Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 Review: A Sound Upgrade
With more of us lacing up our running shoes, open-ear and bone conduction headphones continue to gain traction. Offering a level of spacial awareness unmatched by in-ear buds, they're fast becoming the go-to for those keen to say tuned-in to the world around them.
I am one of those people. Where I live and run, the amount of cars, scooters, bikes and pedestrians can be tough to navigate. Open-ear headphones make traversing the streets that bit easier. However, despite their benefits and burgeoning popularity, audio quality and lacklustre bass remain the technology's biggest flaws. With the release of the new Shokz OpenRun Pro 2, we may finally have a solution.
Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 Review
Audio
The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 are unique in that they utilise both bone and air conduction technology. Conduction pads send vibrations through your cheek bones into your eardrum, while small speakers pump music directly into your ear canal. Shokz claims this combo enables the OpenRun Pro 2 to hit mid, high and low tones – a feat that has thus far eluded the bone conduction market.
The result is impressive. I hit play on Spotify's 'Bass Heavy Mix' to test the headphone's capabilities. Black Sabbath, Muse and Nirvana were among the rock-heavy line-up. The OpenRun Pro 2 made easy work of Iron Maiden's Wrathchild intro, while jamming to Metallica's Pulling Teeth was anything but.
Overall, music from the OpenRun Pro 2 sounds full with plenty of depth. They don't compare to noice-cancelling buds and they don't generate the same wrap-around bass as over-ear headphones. But for open-ear audio, the sound is impressively clear.
Fit
The OpenRun Pro 2 mimic the shape and fit of most bone conduction headphones. Ear hooks rest comfortably around your ears, while the connecting neckband angles inwards so that the earbuds push gently against your temples.
The longest durations I wore them for was a two-hour run and an afternoon spent working at my desk. Neither occasion did they pinch or bother me in any way. In fact, when I paused the music, I sometimes forgot they were on my head.
Controls
The buttons are easy to access when you're on the move. Two volume controls sit on the main headphone unit behind your right ear, while a button on the earpiece in front of your left ear lets you pause and skip songs. Clicking buttons initiates a jingle that lets you know the device has recognised your command. Once I got used to their whereabouts, I had no trouble locating them while running and working out.
Bluetooth
Unlike its predecessors, the OpenRun Pro 2 features Bluetooth 5.3 with MutliPoint pairing, meaning you can connect the headphones to two devices at once. Personally, I'm not convinced how useful this feature is, but if you plan on wearing them at your desk, I can see the appeal of connecting to your laptop and phone simultaneously in order to take calls without pausing your music. If you also stream songs from your phone when you run but track your efforts with a fitness watch, you can receive distance and lap notifications while listening to music. I probably won't do either, but it's good to have nonetheless.
Charging
For charging, there's a USB-C port underneath the main unit on the right hand side. The port is enclosed behind what Shokz describes as an 'impenetrable' rubber seal for keeping out water and dust. There's a five-minute quick-charge function that generates 2.5 hours of playtime, while Shokz claims a full charge provides up to 12 hours of use. They also come with a storage case. It doesn't double as a charging dock, but it's nevertheless handy for keeping the device protected.
Price
The OpenRun Pro 2 retail for £169, which puts them among the most expensive open-ear headphones on the market and slightly more expensive than the previous OpenRun Pro. That's a lot if you plan on using a separate pair of in-ear or over-ear headphones for wearing day-to-day. If you also want your bone conduction headphones for swimming as well as dry-land, these aren't fully waterproof and can't store songs, so you may be better off getting the Shokz OpenSwim Pro instead.
Verdict
If I'm to judge the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 by what they are – running focussed open-ear headphones – then there's currently no device out there that delivers better audio with as much bass while still hitting all the markers in terms of fit, spacial awareness (provided the volume isn't too high), battery life and overall build quality. They're expensive, but if you're after premium open-ear running headphones, these are the pair I'd recommend.
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