The Shokz OpenFit Air would’ve been good if not for my glasses

Two years in the past, I assumed my quest for the perfect operating earbuds was over. The Beats Match Professional have been merely good in each method. Then I moved to the suburbs. The Beats’ ambient mode was no match for North Jersey drivers’ blatant disregard for pace limits. Open-ear headphones appeared like the plain reply. However which of them? For just a few weeks, I dabbled with some bone conduction headphones, however I missed my bass drops an excessive amount of. That, in flip, led me to strive the $119.95 Shokz OpenFit Air.

Whereas Shokz is finest identified for its bone conduction tech, the OpenFit Air makes use of conventional air conduction like some other wi-fi buds. The speaker sits above your ear canal, whereas ear hooks maintain them securely in place. I usually don’t want ear hooks — consolation tends to be hit and miss. However I’ll give something a go if it means I get to have situational consciousness with out giving up my bass.

The excellent news: the bass is higher. The unhealthy information is, it’s not by a lot. In truth, no open-ear headphones are nice at bass, however these are not less than much less muddy than bone conduction. If I’m operating subsequent to a busy avenue, I truly can hear the rumbly “five-star Michelin” verse in “God’s Menu” by Stray Children. It’s not crystal clear — however I can hear it as a substitute of sighing and wishing I had my Beats Match Professional. (All bets are off when you’re close to a freeway, although.)

Except for bass, the speaker place means you’ll be able to hear your content material fairly effectively, however open-ear buds at all times have limitations. I wore these on a number of commutes to the workplace. A quiet NJ Transit bus or prepare? No drawback. A loud New York Metropolis subway drowned out my audiobooks to the purpose the place I gave up listening to something in any respect. I by no means received any complaints about sound leakage, however I think about that’s as a result of the NYC subway is simply too loud for anybody to listen to something.

As train buds, these are an important choice. They’ve about six hours on a single cost, and a 10-minute cost will get you two hours of use, which isn’t too shabby except you’re an ultramarathoner. With IP55, you’ll be able to work up a pleasant sweat or deal with a little bit of rain, although I’d be cautious of a full-on downpour. They’re cozy and fairly safe — that’s, till you place some glasses on.

Whereas the hooks are pliable and comparatively skinny, they took up loads of house behind my ears. On days once I didn’t put on contacts, the highest of my ears felt crowded and weighed down. That heavy sensation made me paranoid that the Air would fall off, and I’d go to readjust them. Typically, that ended up with me by chance triggering the contact controls. Even once I didn’t put on glasses, I unintentionally dislodged the Air each time I brushed my bangs behind my ears. I don’t love that, as somebody who’s been traumatized one too many instances by chasing after a bud that fell out of my ear mid-run. To be honest, you could not have these points. A few of that is doubtless right down to the form of my ears and the very fact my glasses have chunkier arms. However when you actually desire a safe match, a wraparound design is a better option.

To my shock, I ended up preferring the Air for on a regular basis put on. Possibly it’s simply me, however bone conduction headphones scream health in a method that feels a bit bizarre once I’m operating errands. These remind me extra of the sleeker, extra discreet Bose Extremely Open Earbuds. My favourite technique to put on these was once I was cooking or cleansing. I might simply take heed to my audiobooks or podcasts, maintain an ear out for beeping home equipment, and maintain the naughty cat from attempting to eat my dinner straight from the pan.

If I had higher imaginative and prescient, these may’ve ended my quest for a Beats Match Professional different. They’re fairly inexpensive at $120, bass is first rate for a pair of open-ear buds, they usually’re cozy. I would like one thing only a smidge safer for days once I don’t really feel like popping lenses in. Alas, the hunt continues.