Finding the right headphones for running or working out often requires a compromise. Traditional earbuds can provide excellent sound and noise cancellation, but they also block your ears and can make it harder to hear cars, cyclists, other runners or what's happening around you. Earbuds can also loosen or fall out during exercise.
The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 take a different approach.
These $179.95 open-ear headphones use Shokz's bone conduction technology combined with a separate air conduction driver to deliver audio without putting an earbud inside your ear. The design leaves your ear canals open, allowing you to listen to music, podcasts, and calls while maintaining more awareness of your surroundings.
We tested the OpenRun Pro 2 for two months while commuting, working out and spending time outdoors, including at the beach. We found them exceptionally lightweight and comfortable, with a secure fit that's particularly well suited for runners and other active users.
There are a few compromises, including the wraparound design, a relatively large carrying case, and volume controls that weren't always as responsive as we would have liked. But for people who don't like wearing earbuds—or who want to remain more aware of their surroundings—the OpenRun Pro 2 offers an interesting alternative.
What are bone conduction headphones?GearBrain
Before we get into our testing, it helps to understand what makes the OpenRun Pro 2 different from conventional headphones.
Traditional earbuds, including products such as Apple AirPods, use air conduction. Small speakers create sound waves that travel through your ear canal to your eardrum.
Bone conduction headphones work differently. Instead of placing speakers inside your ears, bone conduction transducers rest against the area near your cheekbones. They create vibrations that travel through the bones of your skull to the inner ear.
The biggest practical difference is that your ear canals remain open.
That can be particularly useful when running, walking, cycling, or exercising outdoors because you can listen to audio while still hearing more of what's happening around you.
There are other advantages. People who dislike the feeling of having earbuds in their ears may find an open-ear design much more comfortable. And because there's nothing sitting inside the ear canal, you don't have to worry about an earbud gradually working itself loose during a run or workout.
However, open-ear headphones aren't designed to isolate you from your environment the way noise-canceling earbuds or over-ear headphones can. That's part of their appeal, but it also means they're built for a different listening experience.
The OpenRun Pro 2 aren't purely bone conduction headphones.
Shokz uses what it calls DualPitch technology, combining two driver types. A bone conduction driver handles much of the mids and highs, while a separate air conduction driver adds bass.
That combination addresses a traditional weakness of bone conduction headphones: bass.
Bone conduction works well for voices and higher frequencies, but producing deep, powerful bass is more challenging. Adding an air conduction driver gives the OpenRun Pro 2 a fuller sound than you might expect from traditional bone conduction headphones.
In our testing, we found a good balance between the advantages of open-ear listening and the richer sound most people expect from modern headphones.
One of the first things you'll notice about the OpenRun Pro 2 is how light they are.
They weigh just 30.3 grams, which is impressive considering the headphones include the battery, controls, microphones and two types of audio drivers.
The frame uses titanium, silicone, plastic, and a nickel-titanium alloy. A Ni-Ti memory wire runs through the frame, helping the headphones hold their shape while staying securely in place.
Instead of individual earbuds, the OpenRun Pro 2 uses ear hooks connected by a band that wraps around the back of your head.
During our two months of testing, we found the fit comfortable and secure. Whether we were exercising, commuting, or simply sitting and listening to music, the headphones never felt particularly heavy.
More importantly for athletes, they stayed in position.
That's one of the biggest advantages of this design. You don't have to repeatedly push an earbud back into your ear during a run or workout.
The wraparound band won't appeal to everyoneGearBrain
The same design that makes the OpenRun Pro 2 so secure could also be a drawback for some buyers.
Unlike true wireless earbuds, these headphones remain physically connected by the band running around the back of your head.
We had no problem putting them on or taking them off, and when we weren't using them, we usually left them hanging around our neck.
However, if you're accustomed to removing your AirPods or other earbuds and immediately putting them into a tiny charging case, the OpenRun Pro 2 feels very different.
For athletes who prioritize stability, we think the tradeoff makes sense. The headphones stayed firmly in place during our workouts without requiring adjustments.
Open-ear awareness is one of the biggest advantagesGearBrain
The OpenRun Pro 2's open-ear design lets you stay more aware of your surroundings than you would with sealed earbuds.
That can be important when running or walking outside. Instead of relying entirely on a transparency or ambient-sound mode, your ears remain physically open.
You can potentially hear approaching cars, bicycles, people, and other environmental sounds while continuing to listen to your music or podcast.
