Shokz OpenRun Pro 2
$179.99
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Just to be clear from the get-go, I’m not a runner. I dabble at it simply because I love saying to anyone who will listen, ‘I went for a run today.’ But the only way I can push through those vanity miles is with good, loud, music. And ever since one of my AirPods dramatically slipped out of my ear and into a sewer drain, I’ve been in a bind.
Enter my latest obsession, the Shokz Open Run Pro 2 headphones. First and foremost, unlike most of the performance models on the market, these aren’t worn in the ear. Instead, they rely on bone-conduction technology—meaning sound transmits from the bones of the skull to the cochlea. That matters to me for the sake of my hearing health and eardrums. The strong bass was clear enough to help me keep my pace and the flexible band that wrapped around my head kept my new prized possession out of the county sewer system.
Another notable perk is the quick charge setting, a total flex when I can break away from my laptop to squeeze in a 3-miler, only to find that the headphones are dead. A five-minute charge equals two and a half hours of juice. (A full charge provides 12 hours of continuous use.)
Taking work calls is simple and won’t have the person on the other end of the line wondering if you’re going through a wind tunnel. Noise reduction technology filters out 96.5% of background sound, but that feature can be turned off for safety, like in the case of an outdoor run. To test it out, I had a friend give me a call while I was out jogging, and she reported clear audio with zero feedback. A win is a win.
All in all, for both work and play and in terms of bang for your buck, Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 headphones are a solid choice. And if you see someone slowly trotting down Purchase Street air drumming…no, you didn’t.
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