Shokz OpenRun Pro review

Editor's Note

• Original review date: July 2022
• OpenRun Pro 2 launched August 2024
• Launch price: $179 / £159.95 / AU$250
• Official price now: $179 / £159.95 / AU$250

Update: November 2024. The Shokz OpenRun Pro are some of the best bone conduction headphones on the market, but they're no longer Shokz's latest and greatest. The company unveiled its OpenRun Pro 2 earlier this year, and the new version boasts better audio thanks to a new driver for the high and mid ranges. There's also an integrated air conduction driver for bass, new dynamic 3D audio, and four EQ modes.

Vibrations have also been reduced, and you'll get an extra two hours of battery life to boot. However, you'll find the OpenRun Pro 2 often priced at around $179 / £159.95 / AU$250, whereas the original OpenRun can often be found for less than $100/£100 in major deals events. As such, if you can get them at a good price, they're definitely still worth considering in 2024.

Stephen Warwick

Two-minute review

Shokz (formerly known as AfterShokz) has long held the top spot in our guide to the best running headphones, and the OpenRun Pro are its best-sounding headphones yet.

The main difference between this new set of headphones and the Shokz OpenRun (originally called the Aeropex) is the addition of new bass transducers to the pads that channel vibrations to your aural nerve.

The upgrade is immediately noticeable when you hit play, and means opting for bone conduction rather than in-ear headphones no longer means a big compromise on sound quality. It's particularly impressive if you enjoy heavy music, which is far richer than with other bone conduction headphones.

The downside of the new transducers is the way they vibrate more noticeably against your skin. It's no more than a tickle, but if you prefer to run with the volume high then you may find it becomes irritating over time. All bone conduction headphones suffer from this to some extent (it's pretty much unavoidable due to the way they work) but the extra bass means it's particularly tangible here.

The other upgrades here are small, but thoughtfully designed. For example, the control buttons used to adjust power, volume, and tracks are now slightly larger so they're easier to press when you're wearing the headset. Shokz has also relocated the OpenRun Pro's charging connector so it's no longer occupying the same area as the buttons, and is easier to use.

Like the recently upgraded OpenRun, the OpenRun Pro have a quick charge feature that gives you an hour and a half of playback after just five minutes of charging; a game-changer if you've forgotten to power them up and it's time to hit the gym. If you rely on tunes to get you through a workout, they come highly recommended.

Price and release date

• Most expensive Shokz to date
• Available to order now

The Shokz OpenRun Pro were announced at CES 2022 on January 5, 2022, and became available to pre-order from the company's website the same day for $179.95 (about £130 / AU$250). That makes them the most expensive headphones in the Shokz lineup.

For comparison, the Shokz OpenRun (originally known as the AfterShokz Aeropex) cost $159.95 / £149.95 (about AU$240) when they landed in October 2020. At the budget end of the range, the Shokz OpenMove launched at $99.95 / £79.95 (about AU$140),

Design

• Larger buttons than OpenRun
• Repositioned magnetic charging port
• IP55 water resistance rating

Shokz has struck upon a design that works, and the OpenRun Pro don't deviate from that formula. Following the same OpenFit schematic as the company's other headphones, they feature a pair of pads that sit on your cheekbones and transmit sound via vibrations to your aural nerve, leaving your ear canals open. These pads are joined by a flexible but springy titanium band, which keeps them firmly in place while you run without ever pinching (an issue we sometimes had with the budget Shokz OpenMove).

A large button on the left pad allows you to receive calls using the headset's built-in microphone, and the right pad features multi-functional controls for power, volume, track, and battery status.

The OpenRun Pro are currently available in black and blue.

At first glance, the new headphones looks almost identical to their predecessor, the OpenRun, but there are a few significant differences. Firstly, the control buttons are larger, making it easier to adjust the volume, skip tracks, and power the headphones on and off without seeing what you're doing. Holding the volume down button during playback will tell you whether the power level is high, medium, or low.

Secondly, the charging connector has been repositioned. Like the OpenRun, the OpenRun Pro use a proprietary magnetic charging cable, which is much easier to connect than the fiddly micro-USB used by older models. However, for the newer model, Shokz has moved the charging port so it's no longer in line with the control buttons, making the cable easier to connect.

In all other respects, the two headsets are very similar. The OpenRun Pro are very lightweight and comfortable, even for long runs, and their light titanium construction means they never bounce as you move.

They have a water resistance rating of IP55, which means they'll be fine when you're sweating hard or running in the rain, but aren't suitable for swimming. For that, you'll want a set of waterproof headphones like the Shokz OpenSwim.

Performance

The sound quality of the Shokz OpenRun Pro is extremely impressive. The new bass transducers make a real difference, and the overall result far surpasses anything we've experiences from bone conduction headphones in the past. We particularly enjoy a rock and metal playlist while running, and the OpenRun Pro are the first model that really does justice to heavy music. It's not on a par with a pair of top-tier conventional headphones yet, but the gap is definitely closing.

The downside of the extra bass is that you don't just hear it – you can also feel it as a more noticeable buzz against your face that pulses with each beat. All bone conduction headphones produce this effect to some degree at high volumes, but it's particularly noticeable with the OpenRun Pro.

The sensation isn't uncomfortable, and unless you crank the volume up high it's little more than a tickle, but if you're wearing the headphones while concentrating at work then you might find it a distraction.

Another frequent problem with bone conduction headsets is the sound leakage; with no silicone seal between the transducers and the outside world, it can be easy for those nearby to overhear your songs, audiobooks and phone calls. You might annoy workmates in a quiet office if you crank up the volume on the OpenMove Pro, but when kept at modest levels they're the least leaky Shokz headset we've tested to date.

Despite the improved bass, ambient noise is still clear thanks to the open-ear design. Many noise-cancelling headphones have a 'transparency' mode that uses a microphone to transmit external sound to your ear, but this doesn't give the same directional awareness you get from bone conduction headsets.

When AfterShokz announced that it was rebranding as 'Shokz' in December 2021, it also launched a new version of its Aeropex bone conduction headphones with quick charging. This is a feature that it's carried over to the OpenRun Pro, and a five-minute charge while you're getting changed and lacing up your running shoes will provide 1.5 hours of playback.

When the OpenRun Pro begin to run low on juice, a voice will warn you that it's time to charge them. You'll receive two warnings before the headset powers off, so if you're close to home or at your desk, you'll have time to plug them in.

A complete charge will keep your music playing for up to 10 hours (a figure matched in our tests) which is the most impressive battery life of any headset we've tested to date. If you've been turned off other bone conduction headphones due to their short playtime, it's well worth checking out the OpenRun Pro. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

• We've tested and ranked the best running watches