Obviously, I'm an adonis with chiseled abs and arms like the T800 Terminator Ok, it's been over a year since I've been to the gym and if I went right now, after 5 minutes I'd just dribble onto the floor like a man-shaped blancmange.
My favorite activity has always been cardio as it feels like the physical manifestation of running away from my problems, while I may not go to the gym anymore I haven't given up running.
So one of my pet peeves is having to fiddle with earbuds every few minutes or having them feel loose or uncomfortable or worst of all, even fall out and have to look for them.
Shokz, formerly AfterShokz has been making sports-focused, open-ear wireless headphones since 2012. Using bone conduction which uses transducer pads that sit on your cheekbones to send vibrations to the inner ear instead of sending sound directly to your eardrum. It's a fascinating technology that really has to be felt to be believed.
When I first saw them I thought they looked old-fashioned considering how small and slim earbuds are today, as the OpenRun Pro is a one-piece unit. But as soon as I started using them I began to see the genius in this design.
The headphones wrap around the back of your head in order to not only stay securely in place but to allow sound to travel through the bones of the skull and jaw.
The Open Run Pro model comes in four colors black, blue, beige, and pink, although I'm boring and prefer black. It also comes with a compact carry case which not only kept them clean and safe but also stopped me from losing them as I can't just pocket them like regular buds.
The Shokz Openrun Pro has a very similar design to the rest of the Shokz line, following the philosophy "if it ain't broke..." with a hook design and pair of pads that sit comfortably pressed onto your cheekbones.
The bands are connected by a solid but flexible titanium band., while it may look odd this keeps them secure and prevents you from dropping them while running.
Despite having a metal band press the device onto you I found it comfortable even from prolonged use, which was really surprising.
They have an IP55 rating, so any water projected against the device from any direction won't damage it but submersion will so these aren't a set to wear in the pool but will be fine against rain and sweat.
They are very lightweight at only 28g making them even more comfortable to wear and due to their design, they were fine to wear with my glasses and with a helmet too.
Behind my right ear sits two buttons for turning the headset on and checking the battery level and adjusting the volume while the left ear pad features a play pause button and lets you answer calls.
The battery on the OpenRun Pro lasts around 10 hours which is decent battery life and due to its quick charge, it can also give you around 1.5 hours after just a 5-minute charge.
However, the OpenRun Pro uses its own proprietary charger to standard USB, which isn't a big issue but I prefer more universal ones like USB-C in case I lose the cable or when I'm out and about or at work and want to give it more juice.
Using their 9th Generation Bone Conduction Technology, the audio quality far surpassed what I expected. While still not quite as good as in-ear earbuds or headphones but they are undoubtedly fine for casual listening.
The OpenRun Pro surprised me with the quality of the mids and treble, but heavier tracks like metal, punk hip hop, and bass-heavy dance tracks came off really well, very sounding flat or tinny, however, you can obviously tell they can't quite match earbuds and headphones..yet.
One sensation you have to get used to straight away is the buzzing against your face, especially at higher volumes which some may find distracting but I got used to it pretty quickly especially if I was running or working.
Sound leaking was much better than other bone-conduction headsets I've used and my music and podcasts could only really be heard if they were at full volume and others were in close proximity.
The biggest advantage of them is that they do not block or cover your ears allowing you to be fully aware of your environment at all times, while I wouldn't like this for the gym, however, I loved it while I was out running, allowing me to spend a little less time focusing on my environment and allowing me to give my run, my all.
It was also handy for walking the dog. at night making me feel a little safer in the dark knowing nothing could sneak up on me. While at work they also came in handy allowing me to listen to music and podcasts without missing any questions or announcements.
It’s a strange feeling to get used to hearing music playing without anything in your ear and as there is very little sound bleeding through unless you have it on maximum volume in a quiet environment, you realise no one else car hears it, like some sort of focused auditory hallucination.
I also really loved not having to deal with the sweaty ears feeling I sometimes get from wearing buds or a headset all day.
The only problem is I can sometimes be overwhelmed by lots of noise if I'm trying to concentrate, so not being able to block my ears and turn on ANC is a disadvantage to someone like me who is easily derailed and distracted.
Shokz OpenRun Pro Verdict: 5/5
While they are not perfect and at around £150 they are not the cheapest headphones, but Shokz OpenRun Pro is the best bone conduction headphones I've ever used offering superior comfort and the clearest audio by far.
The Shokz OpenRun Pro's biggest weakness is also its greatest strength. While there is obviously no form of noise canceling as it let all sound into your ears, they also keep you present and aware of your environment which I found sometimes useful at work, and fantastic while skateboarding and running.
While it's a given that the OpenRun Pro is great for fitness enthusiasts, I was shocked at how useful they are in my everyday life too making me a little more present.
The Shokz Open Run Pro is available for £159.95 from the Shokz website.
