Shokz (Formerly AfterShokz) Launches Bone Conduction Headphones With Bass Boost

Shokz (the company formerly known as AfterShokz) has released a new set of Bluetooth bone conduction headphones designed for runners. The OpenRun Pro, unveiled at CES 2022, is a new flagship headset and has improved sound quality thanks to new bass amplifiers in the transducers.

At the same time, Shokz is renaming some of his existing helmets to make their names more consistent. The water resistant Xtrainerz are now called OpenSwim and the Aeropex are now OpenRun. The entry-level OpenMove and the desktop-oriented OpenComm remain the same.

The Shokz OpenRun Pro offers some thoughtful design tweaks, such as bigger knobs that make it easier to control volume and change tracks on the go.

As with the company’s previous sports headsets, there’s also a built-in noise-canceling microphone, and you can accept a call halfway through or open your phone’s voice assistant with the push of a button on the left earbud.

Like the OpenRun, the new headset connects to a magnetic charging cable and Shokz promises up to 10 hours of battery life. If you accidentally forget to plug them in, charging them for five minutes while you get ready for your run will give you 1.5 hours of listening time.

We are currently testing the OpenRun Pro, and so far we are very impressed with the sound quality, which exceeds what we would expect from bone conduction headphones. We’ll continue to put them to the test in a variety of sports over the next few days, and we’ll bring you a full review very soon.

The helmet is available for pre-order today in black for $ 179.95 (approx £ 130 / AU $ 250), and Shokz will announce other colors along with the exact ship date later in the year.

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Notice: bone conduction is the smart choice

As a runner, being aware of your surroundings is essential. It can be tempting to opt for noise-canceling headphones and immerse yourself in your favorite music or audiobook as you pound the sidewalk, but that means you might miss hazards like traffic (including road vehicles). emergency that could redden lights), cyclists coming from behind, dogs and children. It could also make you a tempting target for an attacker, who might approach you unnoticed.

Many noise-canceling headphones (especially working headphones) have a “transparency” mode that uses a microphone to pick up external noise, but in our experience this doesn’t replace the spatial awareness you get directly from your ears.

Bone conduction headsets like the Shokz OpenRun Pro leave your ear canals open, so you can hear your surroundings while listening to the sound that is transmitted to your auditory nerves via vibrations in your cheekbones. If there is a sound like a siren, you will immediately know if it is approaching from the front or from behind and you can take action to avoid it.

Many race organizers discourage the user of any headset, but if you really want to run with music, bone conduction is the safest choice. In fact, Shokz helmets are the only ones endorsed by England Athletics for all road races.

Not everyone likes them, but if you’re in the market for a new pair of running headphones, we recommend that you try at least one bone conduction headset when making your choice. Technology has come a long way in recent years, and you might be surprised at how good they can sound.