That doesn't mean you should assume you'll hear every potential hazard. Listening volume and environmental conditions still matter. But open ear canals give you a fundamentally different listening experience than sealed earbuds.
One of the things that impressed us most during testing was the lack of distracting wind noise.
We've tested plenty of earbuds and in-ear headphones where wind rushing across the microphones or earbuds creates distracting noise. This can become especially annoying when walking, running or exercising outdoors.
We experienced very little wind-related interference with the OpenRun Pro 2.
That made outdoor listening much more enjoyable, particularly for spoken-word content such as podcasts.
Shokz also designed the microphones with wind resistance in mind. The OpenRun Pro 2 uses two strategically positioned microphones and an AI noise-reduction algorithm designed to filter out background noise during calls.
Sound quality and EQ settings in Shokz appGearBrain
Anyone familiar with our headphone reviews knows that we like being able to customize how headphones sound instead of being stuck with a manufacturer's default tuning.
Fortunately, Shokz provides that capability through the Shokz app.
The app offers several preset EQ options and two customizable modes, letting you adjust the listening experience based on what you're playing and where you're using the headphones.
During testing, we particularly liked Volume Boost Mode.
We found it useful for podcasts and music when we were outside or in environments with significant background noise. That's important with open-ear headphones because they don't block environmental sounds.
Shokz also offers Classic Mode, which turns off the air conduction component and provides a more traditional bone conduction listening experience.
The custom EQ options were straightforward to configure, making it easy to experiment with different sound profiles.
The "Tap to fix" feature is surprisingly usefulGearBrain
One Shokz app feature we hadn't encountered before was a button labeled "Tap to fix."
We used it when the volume initially seemed too low, and it worked well.
Low perceived volume can sometimes be an issue with bone conduction headphones, especially for someone transitioning from traditional earbuds. Having an easy troubleshooting option built directly into the app was a nice touch.
We'd recommend trying this feature before assuming something is wrong with the headphones if the volume seems unusually low.
Controls are easy to use—mostly on OpenRun Pro 2GearBrain
The main multifunction button on the OpenRun Pro 2 was easy to locate by touch.
A single press can pause or resume content and answer or end calls. Multiple presses can navigate through tracks.
During testing, the main button responded well and became easy to operate without looking at the headphones.
The volume controls weren't quite as good.
We sometimes found the volume buttons harder to locate, and they didn't always respond as easily as we expected when raising or lowering the sound. It wasn't a major problem, but the primary multifunction control provided a noticeably better experience.
The OpenRun Pro 2 provides up to 12 hours of playback on a full charge.
That's enough for several workouts or a long day of intermittent listening without constantly worrying about finding a charger.
A complete charge takes about an hour, and the headphones also support Quick Charge. Shokz says a five-minute charge can provide up to 2.5 hours of listening.
Charging is done using USB-C, another welcome feature for anyone trying to reduce the number of proprietary charging cables they carry.
Sports headphones need to survive more than ordinary indoor listening.
The OpenRun Pro 2 carries an IP55 water-resistance rating, helping protect them against sweat, rain, and splashes.
We used them while exercising and outdoors during the summer without any concerns.
However, IP55 doesn't mean they're designed for swimming or prolonged submersion. If you want Shokz headphones specifically designed for swimming, look at the company's more water-resistant models.
The OpenRun Pro 2 also functions as a Bluetooth headset for phone calls.
Shokz uses dual microphones along with an AI noise-reduction algorithm that the company says can filter out up to 96.5 percent of background noise.
The microphones are also positioned and designed to help reduce wind interference. Shokz says the system is engineered to maintain clear calls in wind speeds up to approximately 15 mph.
That combination makes the OpenRun Pro 2 useful beyond workouts. We wore them while commuting and exercising, and switching from audio to calls adds versatility.
The carrying case could be betterGearBrain
One area where we think Shokz has room for improvement is the carrying case.
The OpenRun Pro 2 comes with a hard-shell case, which helps protect the headphones. But because of the wraparound design, the case is substantially larger than the charging cases that come with true wireless earbuds.
That makes it less convenient to carry in a pocket.
We were also surprised that the case doesn't charge the headphones.
Since we tended to put the OpenRun Pro 2 back into their case whenever we weren't wearing them, it would be convenient if the case could also recharge the headphones, similar to how a wireless earbud charging case works.
