Customer Ratings & Reviews

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 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. 

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’”!

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 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 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’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!

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.

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 have always been a big fan of the Shokz bone conduction headphones. I have pretty bad tinnitus, so having something without a speaker blasting directly in my ear is definitely a plus to help preserve what hearing I have left. I know these are designed as running or workout headphones, but I have always used them a little differently. I work in a call center where I caption phone calls for deaf people. I use these to be able to listen to the calls that I am captioning while still being able to hear the world around me. Out of the box, these seems like every other pair of these I have owned. I think this is my 4th or 5th pair now. There are a couple differences that I will note though. This is my first pair that uses a USB-C charging port instead of the magnetic charger that they used to have. It makes it a little harder to charge, but it’s not a big deal, and it’s nice to have a more universal connector instead of the proprietary magnetic one they had before. One other difference I will note is that these don’t seem to fit quite as well as my other ones do. These feel like they are pushing on the side of my ear and kind of pushing out a little bit. The other ones I have fight right against my head and there is no discomfort at all. With this new version, they are uncomfortable to wear after an hour or so. Not sure if they can be bent into shape to fit better, but I didn’t try it because I didn’t want to risk damaging them. Other than those 2 differences, they seem to function pretty much the same as previous versions have. You just hold the power button down and it will power them on and go into pairing mode, and then you can pair them with whatever device you want. There is also a control on the headset itself to turn the volume up and down as well so you don’t have to constantly be pulling out your phone. As far as sound quality goes, I absolutely love then. Granted I mostly listen to speech on these and not music I find that even though there isn’t a physical speaker going into your ear, you still get crystal clear audio through the bone conduction technology. I have listened to music on these in the past and it also sounds good as well. It’s a different experience than you would get with earbuds or a closed set of headphones because you are still getting all of the outside noise around you. But that’s definitely a good thing because it allows you to listen to what you want to without disturbing the people around you while still being aware of the world around you. The audio quality is also good for phone calls as well; they have a built-in mic so you can easily carry on a conversation while you are out walking or running or bike riding without any problems. People I have talked to said they had no difficulty hearing or understanding me. The battery life is also phenomenal on these; I easily get through a solid 8-hour workday and still have power left in them. I think these are a great alternative to earbuds or headphones if you are looking for something to listen to music or podcasts and still want to hear everything around you. They are very lightweight and most of the time you forget you are even wearing them. Give them a try, I have a feeling you’ll really like them!

As a long-distance runner who has tried plenty of headphones, I have learned that comfort, stability, and reliable sound matter just as much as any headline feature. The Shokz OpenRun Air 2 gets those fundamentals right, making it one of the lightest and among the most comfortable pairs I have used for extended runs and workouts. Connecting the headphones to my phone is quick and straightforward, and the connection has felt dependable in use. Sound quality is also very good for an open-ear design: music comes through clearly without requiring anything to sit inside the ear canal. This technology is particularly useful when I run outside because my ears remain unobstructed, allowing me to stay aware of traffic, other runners, and my surroundings. I also appreciate that I do not feel the need to turn the volume up excessively to block out the world, which supports more responsible listening and may help reduce the risk associated with prolonged exposure to very loud sound. Comfort is the strongest reason I would recommend the OpenRun Air 2 to runners. The headphones are extremely light and remain comfortable over long distances. They also work well with glasses (something I need to pay close attention to) without creating an awkward or crowded fit around my ears. I also like how easy the controls are to reach while moving, whether I want to change tracks or raise or lower the volume. Another positive is the IP67 water-resistance rating, which gives me confidence that the headphones can handle sweat and rainy runs. Battery life is another strong point for endurance training. Shokz promises up to 10 hours of playback, which is more than enough for my long runs and extended training sessions. The fast-charging feature is also excellent: a short charge can provide up to two additional hours of listening, which is especially useful when I realize just before heading out that the battery is low. My main criticism is the packaging. Shokz does not include a charging cable or a carrying case. I see as positive, that the headphones now use a standard USB-C charging cable instead of the proprietary connector used by previous models (I own one pair of previous model headphones for my office work) but the missing cable (in my opinion) is more a bad brand statement than a major issue, I can simply use one I already own but why as manufacturer want to communicate the world that you are saving money on those small items. The missing case is much more significant: these are sports headphones designed to travel between runs, the gym, and daily life, yet I now need to buy a separate case simply to protect them in my gym bag. As I said, both omissions make the overall package feel unnecessarily cost-conscious. Finally, I like the offered 2 years of warranty that could be a major bet on their products by the manufacturer. My summary: The Shokz OpenRun Air 2 is a strong choice for long-distance runners who value comfort, easy pairing, clear sound, and an open-ear fit, including those who wear glasses. I am very happy with the headphones themselves, but at this price, including at least a basic carrying case would have made the overall package feel much more complete.

