Shokz OpenRun Pro 2: Two Minute Review
The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 are particularly great for runners, especially long distance and trail runners. While they won't last as long as needed for an Ultramarathon (what can?), they are among the best headphones for running out there.
like him best open headphonesThey allow you to hear your surroundings in a way that even the best wireless headphones With good ambient/transparency modes you can't. They are also extremely lightweight, stable, and have long battery life. Shokz also added air conduction technology to improve sound quality, as bone conduction headphones typically lag in this area compared to more traditional options.
It's no surprise, considering how bone conduction headphones work. At higher volumes, these types of headphones tend to create a vibrating sensation that can be unpleasant, even nauseating, depending on your sensitivity. The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 does not create this sensation for the most part, with one exception that I will mention later.
Before we get to that, we should take a look at the design of the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2. They fit the general mold of bone conduction headphones; There is the part that contains the in-ear drivers connected to the electronics via an over-ear loop. Both sides are connected by a wrap-around headband, while the entire thing is covered in silicone to provide some waterproofing. In this case, it's IP55, surprisingly worse than the lower-tier Shokz OpenRun with its IP67 rating.
Where these headphones differ a little from the competition is the fact that, in addition to offering four color combinations (black, silver, orange and a signature Kipchoge white and a silver and orange), you can choose between “standard” and “mini”. ' size headbands, while most bone conduction headphones come with one size fits all.
This is a good inclusion. In fact, I might have benefited from the smaller headband, as I could feel it move a little if I shook my head. Still, the fit was stable and neither the drivers nor the section that goes over or behind the ears moved at all. On top of that, it's very lightweight, only weighing around 30 grams, so you'll barely feel them, unlike many in-ear headphones that start to hurt after being stuck in your ear canals for a while.
As far as the controls go, I was a little confused at first as two of them, used for power, pairing and volume controls, are located under the right side behind the ear, while a third button is located on the controller section on the left side. It is used to change songs. It's not a big deal (other than highlighting my mistake in not reading the manual right away), but I'm used to having all the controls on one side. Fortunately, they are quite responsive to touch.
There is a USB-C port on the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2, which might explain why the IP rating is a little lower than expected here, even if it has a silicone cover. On the plus side, using this port allows for faster charging compared to the old magnetic port, as five minutes plugged in will yield two and a half hours of battery life. Of course, you will need a full hour to charge up to 100% or twelve hours of use.
It's also worth mentioning that the only form of connectivity here is its speedy Bluetooth 5.3. There's no built-in storage or MP3 player – if that's a consideration for you, you'll want to check out our best waterproof headphones guide, many of which come with MP3 storage.
The feature set of the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 is a bit limited compared to wireless headphones. Since these headphones have an open-ear design, there is no active (or passive) noise cancellation. Any type of adjustment mostly involves playing with the equalization (EQ), which is available in the app, although you can hold down the volume up and down buttons simultaneously during playback to cycle through the different EQ options.
As for the different equalizer options, there are already six modes available, along with a five-band equalizer for a more personalized touch, which you can save as a new equalizer mode. Of those already available, there is a standard, vocal, bass, treble, classic and volume boost.
Classic mode turns off air conduction for a purer bone conduction experience, which also reintroduces that vibrating feeling when the volume is too loud, something I (and many) find uncomfortable. Luckily, it's the only scenario where I actually experienced that phenomenon.
Multipoint connectivity is also available, although you must activate it in the app. While not a deal breaker, be aware of the fact that there is no in-ear detection, so music will still play when you take off the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2.
The improvements in the new generation of bone conduction headphones have been really encouraging, namely that the audio quality is better than before and that I don't experience those disconcerting vibrations at higher volumes (see my review of the H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multisport for an equally enhanced audio experience).
The audio quality has improved for two reasons. The first is the fact that the OpenRun Pro 2 uses the company's 10th generation bone conduction technology. The second, and possibly more important, is that these headphones also use air conduction. In essence, these are hybrid headphones, rather than bone conduction headphones.
Having listened to all types of genres, from Indie and Metal to Hip Hop and Folk, I can say that they are all fun to listen to. The high end is quite present with great clarity, although everything feels a little muted, as if the headphones' natural frequency range diminishes a little with higher frequencies. The mids are full, almost too full, so any audio I hear is full-bodied. The bass is a little delayed, so music with a lot of background won't sound as loud.
Because the highs and lows are not as prominent as the mids, the music has a slight snare quality. They sound great for the form factor, but they won't replace anyone's headphones as listening devices outside of a run or the gym.
Since these are open earbuds, there are some leaks. However, it's not as noticeable unless you use them in a quiet environment. If you use them on the trail, other runners presumably without headphones might pick up a bit of what you're hearing, but only if they're very close to you.
Lastly, the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 can be used to receive and make calls. Call quality is quite good with plenty of clarity, although the speaker's voice will sound a little distant compared to talking on the phone regularly.
Shokz OpenRun Pro 2: Specifications
| Drivers | not specified |
| Active noise cancellation | No |
| Battery life | Up to 12 hours |
| Weight | 30.3 ±0.5g |
| Connectivity | bluetooth 5.3 |
| Frequency range | 20Hz – 20kHz |
| Waterproofing | IP55 |
| Other features | Multipoint connectivity |
Shokz OpenRun Pro 2: Price and availability
- How much does it cost? $179.95 / £169.00 / AU$319.00
- When will it be available? Available now
- Where can you get it? Available in US, UK and Australia
You can spend quite a bit less than the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2's starting price of $179.95 / £169.00 / AU$319.00 for a pair of bone conduction headphones. Shokz's most affordable price Open execution opt for $129.95 / £129.95 / AU$219.00, for example. And of course, there are many much cheaper and lesser-known options on Amazon.
And there aren't many options that offer more either. Some of those that do are a little more specialized, such as water sports. H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multisportwhich costs $199.99 / £155.68 (around AU$310) and includes 8GB of storage, an MP3 player and a special feature for recording playlists, so you don't need your phone.
Still, in my opinion, the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 are worth the price for the simple reason that they combine air conduction technology with bone conduction for a better audio experience and to minimize the sensation of vibration that normally accompanies the use of headphones. bone conduction. .
As a value proposition, the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 may not be a great deal, but it is worth the price.
Shokz OpenRun Pro 2: scorecard
| Attributes | Grades | Classification |
| Worth | They are expensive, but what the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 has to offer is worth it. | 4/5 |
| Design | Stable and lightweight, there's little to criticize here, although I wish all the buttons were on one side. | 4.5/5 |
| Performance | Although it sounds a bit boxy, the audio quality is very good for bone conduction headphones. | 4.5/5 |
| Average rating | Great, especially if you're looking for something that allows you to go on long runs. | 4.5/5 |
Should I buy the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2?
Buy it if…
Don't buy it if…
Also consider
how i tried it
- Tested for a couple of weeks
- I listened to different types of media.
- I tried all the different features.
I spent a couple of weeks using the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 as a training headset. While using them, I listened to all kinds of genres, from electronic and hip-hop to rock and acoustic music, to get an idea of what they sound like. I also tried the different functions, especially the equalizer settings.
After testing, it's clear that these are, according to their namesake, flagship headphones for runners. They are ideal due to the open ear design coming from bone and air conduction, they are very light and have good battery life. Plus, they sound pretty good. Check out our guide to how bone conduction headphones work for more details on how headphones like these work.
I've spent the last few years reviewing audio equipment and I've spent even more time using my critical ear as a listener and musician to understand what sounds good and what doesn't.
- First review in December 2024