The best workout earbuds I've ever worn helped me hit my marathon PR. Here's how the Shokz OpenFit 2 Plus earbuds and their Dolby Audio sound keep me motivated

A self-photo of the author wearing the Shokz OpenFit 2 Plus earbud in his left ear.

I gave the Shokz OpenFit 2 earbuds a five-star review back in February, praising them for addressing most of the problems that made the 2023 OpenFits a flawed but promising workout companion. I've now moved on to the OpenFit 2 Plus earbuds, which means I've spent two straight years wearing them across thousands of miles of running.

I've switched sporadically to bone conduction earbuds or smart glasses like the Oakley Meta Vanguard; I'll take any open-ear solution that preserves situational awareness for outdoor runs. But when I needed a marathon companion for four hours, I wore the OpenFit 2 Plus.