Shokz OpenRun review: budget-friendly running headphones

The Shokz OpenRun are a great set of bone conduction headphones, using vibrations on your cheekbones to recreate sound. As with any of the best bone conduction headphones, this leaves your ears open, so you can keep aware of your surroundings.

That's why this style of headphone is so popular with those who train outdoors, especially runners (hence, the OpenRun name). After looping them around our head for many workouts, we found that the Shokz OpenRun sound good and have a secure fit — two important factors.

But the waterproofing and long battery life could be enough to make fitness fans convert. So, stick with us for our Shokz OpenRun review to find out if these could be the right choice for your workouts, commutes, or runs.

Shokz OpenRun review: price and availability

The Shokz OpenRun were originally released in October 2020 under the name AeroShokz Aeropex, later renamed following the company's rebrand to Shokz.

At launch, they retailed for $129, but with the subsequent release of upgraded models like the OpenRun Pro 2 ($179), you can often pick up a set for below $100.

Shokz OpenRun review: design and comfort

The design is broadly similar to that of other bone conduction models, with the vibration drivers on the ends of over-ear hooks that connect to each other via a thin but rigid yoke. Thanks in part to this barely-there weight, the OpenRun lands perfectly between comfort and the kind of secure fit you’d want from a set of sport headphones.

I couldn’t shake the OpenRun off, or even loose, but it never felt like the drivers were clamping down on my head. I could wear these for hours without complaint — and I have. Still, it’s worth noting that you can’t adjust the OpenRun in any way.

You can get a smaller “Mini” version for the same price, which Shokz recommends if the distance between the backs of your ears is less than 9.3 inches, though with both this and the standard model you’re relying solely on the flexibility of the yoke.

Not that the OpenRun are shoddily made. If anything, the opposite is true: The whole thing has a pleasant soft-touch finish, and they're IP67-rated for both dustproofing and waterproofing. Although Shokz says you shouldn’t take the OpenRun swimming, it will survive full submersion in up to 1 metre of fresh water for up to 30 minutes. 

It's worth noting here that the company also has a fully waterproof model called the OpenSwim Pro. It offers better durability and is our pick the best swimming headphones.

Shokz OpenRun review: controls and digital assistant

The OpenRun uses physical buttons, which makes sense; touch sensors rarely play well with sweat and water. A single multifunction (MF) button sits on the left driver housing, while a volume rocker (which integrates the power button) is on the underside of the rectangular section behind the right ear hook.

The selection of controls is basic but functional. Besides the self-evident volume adjustment, the MF button can pause or play with a single tap, or skip ahead with a double tap.

While that might sound underwhelming to earbud owners who can triple-tap and swipe to perform additional inputs, it is enough for normal playback, and I never had to repeatedly attempt an input as if the buttons were finicky tough sensors.

Besides, there’s one more use for the MF button. Holding it down will activate Google Assistant or Siri, depending on your phone, and the onboard microphone has no trouble picking up voice commands. It all works effortlessly and seamlessly.

Shokz OpenRun review: Sound quality

If you've not tried bone conduction headphones before, don't expect audiophile-level performance, but the OpenRun hold up well in this space offering clear (if sometimes quiet) audio and a rounded, but not exceptional, high, mid and low performance.

Electronic parts seem particularly compatible with being shot through a skeleton. The main synth riff in The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” wasn’t diminished at all, and La Roux’s “Bulletproof” was pleasantly punchy. Vocals are usually nice and clear too, and delivered with enough detail that it’s possible to pick out all the layers of “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

Guitar-heavy tracks can be hit or miss; there’s enough low-end for enjoyable renditions of Biffy Clyro’s epic “Mountains” or the dynamic, swaying “Rope” by Foo Fighters. Certain effects can sound scratchy, though, and the bass never goes truly, powerfully deep.

Shokz OpenRun review: Features

There’s no companion app for the OpenRun, and in truth it doesn’t really have any bonus features beyond the waterproofing and digital assistant support.

Even so, it’s worth restating the efficacy of its water, sweat and dust protection. Even expensive earbuds struggle to match the OpenRun’s IP67 rating; the Jabra Elite 8 Active just about top it, with IP68, but those buds are a rarity, with most landing at IPX5 or below.

The OpenRun also provide a “Moisture Detected Alert”: When connected to the charging cable, they can sense if there’s any moisture around the cable connectors. If you haven’t dried them properly, the OpenRun will simultaneously beep, flash a red and blue warning LED and continuously vibrate. It’s a thoughtful touch, and could help prevent accidental damage down the line. 

Shokz OpenRun review: battery life

Shokz rates the OpenRun for 8 hours of music and calls, but I got nearly 14 hours of pure music playback on a single charge.

There’s no charging case, so you'll always need to recharge using the included USB cable, but this longevity batters most true wireless earbuds on a per-charge basis. Even the JLab Epic Air Sport ANC, one of the longest-lasting we’ve tested, can’t match up — though in fairness that has the added drain of active noise cancellation.

Shokz OpenRun review: call quality and connectivity

Call quality is a rare stumble for the OpenRun. I apparently sounded somewhat fuzzy in comparison to both my handset and the conventional headphones I usually use for calls, and loud background noise was a common complaint too.

On the bright side, the Bluetooth 5.0 connection was always rock-steady. There were no dropouts or degradation around or even beyond the “official” 33-foot range; this might come in handy if you’re at the gym and want to leave your phone safe in a locker.

Should you buy the Shokz OpenRun?

The Shokz OpenRun are, admittedly, an unusual kind of Editor’s Choice award winner — unless you want an open-ear pair of headphones specifically, they're not something we’d ordinarily recommend. It’s just too easy to get better sound quality from an in-ear set of the best workout headphones.

But if you do want to keep your ability to listen for ambient sounds, there aren’t many better options. Remember that by the standards of bone-conduction headphones specifically, the OpenRun actually sound good, and their durability and fit are practically perfect for running and workouts.