That's one feature we'd like to see Shokz consider for a future generation.
What comes with the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2?GearBrain
The OpenRun Pro 2 package includes the headphones, a carrying case, USB-C charging cable and documentation. Depending on the package or edition you buy, you may also get additional promotional accessories.
The headphones are available in several colors, including Black, Lunar White, Blue, Orange and Silver, along with occasional special editions.
Price: $179.95
Headphone type: Open-ear bone and air conduction
Audio technology: Shokz DualPitch
Battery life: Up to 12 hours
Charge time: Approximately 1 hour
Quick charge: 5 minutes for up to 2.5 hours of listening
Weight: 30.3 grams
Water resistance: IP55
Microphones: Dual microphones with AI noise reduction
Materials: Titanium, silicone, plastic, and nickel-titanium alloy
Charging: USB-C
App: Shokz app
Fit: Wraparound open-ear design
Available sizes: Standard and Mini
Multipoint Pairing with OpenRun Pro 2 and Shokz appGearBrain
After two months of testing, comfort and stability were the OpenRun Pro 2's biggest strengths.
They're remarkably lightweight for a wraparound pair of headphones, and we could wear them through workouts, train commutes, and extended listening sessions without feeling like they were weighing us down.
We also liked not having anything inserted into our ears.
The open-ear design is particularly attractive for runners and walkers because it helps you stay more aware of your environment. Unlike earbuds that sometimes need to be pushed back into place, the OpenRun Pro 2 stayed securely positioned during exercise.
Sound quality was another pleasant surprise. Combining bone conduction with a separate air conduction bass driver gives music considerably more depth than we typically associate with bone conduction headphones.
The minimal wind noise during outdoor use was another standout feature.
Another useful feature was the OpenRun Pro 2’s multipoint pairing, which lets you connect the headphones to two Bluetooth devices at the same time. This came in handy when I was working on my laptop and listening to audio while my smartphone was also connected. When a call came in on my phone, I could easily switch devices without disconnecting and reconnecting the headphones. It’s a small convenience, but one that makes the OpenRun Pro 2 much more practical for everyday use beyond workouts.
Finally, we appreciated the Shokz app. The ability to adjust EQ settings, use Volume Boost Mode and create custom sound profiles makes the headphones more versatile.
Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 and caseGearBrain
Our biggest complaint is the case.
It's considerably larger than an earbud case, which is understandable given the headphones' shape, but it makes them less portable.
More importantly, we would like the case to charge the headphones. A charging case could extend battery life while giving users a convenient place to recharge the OpenRun Pro 2 whenever they're stored.
We'd also like slightly easier-to-use volume controls. The multifunction button was responsive and easy to find, but the volume buttons weren't always as easy to locate or operate during testing.
Finally, the wraparound design is a matter of personal preference. Some people will love the security it provides, while others may prefer individual open-ear earbuds they can remove and store in a small, pocket-sized case.
Who should buy the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2?GearBrain
The OpenRun Pro 2 makes the most sense for runners, walkers, cyclists, gym users, and other active people who want to listen to audio without sealing their ears.
They're particularly compelling if you've struggled with earbuds falling out during exercise or simply don't like having something inserted into your ear canal.
People who exercise outdoors may also appreciate hearing more of their environment while listening to music or podcasts.
They're less suitable for someone whose top priority is blocking outside noise. If you frequently listen on airplanes, in loud offices, or in other environments where you want maximum isolation, active noise-canceling earbuds or over-ear headphones may be a better fit.
After using the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 for two months, we came away impressed by how comfortable and practical they are for active users.
At $179.95, they're not inexpensive. But you're getting a lightweight and secure sports headphone with up to 12 hours of battery life, IP55 water resistance, customizable EQ settings, and an unusual combination of bone and air conduction audio.
The DualPitch system also helps address one of our traditional complaints about bone conduction headphones: limited bass and lower perceived volume.
We particularly liked wearing the OpenRun Pro 2 during workouts and outdoors. They stayed securely in place, were comfortable over long periods, and produced surprisingly little distracting wind noise.
The large non-charging carrying case and occasionally finicky volume buttons leave room for improvement, and not everyone will want a band wrapping around the back of their head.
But if you're a runner, walker, or active user looking for headphones that stay securely in place, don't sit inside your ears, and keep you more aware of your surroundings, the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 are a compelling alternative to traditional earbuds and AirPods.
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