Ditch those noise-canceling headphones is my advice to anyone who walks, runs, cycles or does just about anything outside. I love my great big over-the-ear headphones with spectacular noise canceling, but it's critical to hear the world around me and not just my favorite music or podcast when I'm close to fast-moving cars and heavy traffic. Instead, I want something like OpenFit's true wireless headphones from Shokz.
I love a good pair of headphones, but I don't love spending a ton on them. My threshold is about $100, which is why when all of my cycling friends started raving about bone-conduction headphones a few years back, I was more than a little hesitant because I would probably only use them when working out.
The Shokz OpenFit headphones are currently $160, an 11% discount, thanks to Amazon's Big Spring Sale. These headphones are designed to be used in places where bone conduction may not be enough, and as a result, I'm rarely seen without mine on. You can grab these headphones at a great price in both black and beige.
A week after I picked these up, I was nearly sideswiped by a pickup truck, and the only thing that saved me was hearing it come up behind me. There's a reason these are recommended on our list of the best running headphones you can buy.
If you're looking for outdoor-friendly workout headphones, my first recommendation is always Shokz, formerly known as Aftershokz. Bone-conduction headphones sit just outside your ear, resting on the bone. Music vibrates through a set of pads into your skull, and you hear those sounds as if they're coming from a speaker a few feet away.
You can hear everything you're listening to on your phone without interrupting the sounds coming from the rest of the world around you. For cyclists and runners — really anyone who does anything outside — this is a game-changing experience. It's more accurate and pleasing than normal headphones with "passthrough mode," and you sacrifice very little in audio quality.
My favorite bone-conduction headphones — and I've tried them all — are the OpenRun Pro headphones from Shokz. They're waterproof (which means they're easy to clean when I'm all sweaty), the battery lasts me about 7 hours on a charge (perfect for those 70-mile riding days), and they're comfortable enough that I can wear them all day and not feel them pressing on me. They charge magnetically with a proprietary charger, but Shokz includes two cables in the box in case you lose things as I do.
If these headphones are a little rich for your blood, no worries. Shokz also has cheaper OpenRun and OpenMove bone-conduction headphones (the latter is currently 25% off) with up to 6 hours of battery life and IP55 dust and water resistance. Whether you're physically active outdoors or you just like exploring new things, I highly recommend giving these headphones a try.
The Shokz OpenMove make a great gift for an outdoor runner
The Shokz make a great gift, either for yourself or the outdoor runner in your life. Not only are they the best of their kind, but gifting these to a runner may also give you some peace of mind to know they're a little safer when they're out running alongside busy streets or other high-traffic areas.
For more, check out the best deals under $25 from Amazon's Big Spring sale and even more headphone deals.
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