SHOKZ OpenRun - Open-Ear Bluetooth Bone Conduction Headphones

I’m a huge advocate of not riding with headphones because it diminishes the experience, keeps you isolated and eliminates your situational awareness.

Situational awareness has always been a pet peeve for me - as in other users not having a clue as to what’s going on in their immediate surroundings. Because of that, I’ve always opted to ride without in-ear headphones. In all the years, I’ve been riding I’ve come across other trail users wearing in-ear headphones, even noise cancelling, headphones who are just oblivious to their surroundings, and usually, after calling out and/or ringing a loud bell like the ROCKBROS several times, they get offended at your final “level” of communication.

I also have hearing loss. It’s hard enough for me to hear anything (ask my riding buddies) without something in my ears. So, adding headphones exasperates the situation.

That said, I’ve always seen my buddy Paul sporting these bone conducting headphones, and while on a recent trip to Korea I saw and tested them during a quick outing.

I was so surprised by the quality of the sound, and the ability to still be aware, that I decided to give them a shot, especially since I was heading out on a 40-mile ride along Skyline Dr. I figured that would be the perfect opportunity to give the SHOKZ a shot. So, here are a few quick first impressions…

• They were super easy to connect to my phone; instructions were clear. no wires :-)

• The fit is great. It took me a little while to get the hang of popping them on my head and turning them on. For some reason, I kept putting the loop in the front. They sure beat in ear headphones that are hard to fit and keep snug in your ear.

• The connection audible is super useful and great validation that you are ready to go.

• Sound quality is phenomenal, but us you increase the volume you feel the “vibrations” from the headphones.

• I love that you can also use them for calls. I’m not entirely sure what the quality is at the other end, but I can clearly hear callers.

• The louder the environment, the less distracting the SHOKZ are. That is a good thing, you can hear what’s going on around you.

• It took me a few tries, but now I know where the pause button is but now I can quickly reach up and hit it with my right hand.

Overall first Impressions is that I like these. They fit nice and snug and are not so loud that I cannot hear what’s going on around me. I highly recommend these if you are looking for an alternative to in-ear headphones to use while you ride.

9/17/23 Update

It’s been a couple of weeks since I received my SHOKZ and i still love them.

I used them on the Skyline ride and it was great having music as a companion during the long climbs when I was all alone. It was nice being able to quickly reach up and pause things when other riders rolled up so I could have a semi-coherent conversation - remember, I still can’t hear.

I’ve also used them on a mountain bike ride but enjoyed them less. The verdict on that i still out, but I don’t think I’ll be using them much on the trail (hiking or biking), not because of the sound, but just because I’m a purist [snob] who wants to soak the entire experience.

I have been using them often when I walk the dog, when I’m doing chores and before I go to bed to listen to books. Overall I’m highly satisfied with my purchase and would highly recommend the SHOXZ Bone Conducting Headphones to anyone looking for an alternative to in-ear headphones.

You can purchase the SHOXZ Bone Conducting Headphones from Amazon. Some of the links on this post are affiliate links. This means that if you click the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All of the impressions and opinions above are my own.. Clicking and purchasing items using my affiliate ID helps me keep providing you with content and is very much appreciated.