I was sitting down to write this review and my plan was to describe how these might be the perfect headphones. I leaned my head back slightly to rest it against the headrest of my chair and was flabbergasted to discover the headphones prevent me from leaning my head backwards. The design that makes them work so well when moving around is their single worst feature when sitting. How did I not figure this problem out after wearing them almost constantly for the last few days! But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s go back to the beginning. The headphones use USB-C to charge which is a plus for carrying one less cable around. They have a couple of simple buttons attached to control the essential features, which basically means the user just pushes a button to turn them on, put them on your head, and enjoy. Exactly what I expect my electronics to do for me. If you’ve used the 1st generation device your reasons to upgrade to this version boil down to a 9% size reduction which also leads to a better balanced feel when they are on your head. A 25% bump to battery capacity and up to 2 hours of playback after only 5 minutes of charge time. The materials used to construct the device changed from Plastic and Silicon to now use Polycarbonate, Polyamide and Silicon. The results are fantastic. If you haven’t tried bone conduction before, it does produce a bit of a muffled audio compared to other headphones. Shokz claims to have reduced through effect through a driver they call PremiumPitch 3.0. The audio surrounds are amazing and I heard audio details in songs I’ve worked out to hundreds of times and never noticed before but that muffle will never be completely removed. My main concern about these headphones is that I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to get the same immersive experience with them that I do with normal headphones. Slip on a pair of over-the-ear headphones and the outside world disappears allowing you to get lost in your own audio experience. These do not replicate that experience, but after taking them with me to mow the grass I was pleasantly surprised by how much of the lawnmower I could not hear. As to portability, the headphones don’t slip into your pocket like AirPods will, and they don’t lie or fold flat for storage. I’m curious how they are going to stand the test of time in my backpack when I travel. But if we circle back to that comment I made at the beginning — not being able to sit down and lean my head back is going to seriously limit where I use these things which is something I’m going to have to experiment more with. For running, these things are impressive and I look forward to seeing how they hold up.

TLDR version: This is a new model of the bone conduction headphone from Shokz and this new OpenRunAir 2 model has IP67 wet resistance rating and bluetooth making it ideal for wet and sweaty sports such as biking, hiking, tennis, or jogging / walking. It runs for 10 hours on a charge and is IP-67 rated for damp, sweaty, and light rain conditions. It is also 9% lighter in weight than the previous model of OpenRun Air 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.” 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. It has 2 microphones for an improved telephone call performance. It charges easier by simply inserting a USB-C plug into the headphone directly; no more magnetic charging cord that can get lost. A quick 5-min charge adds up to 2 hours of listening use It is offered in Standard and slightly smaller Mini sizes to suit the user perfectly. It allows MultiPoint pairing: Switch between 2 devices with ease, no re-pairing required. Shokz includes an improved Premium Pitch 3.0 software OS which allows improved bass, clarity of voice, and more music tonality per the website. There is a free app that allows tailoring the Music Equalization tones and also updating the firmware when Shokz provides new improvements. The app also allows finding lost Air 2s by activating a tone to make finding them easier in your bag, sofa, clothing pile, or if you just misplaced them after charging them at home. These OpenRun Air 2 models are totally IP-67 water resistant for wet and sweaty use while exercising or outside in the rain and humidity and adds bluetooth 6.0 that the original model did not have. The onboard preset equalizer modes on the headphones cover a swimming mode,a vocal boost mode, and standard flat mode. The description from Shokz indicates the headphone can be submerged in a couple of meters of water for several hours without worry. 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 USB-C plug. It plugs directly into the headphones. The cable then plugs into a USB port on any computer or into a plain USB phone charger to charge the headphones. They sound good and allow use in a hot tub, sauna or above the water in a pool as well as running or in light rain.

