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Daily Authority: 🦴 Bone jingles

While bone-conduction headphones may sound spooky, they're great for running.

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Published onOctober 31, 2022

Ryan Haines / Android Authority

🎃 Good day, and welcome to the Daily Authority! Happy Halloween if you celebrate or just like the stacks of candy. As luck would have it, our main story today is all about bones, but mainly headphones.

Running with good vibes

Ryan Haines / Android Authority

Bone conduction technology has been around for a while. As an alternative to in-ear or over-ear earbuds and headphones, these vibrate a wearer’s cheekbones, sending good vibes directly to the cochlea. Surprisingly, this technology makes for excellent running headphones. AA’s Ryan Haines breaks down why.

There’s nothing worse than running without music or a podcast.
That’s why finding the right set of true wireless earbuds or workout headphones is so important.
Sound quality should never come at the expense of safety, though; this limits traditional in-ear buds.
So what’s the alternative?
Our Ryan Haines thinks he found the perfect middle-ground — bone conduction headphones for runners, specifically the Shokz OpenRun Pro.
As they’re effectively placed around the ears instead of on or in them, these headphones don’t constrict any outside noise, making them perfect for safer running.

But are they any good?

If you usually use in-ear buds, you might take a while to get used to these.
Ryan notes that finding the right fit is a matter of tinkering, and eventually, the fitment process becomes second nature.
Controls are easy too, using a combination of taps and touches and a multifunctional button.
As far as usability is concerned, you’ll get around 10 hours per charge, which should be more than enough for two long weekend trail runs or plenty of leisurely weekly jogs.
When you do need to charge them again, the Shokz OpenRun Pro can give you 90 minutes of playback from a five-minute charge.
Adding to its versatility, the OpenRun Pro also packs an IP55 body, making it resistant to sweat but perhaps not a heavy rain shower.
But more importantly, they stay on during vigorous running and allow you to hear practically everything around you while soaking up missed podcasts on a long run.

Should you get a pair?

If you value safety over audio quality on the run, the Shokz OpenRun Pro is a no-brainer.
They’re excellent for podcasts and audiobooks on the open road or at home.
However, you may find them wanting a little in music quality as higher pitches and voices overcome lower tones.
The OpenRun Pro’s versatility while on the run is telling.
“There’s no good way to advocate for letting the voices into your head, but you won’t regret it.”