Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 review: it’s hard to imagine a better pair of running headphones

Choosing the best headphones is always a compromise. You could buy the most powerful, noise-cancelling, bass-pounding, ear-smothering units on the planet, but – from the lack of waterproofing to the risk of your ears overheating – they’d be absolutely useless for running.

Bone-conducting models, meanwhile, are lightweight, fit snugly on your noggin, and don’t shut out ambient sounds. Unfortunately, you generally have to sacrifice audio quality (particularly on bass notes) when you’re listening to your favourite tunes.

These OpenRun Pro 2 headphones are something of a hybrid, however. Bone-conduction specialist Shokz has built additional, more conventional air-based speakers into the headset to complement the sound being transmitted through your skull. But how does this new-look 'DualPitch' tech perform on the trail?

Design and features

Appearance-wise, Shokz (FKA AfterShokz) hasn’t reinvented the bone-conducting headphone wheel. You know the drill: two transducers hook over your ears, clamped to your head by a springy band, in this case constructed from silicone and a nickel-titanium memory alloy.

The OpenRun Pro 2s are available in three colorways – Black, Orange and a special orange/white edition endorsed by former marathon world record holder (and Shokz global ambassador) Eliud Kipchoge. You can also buy the headphones in Standard and Mini fits. This Shokz video can help you choose the right size.

Perhaps the biggest worry when you purchase bonephones is that the headband might break, rendering them utterly useless – as I discovered to my cost when someone (who shall remain nameless) trod on a previous pair, and revealed rather more of their internal electronics than I’d have liked.

These headphones are durable enough to survive being shoved in a daypack, though they do come with a reassuringly solid zip case to help keep them in one piece – a step up from the cloth bag you get with some models, like the Suunto Sonics . The case also has a slot for a charging cable.

Speaking of which, the OpenRun Pro 2 is charged via the now-standard USB-C connection, its power socket protected from the elements by a handy little rubber cover. At just a foot long (30cm), the cable supplied is a little on the short side – you’ll find your headphones dangle from many plug sockets – but USB-C has become so ubiquitous that you’re bound to have a longer version somewhere in the house.

Connectivity and sound

Pairing the headset with your device is as simple as turning it on, holding down the power/volume-up button until the LED indicator flashes blue and red, and looking for Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 in your Bluetooth settings.

Of course, that should be the bare minimum for any Bluetooth device, and for me the revelation was what came next.

Even using the out-of-the-box 'Standard' setting, the sound quality was a significant step up from any bone-conduction headphones I’d used before. Even bassier tones sounded good, with none of the buzzing that sometimes occurs at higher volumes.

Shokz claims that its new DualPitch technology uses the boney bit to handle the trebles and the mids, while the air speaker takes care of the bass. It sounds like jargon, but the OpenRun Pro 2s really deliver on the promise. In fact, when “Bass Boost” is switched on (via the Shokz app – more on that in the Operation section below), there really isn’t much to choose between these headphones and a set of in-air buds.

The range is good enough that you can keep listening a good distance away from your device. My standard test for Bluetooth devices is whether I can keep listening when I go to make a cup of tea in the kitchen at the far end of the house, and these bonephones pass with flying colors.

MultiPoint Pairing promises to allow you to switch your headphones between two devices seamlessly. I tested this out with my iPhone and iPad, and can confirm that the OpenRun Pro 2s transitions between a song and a TV show with minimal effort.

Operation

When you’re out running, you don’t want to be messing around with complicated controls. My main issue with the OpenRock X air-conducting headphones, for example, was the fiddly nature of the buttons, but there’s no such issues here – everything is intuitive and seemingly foolproof.

The left-hand transducer features a single multifunction button, which can be used to play/pause music and answer phone calls (one click); skip forward to the next song (two clicks); and skip back to the previous song (three clicks). The right-hand arm, meanwhile, is home to the volume controls, which also double as the on/off switch.

Although you can happily use the OpenRun Pro 2s without it, the Shokz app adds extra nuance to the user experience. As well as checking your battery levels, you can switch between four in-built audio modes (“Standard”, “Vocal”, “Bass Boost” and 'Treble Boost') or create your own bespoke EQ settings. You can also update the headphones’ firmware.

I’ve seen more sophisticated apps for comparable products, but this one is easy to use, and does most of the things you need it to.

On the trails

The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 headphones have become my go-to choice pretty much anytime I want to listen to music or a podcast. They’ve accompanied me on road runs in Bath, on trails in Cornwall, Devon and Staffordshire, and have also stepped up to the task when I’m walking into town, cooking or doing the housework – they’re particularly useful around the house because I don’t miss inevitable shouts of, “Dad, can I…?!”

The sound quality is consistently impressive. Spoken-word podcasts are loud and clear – though I’m not a fan of the Vocal setting, which can sound a bit tinny – while the thumping bass is welcome when you’re pushing yourself at the end of a long run. I get many hours of use between charges, and it’s also useful to know that plugging the headphones in for 5-10 minutes is enough to power them up for a couple of hours on the trails if you’re short on time.

As I have a large head I’ve been wearing the Standard fit. They clamp to my head perfectly, not so tight as to be uncomfortable, but snug enough to ensure they’re not going to fall off. They certainly feel less prone to unwanted shifting than my glasses, and I’m pretty sure they’d stay in place if I wore them on a rollercoaster – alas, I don’t have one readily to hand to put this hypothesis to the test.

There’s no question the OpenRun Pro 2’s IP55 IP rating for waterproofing (billed as sweat-resistant) is a step back from the IP67 of my old Shokz Aeropex model or the slightly cheaper OpenRun – presumably a consequence of introducing tiny grilles for the air-based speakers. But while a little more waterproofing would be good for peace of mind when using a relatively pricey product, these headphones have come through numerous downpours intact, and don’t seem particularly susceptible to rain damage.

As with all bone-conduction headphones, the Shokz OpenRun 2s can struggle to compete against background noise, whether it’s traffic, public transport or wind. Phone calls are particularly hard work when the weather gets gusty but, frankly, on the rare occasion that I need to make a call in blustery conditions I’ll go old-school and hold the phone to my ear.

And sure, it would be nice if they fit conveniently in the pocket of my jeans when I’m out for the evening, but that really isn’t what these headphones are designed for.

But these are minor niggles. Compromises are always a necessity with headphones, but frankly these are compromises I’m prepared to make for this genuinely impressive piece of kit.

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