Open-ear headphones are the only ones I use around the house, walking in the city or the grocery store, or even on an all-day kayaking session. And if you ask me, the Shokz OpenRun 2 are the best set around. They sound good, they last 12 hours on a charge, and when they’re done you can plug in a regular USB-C cable. Normally $180, Amazon has them for $124.95 on Prime Day.
Shokz open-ear Bluetooth headphones work by resting on your temples, just outside your actual ears, vibrating the bones in your head to deliver sound while keeping your ear canals open to the world around you. If you’ve never tried this before it takes some getting used to, and you won’t get the full range of sound and deep bass of conventional headphones. But for awareness of the world around you, they can’t be beat. They’re popular choices for runners and cyclists who want to stay safe, or anyone who just wants to talk to people or be a little more careful while listening in.
The OpenRun 2 design is fantastic. I’ve been using it for almost a year and I love just about everything about it, especially the lighter weight, water resistance, and longer battery life. My favorite feature is that unlike many similar designs, it can recharge with a standard USB-C cable, so there’s no need to carry around a proprietary charger. I think these things are absolutely worth it at full price, but at $124.99 for Prime members they’re a fantastic deal. Amazon has the hard-to-find orange colorway, too.
If you’re not a Prime member, you can get the same price on these headphones at Walmart, Best Buy, or even directly from the Shokz website. That might be a better option if you’re looking for a specific color, too.
Get Shokz OpenRun 2 headphones for $125
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But hey, $125 is still a lot to spend on headphones, especially if you’re not sure you’ll like the open-ear, bone conduction setup. If you’d like something a little more affordable, I can also recommend the Shokz OpenMove, which I’ve used for years. This is the same basic design, but the audio quality isn’t quite as good (though it’s still fine for audiobooks, YouTube videos, and calls) and the battery life is only 8 hours. Fortunately, this cheaper option still charges via USB-C and has some basic water resistance.
The OpenMove is usually $80, but Amazon Prime members can get it for $54.95 right now. And once again, if you’d like a non-Amazon option, you can get the same price at Best Buy, Walmart, and directly from Shokz.
With Prime Day underway, make sure to check out the best tech deals our experts have unearthed and our Prime Day live blog for fresh discounts.
Get Shokz OpenMove headphones for $55
