud and clear; albeit I could feel a bit of vibrations on my cheek during the calls at a high volume. The App offers customization of EQ and I was able to slightly adjust the sound quality to my liking. Overall, this is an excellent headset offering extreme comfort during workouts and I absolutely recommend it for workouts.

I have had a few Shokz products, to include the OpenFit Pro earbuds that I love. For this reason, I picked up the OpenRun Air 2 to see what new features Shokz has added. TL:DR - This isn't my favorite Shokz product, the perks are they are highly stable and lightweight, but the trade off is sound depth/quality/volume and I miss some of the extras such as a carry bag and charging cable.  Pros: Super lightweight and 100% no movement, even for plyometrics or when drenched in sweat Cons: Sound lacks depth more so than some of the other Shokz products. Felt like this was a base level product with no accessories or power cable included In the box are the headphones and paperwork, a very minimalistic approach from Shokz with this build. Setup is easy, I already have the Shokz app on my phone, pairing was seamless, and nothing else is required. A few features the app provides is changing the volume on the sound prompt, equalizer presets to include a custom build, and customized tap / press responses.  As for build quality, these feel nice, for example when I pick them up, the neckstrap doesn't have sag, the headphones retain their shape, and they are comfortable sitting over my ear. The materials hold just the right amount of pressure in front of my ear, such that I don't have sore spots after an hour of use, but they also do not move, regardless of how intense the workout. I have shoulder length hair, typically pulled up in a bun, but if I left it in a ponytail, when I had hard workouts and my hair was wet from sweat, it would pull on the neckstrap a bit and dislodge the earbuds from in front of my ears. The fix was to keep my hair up in a bun or a high ponytail. Depending on how hard of a workout, I find that the tips do get a bit sweaty where they sit on the skin. Overall, with a few tweaks I could get the headphones to remain in place regardless of run versus lifting versus HIIT training. The performance is where I was most disappointed. As I said above, I love the OpenFit Pro earbuds, the sound quality is fantastic for an open ear build. The OpenRun Air 2 left me wanting more. Calls were fine, and people could hear me, providing there wasn't much background noise. Music was also ok, fine for running, but I felt that they were a bit under powered, especially if I was in the gym or somewhere else that had more than minimal background noise. Not to the extent I couldn't hear my music, but such that it was hard to keep focused on the music. I know this is the benefit of the open ear build, and many of the Shokz products meet this blend of awareness versus sound immersion perfectly, unfortunately I didn't feel like these met that bar.  Bottom line, 5 stars for build design and stability, 3 stars for sound quality, landing at 4 star product. If you need something basic, these are great, but if you want that perfect balance between sound quality and environmental awareness, there are better Shokz products out there. 

I've been a Shokz user since they were called AfterShokz. I'm a (slow) runner, and therefore I sweat. I also live in Hawaii, where it's always humid and often rains. I'm not complaining about any of that, but it does mean that water resistance ratings matter, and these new headphones are excellent in that regard (their OpenRun Pro headphones sadly are not, which is why I've never tried them). Compared to the OpenRun headphones I've used for years, these have a longer battery life, charge with standard USB-C, and are priced similarly to the old OpenRuns. One minor concern is that I can imagine the little door over the USB-C port could break off over the long haul, which might impact the water resistance. But that's just speculation. I've only had these for about a week, but so far I'm very happy with them. If anything changes I'll update this review (assuming I can -- if I have reviewed anything here before I don't recall).

I own and have owned three different pairs of Shokz and this is the first pair I’ve been disappointed with, not completely but not enough to recommend. The first thing that was a major head scratcher is the unboxing. You open the package and the only thing you get is the headphones, no charge cable or case. The charge cable was no big deal as everyone who has any new technology has plenty of USB-C cables, the major issue was no carrying case! That makes taking these headphones anywhere with you besides on a workout or when you’re using them a chore. The design of these headphones would make them so easy to break if they were accidentally sat on or if they were in a piece of soft luggage and someone didn’t know. I would rather Shokz increase the price by ten to twenty dollars and provide the case from the Pro models. Besides this huge oversight, the sound of these headphones are extremely flat and have no bass. With the open ear design bass is never like in ear buds, but these have none, even changing the sound profile and turning the bass all the way up. If you’re more concerned with using these as a communication tool such as taking calls, then that wouldn’t matter as much and they’re great at that. The mic is very good and clear and so is the sound you hear. If you don’t mind not having a carrying case, don’t care about bass or are planning to use them mostly for calls, I can recommend them, otherwise I’d pass.

I’ve been interested in trying the bone conduction headphones for a while. I typically use earbuds, but when mowing and other activities generate sweat they can fall out. When mowing it is always better to have ear plugs in and while I don't mind being lost in my thoughts, I do like listening to a Podcast or music too. The bone induction gives you the best of both worlds! In the gym or surrounded by others, even at high volume it will not disturb anyone around you as the sound is being applified through your bone to your ear. The feeling is not weird and feels as natural as an earbud or headphone. When wearing ear plugs, I will say it muffles the sound a bit but it is still clear enough for the spoken word or music. I feel like the sound via this method contains more treble than bass and so there are definitely better sounding ear buds out there, but the OpenRun Air 2 are not trying to meet that need. These are perfect for anyone that still wants to be aware of their surroundings and/or like my use case, mowing. Another perk is as a headset replacement. Because these are clip style, they never rest on the soft part of the ear and there is no fatigue, so long conference sessions are not an issue. For running, as the name suggests, the “band" has a stiffness to it that forces the clips towards each other to create a gentle grip effect keeping the set in place. When using on calls, audio came through perfect on my end and others heard me just as well; background noise was not intrusive. My first bluetooth earbuds were an over the ear band style, these are highly reminiscent of them but better!

The headphones work great. The battery life isn't an issue. I bought them for work because I have to hear what's going on around me. The volume is great. I've had zero issues with them.

Clear sound,easy to charge and comfortable. I use for music, calls and other programs.

Love how they stay in place vs my earbuds. Very easy to setup.

Love them, great sound quality and comfortable to wear.

Sound quality is surprisingly good for bone conduction headphones and they stay on during run sessions, very comfortable

Yep - nice to ride my bike, walk, run and listen to music and podcasts - while still being able to hear what is going around me and not worrying that one of my earbuds is going to fall out and get lost. This is my fourth set of shokz - a couple for use at work and travel and one that just plain wore out from years of constant use

For me they’re the best thing out there. As a man, who works like a man, nit a desk jockey; I need something that’s tough and won’t fall off my head. They have great sound quality and when I have to use earplugs, they work even better. Now the new design fits tighter in my head; and the new controls are of great design.

The sound and fit is great and my son loves them not to mention the great price.