Shokz OpenRun Headphones review

Ever wished you could listen to music and hear what’s going on around you while riding? You could try bone-conduction headphones, which sit on your cheekbones just in front of your ears rather than in or over your ears like traditional headphones.

Shokz (formerly Aftershokz) has been making high-quality, sport-oriented bone-conduction headphones for a while and its latest version, the OpenRun, has some useful upgrades.

If you’ve never tried them, rest assured this type of headphones works well with the best road bike helmets and the best cycling glasses.

Shokz OpenRun Headphones spec details

The sprung-titanium band of the OpenRun Headphones sits around the nape of your neck, well out of the way of your helmet, and there’s minimal intrusion over your ears, so there’s room for glasses too. Plus, at just 26g, these are so light you’ll barely notice them.

How about the sound quality? Shokz’ PremiumPitch 2.0+ sound is in-ear-headphone quality and punchier than ever before.

Run time is impressive at just over eight hours, which is almost as impressive as the new fast-charging functionality: my test pair charged from flat in under an hour. Plug them in for just 10 minutes and you’ll get an hour and a half of use, which is perfect if you’re about to head out gravel riding and discover the battery’s dead.

The built-in microphone helps block out background noise, so you can take a call via Bluetooth while riding and the caller can hear you clearly.

And don’t worry if it’s raining, because the OpenRun Headphones are highly water-resistant, rated to IP67 standard, which means they can withstand being submerged in a metre of water for 40 minutes.

The magnetic charging port also has a built-in moisture sensor, so if you try to charge the headphones when they’re damp, the charging LED flashes to warn you.

Shokz OpenRun Headphones bottom line

If you haven’t tried this style of headphones before, I highly recommend them for maintaining your awareness of your surroundings while taking a call or listening to music on the bike.

Should you choose to wear them on the road, you can still hear traffic noise very clearly. They're rainproof, the sound quality is highly impressive and the battery, with its useful fast-charging function, will keep you going all day.

All of these factors, plus a reasonable price for their functionality, qualify the Shokz OpenRuns as among the best cycling headphones on the market.