Best Buy is offering the lastest generation Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 Open-Ear Wireless Sport Headphones for the lowest price I’ve seen. Right now you can pick one up for just $129.99 with free delivery, a savings of 28% off the $160 list price. The OpenRun Pro 2 is the best non-earbuds headphones for running. While the AirPods Pro might be an excellent all-around earbud, the OpenRun Pro is a superior sport headphone when you need to be aware of your surroundings.
Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 Sport Headphones for $129.99
The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 is a more traditional styled sport headphone with the earbuds connected to a lightweight titanium band that goes around the back of your head. It does an excellent job of keeping everything in place, which is important because the buds need to be positioned precisely. Instead of the standard method of sending sound vibrations to your eardrums, the OpenRun Pro uses bone conduction technology to send vibrations through your cheekbones directly to your inner ear. As such, the headphones are actually placed in front of your ear instead of on your ear. The biggest advantage is that you can fully hear your surroundings; if you like running on the street, for example, you’ll be aware of everything that’s going on around you and still be able to hear your music perfectly well.
The OpenRun Pro 2 offers more bass than the standard OpenRun. They’re IP5 rated to withstand sweat, dust, and grime. You’ll get up to ten hours of continuous playback on a single charge. They also feature multipoint Bluetooth pairing, which means that you can pair it with up to two different devices simultaneously.
OpenRun Pro 2 vs Open Run Pro
The OpenRun Pro 2 is a substantial update over its predecessor. Probably the most noticeable upgrade is the switch from a proprietary magnetic charging cable to the USB Type-C standard. Another significant upgrade is the sound quality. While the original OpenRun Pro has good bass response, it is slightly hampered by the fact that it produces tiny vibrations that are noticeable and sometimes ticklish or distracting. The new OpenRun Pro 2 utilizes Shok’s DualPitch technology to virtually eliminate vibrations. Other smaller changes include increased battery life, and better microphone noise cancelation.
I have a pair of AirPods Pro that I use regularly, but I always set them aside for the OpenRun Pros when I run. The Transparency mode on the AirPods Pro does work well for most situations, but they still can’t compare to the awareness you get without having any buds plugging up your ears. In my experience these headphones stay in place extremely well and the sound quality is good compared to other bone conduction headphones I’ve tried.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn’t hunting for deals for other people at work, he’s hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
