Shokz
Shokz OpenRun Pro 2
The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 is a bone conduction sports headphone that sits at the premium end of the open-ear category, designed for athletes who want to stay aware of their surroundings while listening.
Shopi's verdict
The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 is the go-to choice for runners and cyclists who want to stay aware of their surroundings without sacrificing music or calls — bone conduction keeps your ears open to traffic and trail sounds while the secure fit and IP55 sweat resistance handle hard workouts. Ten hours of battery is solid for endurance athletes. Audio purists who prioritize bass and sound isolation should look elsewhere, as open-ear bone conduction inherently trades audio depth for situational awareness.
### Overview
The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 is Shokz's flagship bone conduction sport headphone, and a meaningful step forward from its predecessor. It introduces **DualPitch™ Technology**, pairing bone conduction for precise mids and highs with a dedicated air conduction speaker for more powerful bass — directly addressing the weak-bass criticism that has long followed the bone conduction category. It's priced at **$179.95**, weighs just 1.1 oz, and runs on Bluetooth 5.3.
---
### Pros
- **Improved bass for bone conduction:** Bass frequencies now come straight at your ears from the air conduction speakers while bone conduction handles treble and mids — a combo that finally fixes the usual bone conduction gripe of weak bass. - **Situational awareness stays intact:** Sound travels through vibrations against your cheekbones while your ear canals stay completely open, meaning traffic, other runners, and trail hazards all reach you naturally — a genuine safety advantage for road runners and cyclists that no in-ear headphone can replicate. - **Featherlight, pressure-free fit:** The silicone coating and flexible headband allow it to sit comfortably and securely over the ears without creating a feeling of pressure, even after hours of wearing — a real benefit for long-distance athletes who dread ear fatigue. - **USB-C charging + fast charge:** 12 hours of battery is a respectable amount, and a five-minute quick charge provides 2.5 hours of use — handy when you're rushing out the door and realize the battery is low.
---
### Cons
- **Open design gets drowned out in noise:** The sound can be drowned out in loud areas because of the open design — a fundamental trade-off of the format that no EQ setting can fully overcome. - **Sound quality ceiling vs. in-ears:** The sound quality is conceptually limited compared to a good sealed in-ear headphone; audiophiles or anyone who prioritizes fidelity over awareness will find better options elsewhere. - **No onboard MP3 storage:** There's no onboard storage or MP3 player, so you're always dependent on a paired phone — a limitation for swimmers or athletes who prefer to leave their phone behind. - **Button layout has a learning curve:** The button layout takes a bit of getting used to, which can be mildly frustrating mid-run until muscle memory kicks in.
---
### Who It's For
The OpenRun Pro 2 is aimed primarily at athletes who want comfortable Bluetooth headphones with good battery life and an open design that allows them to be worn safely in everyday situations. It's especially well-suited for runners, cyclists, and hikers who train in traffic or on shared paths where ambient awareness is a safety priority. It holds securely and comfortably in place across a range of workouts, and can be worn with glasses and a hat without problems.
---
### Not Right For
Listeners who prioritize rich, immersive sound quality above all else — the open design and bone conduction format simply cannot match the audio depth of a quality sealed in-ear headphone at this price point.
Researched across 8 sources: shokz.com, tomsguide.com, runweekly.com, gizmodo.com, headphonecheck.com, whathifi.com, techradar.com, soundguys.com.
Key features
- Bone conduction open-ear
- secure fit
- IP55 sweatproof
- 10-hour battery
Bone conduction done right: you get music and the world around you, without compromise on either.
What stands out
- Open-ear bone conduction design keeps ambient sound fully accessible, a genuine safety advantage for outdoor training.
- IP55 sweat and water resistance makes it a credible companion for hard workouts and wet conditions.
- 10-hour battery life is competitive for a sports-focused wearable and covers most long training sessions.
- Secure fit is well-suited to high-movement activities where in-ear options tend to shift or fall out.
What to weigh
- Bone conduction technology delivers noticeably less bass and overall audio fidelity compared to in-ear or over-ear headphones at a similar price.
- The open-ear design means sound leaks to those nearby, which limits use in quiet shared spaces.
- Listeners who prioritise immersive or high-quality audio reproduction may find the format a fundamental compromise.
Great fit if
- Runners, cyclists, or outdoor athletes who need situational awareness while listening.
- Those who find in-ear headphones uncomfortable or irritating during extended wear.
- Commuters or exercisers who frequently need to hear their environment without removing headphones.
Skip it if
- Anyone who prioritises rich, bass-heavy audio quality above all else.
- Listeners who want passive noise isolation or an immersive listening experience.
- Those working out in very loud environments where bone conduction volume may feel insufficient.