Shokz OpenFit Review: Unreliable But Comfy

Shokz is one of essentially the most reliably fascinating firms I cowl, which is saying rather a lot. In its first iteration, it made bone conduction headphones, which performed soundwaves by your cranium, that had been so profoundly uncomfortable, we mentioned we’d quite not put on headphones in any respect. Then 2022’s OpenRun Pro (8/10, WIRED Recommends) by some means grew to become considered one of my favourite pairs of exercise headphones. They had been mild, safe, and surprisingly great-sounding, and allowed me to maintain an ear out for visitors or youngsters whereas nonetheless listening to podcasts whereas biking or working within the backyard.

So I used to be immensely curious concerning the firm’s newest product. In a briefing, Shokz spokespeople famous that prospects needed comfy, all-day headphones that didn’t circle your neck and didn’t should be securely wedged, match, or heat-molded into your ear canal. Hence, the OpenFit are open-ear headphones that depend on “air conduction” expertise. They are tiny audio system that ship sound from instantly above your ear canal.

Do the earbuds work completely? No. But are these among the extra fascinating headphones I’ve ever tried? Yes, and in a crowded market, that’s rather a lot.

Hangers On

The OpenFit buds are available in a compact, palm-size case with an influence indicator mild and a USB-C charging port. Each bud is roofed with a comfortable silicone and has a slim ear hook, with a tiny weight on the backside to carry it in place. Each bud weighs 8.3 grams, or about 3 grams greater than my Beats Fit Pro (9/10, WIRED Recommends). I didn’t discover the burden distinction that a lot.

The headphones got here with directions on find out how to slide the buds into place, however I nonetheless needed to affirm with Shokz instantly. It simply doesn’t look like this could work. You slide the headphone again and tuck the physique of the unit behind the tragus of your ear. (That’s the little nubbin that stands proud and shields your ear canal, and, sure, I needed to search for what it’s known as.)

It works, however it simply doesn’t really feel that safe, particularly for those who’re not sitting quietly at your desk. It wasn’t till I attempted the OpenFit that I noticed that my ears actually are the coat hooks of my head. I tuck my lengthy hair behind them; I placed on sun shades each time I am going exterior and push them up on high of my head. With nearly each motion, I dislodged the OpenFits and needed to discover them in my hair or on the ground.

I additionally by chance pushed the buttons rather a lot. The buttons themselves are unreliable; generally they’re delicate sufficient that readjusting my hair can cease a tune. Other instances I can determinedly faucet “skip” a number of instances at a stoplight with none consequence in any way.

I attempted carrying them in considered one of my favourite methods to make use of the OpenRun Pro, to take heed to music whereas biking to choose my youngsters up from faculty. But the mixture of hair, sun shades, and bike helmet was an excessive amount of for the OpenFits. I spent the entire experience paralyzed in worry that I might by chance faucet the testers out and crush them beneath my bike wheels, so once I bought to my youngsters’ faculty I put them again into my pocket for the experience dwelling.

Wave Motion

I love the hubris of an organization that claims to have invented air conduction expertise. Most sound waves are performed by air—air is the medium that’s in between you and your audio system, in any case—however making a speaker this tiny, that sounds this good, designed for use this near your ear, is definitely fairly a feat.