This is my first time trying bone conduction headphones, so I wasn't really sure what to expect. They are actually fairly simple, lightweight and flexible. They rest comfortably on my head and weigh practically nothing. There is no adjustment of fit or placement, which for me is one of the bigger negatives. They fit fine, but I wonder if I were able to adjust the positioning of the sound conductors that sit on the bone outside your ear, I might be able to get slightly better sound quality. And the reason I gripe about that, is that is because these definitely are not meant for sound quality. To me, the are quiet, and a bit tinny, e.g. no bass. It's not sharp sounding, it's more hollow sounding. So, I feel like if I could adjust the conductors just a little bit, I might be able to improve that slightly. And, as a first time user of bone conduction, I wondered how it would "feel", and it doesn't feel like anything. Basically, there are "transducers" that take the place of a speaker, but still functionally work the same (e.g. with minute vibrations). You don't feel it vibrating, and you don't feel anything in your skull. It just sounds like music lightly playing just outside your ears. So, the big benefit of these is to be able to listen to music during a run, workout or other activity when you need to be fully aware of your surroundings. They're not going to work well in a loud environment, because they don't get very loud, but if you are running on a road, and need to hear incoming traffic, these are good for that. Also, given how light they are, the soft material they are made from, they never feel uncomfortable. They're also super easy to clean if they get sweaty. They also never feel like they're going to fall off or fall out of place. All great things for high intensity activity where you still need to hear your surroundings. But, again, bassy music won't come across well. Voices, and softer music sound fine. But without any way to adjust fit or placement, I'll never know if there is a slightly better optimal position for slightly better sound. These have a place in an athletes arsenal, but not an audiophiles.

I found Shokz OpenRun Air2 to be an interesting product in the world full of all kinds of headphones. I don't think I would want to categorize them just for a certain group of people as they would work for anyone out there, however I must point out certain groups who would really benefit from having these: if you enjoy working out, running, biking, the Shokz Air2 are a good fit for you. I enjoy running on trails and being aware of my surrounding environment is something I have to pay attention to without sacrificing audio quality. The first thing that I noticed was the lightness of the set. It doesn’t just sit on your ears, it feels like it floats around them. I like that you feel no pressure, no heat, no constant readjusting. The open‑ear design thanks to bone conduction changes everything. You get to hear your music, your podcasts, but you also hear stuff happening around you as well. I find sound quality to be exactly what it should be for bone conduction: clear, crisp and surprisingly full. I listen to various genres of music and the set definitely won’t shake you up with bass, but it delivers a balanced, energetic sound that keeps you in the zone. Interestingly, vocals are excellent and perfect for podcasts, audiobooks and calls. This headset's battery life is good and dependable. As the company states, you get about 8 hours and it feels accurate. The quick‑charge feature has saved me more than once when I’m heading out the door. I used this set for a few calls and the mic performance was better than I expected. My calls sounded natural and people didn’t complain about background noise unless I was in an extremely loud environment or caught in a heavy wind. If I had to mention a downside, it’s the same trade‑off every open ear headset has: loud environments can drown out your audio some and bass lovers will want more punch. But I don't think that’s not what the Shokz Air2 is trying to be. I'm happy with the set overall, its comfort and audio quality for an open ear headset really won me over.

I am a big fan of earbuds that dont require you to jam anything into your ears, and I have few shokz open ear type products, and have had older Open Run headphones in the past, so I was interested in these lower priced model, having had the pro version in the past and enjoyed them, as expensive as they were back then. These new model open run Air 2 came in a very nice sky/ice blue color, and after charging them up initially, I was happy to see how easily they paired to my Samsung S25U phone, via the skokz app I had already installed. After the "mandatory" initial firmware update, these were good to go, and I was happy to hear how nice the music sounded, in spite of them just "resting" on the back of my ears. Sure there was some sound leakage, but no one in the room complained that they were annoyed by the music volume, so I proceeded to make some phone calls, and was surprised that the callers on the other end said that my voice sounded loud and clear, with no real distortion. the only real downside is that since the headband isnt adjustable, quite a bit of it sticks out behind your head, which isnt a problem for walking, or sitting, as along as your head isnt laying back against a pillow/back of couch, which would push them off your head, but in any other situation, they would be just fine. Lightweight, and comfortable, with more than acceptable sound, easily equalized to your liking, these are a nice addition to my wireless earbud/headphones, and I think you would enjoy these too, especially if you dont like things jammed into your ears!

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.

