The best bone conduction headphones for 2023

Bone conduction headphones have taken the world by storm, and we’re all wondering about this relatively new and exciting audio technology. If you’ve never seen one of these headsets in the wild, the idea is relatively simple: A series of sound waves are generated by a set of conductors that rest along your jawbone. These waves cause vibrations in the skull and jaws that our inner ears register as sound.

With traditional headphones and earbuds, sound waves first have to pass through our eardrums before reaching the inner ear. That’s why bone conduction headphones are ideal for travelers, gym goers, and loud workplaces. Sounds from your immediate listening environment will still be heard (because your ears are technically headphone-free), but you’ll still be able to enjoy music and podcasts through the vibrations in your cranium. Similarly, open-ear earbuds and headphones are also a good choice for delivering external sound, but they should not be confused with bone conduction.

While most of the best bone conduction headphones are still made by Shokz (a company that gets three shoutouts in our roundup), there are several other brands that do an excellent job with this unique technology.

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shockz openrun pro

overall best

When Shockz was Aeropex and their headphones were called Aftershockz, they were the best bone conduction option in town. Luckily, nothing has changed since their rebrand. In fact, their bone conduction technology is better than ever, and these premium OpenRun Pro headphones are your best option for bone conduction technology.

The design has been updated for a more comfortable fit – something that’s always important with bone conduction headphones, which require a strong grip that doesn’t become uncomfortable over time – and the sound quality is improved. Is. The titanium frame is both slim and durable, and they’re capable of handling daily activities like jogging and biking. Additionally, they can exert severe pressure on the bottom of your workout bag. At 10 hours the battery isn’t the best in the world, but the fast-charge mechanism is welcome if you forget to recharge before a run and want to be ready.

shockz openrun pro

overall best

Haylu Purfree BC01

best on budget

Bone conduction technology can be expensive, which is why many of these extra-thin headphones aren’t that thin when it comes to price. If you’re looking for a model under $100 or so, we’re impressed with this version from Haylu. Like the OpenRun models, they’re designed to be waterproof to rain and sweat (like all of our picks for the best waterproof earbuds) while also delivering strong audio quality through bone conduction.

In addition to the traditional on-board controls, the headphones also offer a multifunction button to take a call (enhanced with noise-canceling features for calls) or turn on Siri or Google Assistant, making it a great option for those It becomes an excellent option for those who use voice assistants. However, battery life drops to eight hours compared to the 10 hours offered by the OpenRun Pro, and while quick charge is here, it’s not as good. The design uses titanium for a more flexible approach, but you may want to be more careful to avoid damaging these headphones.

Haylu Purfree BC01

best on budget

Mojave Mojo 2

best for exercise

Whether you’re a cycling enthusiast, a bodybuilder, or a fencing expert, sports fans around the world can make the most of Mojava’s excellent Mojo 2 bone conduction headset. Earning a solid IP67 rating, the Mojo 2 (aka the Run Air) headset is perfect for even the sweatiest of workouts. And because they fit comfortably and securely, you won’t have to worry about constantly adjusting them when you’re trying to get your reps in.

We’re glad that Mojave decided to pay a little more attention to bass as well, which is a part of the audio experience that typically takes a big hit with bone conduction headsets. This is thanks to the integrated maglev bass actuator, which amplifies the low frequencies traveling into the bones of your head and neck. These won’t give you the kind of effect we’ve come to expect from premium headphones or earbuds, but it’s certainly better than most bone conduction products.

As far as the battery is concerned, the Mojo 2 headset offers up to eight hours of power on a full charge, but that can drain faster if you’re working at higher volumes. However, to deal with this, Mojava designed the headset with quick charging in mind. Just 10 minutes of charging will give you an additional 90 minutes of music and podcasts. Additionally, if you want to save $20, Mojave Mojo 1 The models are very similar.

Mojave Mojo 2

best for exercise

Shox OpenSwim

best for swimming

Bone conduction headphones have another important feature – they are excellent for swimmers. Their unique design means they’re a little easier to make waterproof, and they’re not as prone to spills as earbuds are. But while in the water, you still get to listen to the tunes you want, no matter what you are doing.

Shokz have also fitted a number of important additional features into these headphones for swimming. It includes a nose clip and earplugs (which also help improve audio quality) and, most notably, a built-in MP3 player. This means you can pre-download your playlists to the headphones and play them without worrying about the Bluetooth connection, which can often be lost while hopping around the swimming pool. Battery life is still limited to eight hours, so make sure you charge before heading to the pool. If this pair doesn’t match your needs, we also have a full roundup of the best headphones for swimming.

Shox OpenSwim

best for swimming

shockz opencom

best for business

This OpenComm model from Shokz is built for more than just music. With its noise-canceling boom microphone, it allows easy communication in noisy environments, while also keeping your ears clear for safety and quick conversations with nearby teammates.

This makes these headphones ideal for truck drivers and others in the transportation industry, as well as those who work on factory floors or in other industrial capacities. Office workers can also enjoy these as an alternative to chatting with traditional headsets. The battery also offers 16 hours of talk time and eight hours of audio playback on a single charge.

shockz opencom

best for business

H20 Audio Multi-Sport

Best for internal storage

The H20 Audio may not be a brand of headphones we’ll be flocking to stores for, but if you’re looking for a solid bone conduction headset with a built-in memory bank for a favorite playlist or two, you should Look no further than the H20 Audio Multi-Sport Bone Conduction Headphones.

What wins us over with this model is that H20 Audio has thought of including up to 8GB of internal storage with this headset. Remember the days of MP3 players? H20 Audio does the same. And if you don’t feel like uploading tracks to Multi-Sport, that’s fine too, as the headset will still connect to your smartphone, tablet or laptop via Bluetooth.

Of course, this won’t be very useful if you’re going to use these IPX8-rated headphones for swimming, as Bluetooth doesn’t work well underwater. But if you’re on the ground and near your iPhone, you should have no problem enjoying music wirelessly.

With an additional six hours of battery life (with volume at 50 percent or less), the H20 Audio won’t take home any trophies for long-lasting performance, but if you’re using the headset at the gym or by the pool, Six hours of listening should be enough for most people.

H20 Audio Multi-Sport

Best for internal storage