One of the best bone-conduction headphones I’ve tested has a 12-hour battery life

ZDNET’s key takeaways 

• The new Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 are the follow-up to the widely popular bone conduction headphones used by dedicated athletes, like marathoners and triathletes. They’re now available for $180. 
• The OpenRun Pro 2 are as comfortable as ever, with a longer battery life than their predecessor. 
• The volume of the headphones could be louder, and the microphone produces a warbled sound. 

I’m not running a marathon this fall, but if I were, I’d want the new Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 around my head. Shokz just released the OpenRun Pro 2, its latest update to the OpenRun Pro lineup, and they purportedly offer significant upgrades from the first-gen OpenRun Pro, like reduced vibrations, longer battery life, and AI-powered noise-canceling and wind-resistance microphones.

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I tried the OpenRun Pro 2 on runs and in the office, and I’m happy to recommend these to any athlete who loves exercising outdoors with good sound and full environmental awareness. Keep reading to find out why.

If you haven’t tried bone conduction headphones, they’re a little different from your run-of-the-mill over-ear headphones or in-ear earbuds. Runners and cyclists use them to stay aware of their surroundings as they exercise outdoors because they balance the sounds of your music or podcasts with the external sounds of your environment, whether that’s beeping cars on a busy street or chirping birds on an empty trail. 

Also: The best bone conduction headphones you can buy right now

Bone conduction headphones’ form factor means that sound, a crucial factor in a pair of headphones, is a lower priority. Bone conduction headphones are meant to fit well, be durable, supply good enough sound that you can hear and enjoy, while also staying on your head, and to boast a long enough battery to last a whole marathon or triathlon. So, unlike my other reviews, where sound comes first, this review will be more about the other aforementioned factors. 

So, let’s begin with comfort. I could wear the OpenRun Pro 2 all day without any issues. They’re light and flexible, with a tactile exterior that makes them stick to your head. Wearing them in the office is a breeze, and they don’t hug my head or build up excessive pressure around my ears.

In fact, you could do lots of things, like grocery shopping, cooking in the kitchen, talking to coworkers, and moving freely without even noticing them. One friend even told me she uses her pair of waterproof bone-conduction headphones to listen to music in the shower without disrupting her roommates. 

Also: These Beyerdynamic headphones made me a believer in the open-ear form factor

While running, the OpenRun Pro 2 are delightful. The headphones do what you need them to do, staying secure on your head as you move without sacrificing comfort. I could see why marathoners who are sweating and running for four to six hours rely on these lightweight headphones to get them across the finish line.

Shokz improves upon the discomforting vibrations near the ear and jaw that most bone-conduction headphones wearers experience. I felt no vibrations whatsoever, so that was a win. 

Speaking of listening for long periods, Shokz upgraded this pair’s battery life from 10 hours to 12 hours, so you get two more hours of listening time before recharging. Not bad. The purported battery life was in line with my testing.

Ok, so now let’s talk sound. The sound is balanced and nearly clear. It’s still a little tinny, but that’s due to the build and philosophy of bone conduction headphones at large. My only wish for these headphones is for the sound to be a few notches louder. While running on a busy street, the sounds of whooshing cars overpowered that of my music.

Also: The best workout headphones you can buy 

As someone motivated most by a booming, loud song as I run, this disappointed me a little. Then again, nobody buys bone conduction headphones for immersive sound. Still, I’d certainly like to see louder volumes on the next model of these headphones. You’ll hear the music loudly and clearly if you’re running or cycling in an environment like an empty forest path, but you might be disappointed in busier environments, like a noisy gym or a trafficked street.

These headphones are supposed to have improved microphones for clear calls, but while sending voice memos to myself, the audio felt warbly and muddy. I could still hear myself fine, but it wasn’t lucid. Another thing I’d like to see is better notifications indicating that the OpenRun Pro 2 have connected to your device and are powered on. Same with powering off: the headphones don’t seem to blink or flash to indicate they’ve turned off.

ZDNET’s buying advice  

Hardcore marathoners and cyclists will love the longer battery life, the comfortable build, and durability of the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2. I enjoyed wearing these headphones while exercising because they are light and unobtrusive, perfect for workouts in the park and workdays in the office.

Plus, the OpenRun Pro 2 is the same price as the OpenRun Pro, but has more battery life. It’s a no-brainer to go for the updated pair if you want headphones that will last a few more hours while biking up a hilly trail or finishing your first marathon.