I really like the idea of being able to still hear ambient noise while listening to things on my phone, so I thought I’d give these a try. After a week of use, I do really like them, but not for listening to music. There is no bass to speak of with these, so music isn’t the best thing to listen to with these. However, for podcasts or other spoken audio they are fantastic. So, I think whether you like these or not will depend on what you plan to listen to. I use these when I’m working outside or riding my bike, and I either listen to podcasts or my local airport’s liveATC stream. (I live just a couple miles from the end of the runway, so I enjoy hearing and seeing the planes in the area while I’m working.) For this kind of audio, these work great. I can still hear what’s going on around me, and I can hear the audio very clearly. These fit very snugly, but not too tight, so they’re comfortable enough I could wear for hours with no problem. I have short hair, so the band around the back doesn’t cause me any issues. But sometimes when I turn my head to the extreme in either direction, I can feel the band, and it may nudge the earpieces slightly. Overall, they stay in place, are comfortable, and I don’t have to worry about them moving while I’m working. At higher volume settings, the contact pieces do vibrate slightly and sometimes cause a noticeable tickle. It’s not bad, and I can quickly adjust the volume down with the button on the headphone. I do have the app installed, but really, I can do everything I need to with just the buttons on them. The battery life has been great. The specs say up to 10 hours, but I’ve only tested them for about 3 hours at a time. Charging is super easy with the USB-C port. It doesn’t come with a cable or charger, but now days so many other things are also charged via USB-C that I already have plenty of chargers and cables around. The few phone calls I’ve made on them have worked well. People say I sounded “normal” on them, and they really couldn’t tell any difference from calls using my other earbuds. I’ve not tried a call while on my bike, but these do have “AI-powered noise reduction” so they are supposed to work well in the wind. I have called on windy days and no one noticed any problems with it. I’ve discovered one downside, though, to having these earphones that both work well and are very comfortable: My wife tried them, really likes them, and now I think I’ve lost this pair to her and I’ll have to get my own.

The Shokz OpenRun Air 2 arrived in efficient, easy-to-open packaging. I received the Ice Blue version, which is an attractive light blue color. They came with enough charge to use immediately, and setup was very easy. Bluetooth pairing with both my phone and tablet was quick and trouble-free. One of the best features in the Shokz app is Multipoint Pairing, which allows the headphones to remain connected to two devices at the same time. This is useful if you are listening to music on a tablet but need to switch over to your phone to take a call. Comfort is another major strength. I wore them continuously for about two hours and could barely tell they were there. They are extremely lightweight and rest comfortably around the ears without the pressure that can come from traditional earbuds. The open-ear design also allows you to hear what is happening around you, which is especially helpful when walking or exercising outside. The sound quality is excellent for bone conduction headphones. Music sounds clear and detailed, with crisp tones and a decent amount of bass that you can actually feel. Even though the open-ear design naturally allows outside noise to remain audible, I did not feel that it compromised the overall listening experience. The PremiumPitch 3.0 technology appears to do a very good job of producing clear, balanced sound while still maintaining awareness of your surroundings. Call quality has also been very good. During an outdoor walk, the wind did not seem to degrade my voice for the other person, and I could hear them clearly without noticeable distortion. The IP67 rating also provides good protection against sweat, rain, and accidental exposure to water, although these are not intended for swimming. There are a couple of things I would have liked to see included. There is no storage case, even though some other Shokz models come with one. Because of their shape, I would be concerned about them getting damaged while being transported in a backpack or even while lying around when not in use. A USB-C charging cable is also not included. Most people probably already own one, but even a short cable would have been appreciated. The only problem I have encountered is that I have not yet been able to complete the firmware update through the app. I will continue troubleshooting and contact Shokz if necessary. Fortunately, I have not experienced any bugs or performance issues with the current firmware. Overall, the OpenRun Air 2 delivers excellent sound, impressive comfort, easy connectivity, and good call quality. A storage case and charging cable would have made the package feel more complete, but the headphones themselves have performed extremely well.

Since receiving the OpenRun Air 2, I’ve been using them almost daily, whenever I’m exercising or doing mundane tasks that I want to play music during. I appreciate the solid build quality, the materials being a mix of nickel-titanium metal and a silicon outer covering. The pieces that make contact near your ears to actually play music are metal, which feels better on the skin compared to previous models I’ve used that were made of plastic. Plus, sweat and oils from exercise won’t make the metal contact point feel deteriorated and worn out over time. They fit well, and I don’t really mind wearing them for long periods of time. Audio Quality: I’m no audiophile, but for my needs, the audio quality is quite good. I can clearly hear delicate piano notes, vocals and underlying beats. It does lack bass, but that may benefit or hurt you depending on your use case. For me, having less bass is fine because I need to be aware of my surroundings in New York City and be able to hear bikers and other runners. The audio, even on max, doesn’t drown out the outside world at all, letting me listen to music but still allowing me to be connected to the outside world. I don’t even have to take them off or pause them when people are speaking to me, because I can hear them perfectly. They’re good for this case, but they are not designed for plane rides or commutes where you would want to drown out outside noises. Final Verdict: Great headphones for exercising and being out and about in the city/daily life! If you want to have the option of music but still want to be connected to your surroundings, these are perfect for you.