Best Bone Conduction Headphones
Locating the best bone conduction headphones can be difficult as there are many options, and just because one might be listed as the bestseller doesn’t make it great.
More than likely just the one with the most sales but is that a good one for beginners, budget-focused, sports-related, and many more variables.
We have worked to go through this exhaustive chore to cut through all the mess and provide you the top options in our opinion for each of the primary needs someone would be looking to fill!
Our List of the Best Bone Conduction Headphones
| Name (Jump to Below) | Best For | Click to Purchase |
|---|---|---|
| Shokz OpenRun Pro | Best Sound Quality Overall Best for Bass Best for the Money | Check Current Price |
| Shokz OpenMove | Best Budget Best Beginner Option | Check Current Price |
| FINIS Duo | Best for Swimming | Check Current Price |
| Shokz OpenComm | Best for Calls | Check Current Price |
| Shokz OpenRun Mini | Best for Small Heads | Check Current Price |
| Shokz OpenRun | Best for Working Out Best for Running Best for Cycling | Check Current Price |
Best Bone Conduction Headphones Reviews
The majority of quality bone conduction headphones will be an investment, but it is feasible to get a good version for a reasonable price. Let’s take a look at each of the choices we have made above and we will then move into a guide on how to choose if you need additional information.
Shokz OpenRun Pro – Best Sound Quality Overall, Best For Bass
Shokz OpenMove – Best Budget
FINIS Duo – Best for Swimming
Shokz OpenComm2 – Best for Calls
Shokz OpenRun Mini – Best for Small Heads
Shokz OpenRun – Best for Working Out
Buyers Guide for Bone Conduction Headphones
The intention of this guide is to help you choose the perfect bone conduction headphones for your needs. It’s important to consider your needs from audio level, bass level, activity level, and many more things to ensure you make the right decision before making your purchase.
No matter whether planning to go on a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail or just on a local neighborhood run you and anyone interested in bone conduction headphones will want to take the following factors into consideration.
The Price
Let’s face it this is obviously the most important thing for almost everyone who is looking for new gear. I know that it’s one of the things which drive your choice, it also will denote a large part of how well your bone conduction headphones will work for you.
Price is top on my list due to the need to spend money if you want good, long-lasting headphones. If you buy inexpensive bone conduction headphones from China, they will be inexpensive, but they will break and fail all the time.
Plenty of *fake* reviews online will tell you they are the “best deal,” but they aren’t. They are just to get you moving to a purchase. I have had three pairs now from Titanium, Trekz Air, and Aeropex.
The Battery Life
The life of the battery is a pretty big deal to most people as you want to go a long time without needing to recharge. I prefer 8-hour life now as it is what allows me to go all day without recharging.
As the cost drops, you will get worse battery performance as that is where they will cut the costs to get you a cheaper product.
I would say that you typically do not want to purchase a set of bone conduction headphones without at least a 6-hour active use lifespan.
The Durability
As you look, you want to find one with at least a metal band to give it some strength as all plastic tends to crack and break as it is used.
Aftershokz makes the best, most durable bone conduction headphones on the market as they began using titanium and metal in the band to ensure long life and flexibility.
The Water Resistance (IPxx)
As water resistance goes, this will highly depend on your use and what weather is typical around where you will use them. If you are prone to large volumes of rain, then looking for a better IPxx rating for at least water resistance is important.
If you are looking for use while you swim, there are only a few choices available that are truly waterproof and built for use in the water.
The Bluetooth Version
Bluetooth has many benefits when you advance forward into newer versions. The current version, Bluetooth 5.0, is much better at multi-pairing, so you can maintain connections on multiple devices to the headphones.
Some of the older headphones came with very old Bluetooth, which could only connect to a single device without you needing to continually fight to make connections when powered on and in range.
The Weight
Every ounce on your head can be felt, it seems silly, but the more weight you place, even on a loop, the more you will feel it. Since they don’t arch over and rest on your head, your ears will be the main support to hold them in place.
This sounds silly, but I can tell you on the Titanium I bought first, you could feel a wear mark on your ears if you wore them for a few hours. When I bought my Air, they were almost unnoticeable, which was a nice change!