Why I recommend these Shokz headphones over the AirPods Pro for outdoor listening

Open-ear headphones are not my jam. Even when working out, I prefer in-ear earbuds, mainly because they shut out the world and act as a “do not disturb” signal to those around me. However, Shokz’ new OpenFit 2 earbuds caught my attention during CES 2025, and I’ve reached for them more often than I expected during the four weeks I’ve been testing them.

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With a fresh design, meaningful hardware upgrades, and high levels of utility in virtually any environment, the OpenFit 2 exceeded my expectations. If you don’t like earbuds in your ear or headphones covering your ears, but other bone conduction headphones on the market aren’t as stylish as you’d prefer, the OpenFit 2 might be for you.

I’ve tried a few open-ear headphones and was mostly unimpressed with the sound quality, which sounded like weaker bass response and sound lost to open air. I need an immersive audio experience at the gym to keep me in the zone and focused on my workout.

The OpenFit 2 were no match for the loud gym environment, as the overhead music and clanging of weights overpowered the earbuds. However, when I took them to the park, the OpenFit 2 shined. The quiet outdoors allowed me to hear my music, while the open-ear design kept me aware of my surroundings.

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The OpenFit 2 sound great; they deliver adequate bass, clear vocals, and audible mids, often compromised in other open-ear headphones. Tyla’s “Truth or Dare” through the OpenFit 2 motivated me to finish an outdoor jog, reproducing a warm sound profile with an airy soundstage thanks to the open-ear design.

Shokz attributes the sound quality to its proprietary DirectPitch technology, which utilizes vents in the earbuds to reduce sound leakage and target the wearer’s ear with audio. If you wear the OpenFit 2 in a quiet office, you listen to them right under 50% audio before others can hear your music.

The new earbuds offer 11 hours of continuous playtime, four more hours than the first-generation OpenFit. The OpenFit 2 also have an upgraded IP55 certification, meaning they can withstand more interaction with sweat or rain when exercising outdoors. 

Additionally, the OpenFit 2 debuted with a new multifunction button in addition to the touch controls found on the earbuds’ outer surface. This new button makes controlling your music or accepting or declining calls much easier when exercising.

The OpenFit 2 can easily accompany you on your commute, in the office, in the grocery store, and on your evening outdoor workout session. I wore the OpenFit 2 all around the busy CES convention centers, and they were comfortable enough to wear for hours. 

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Wearing the OpenFit 2 in the hectic Las Vegas backdrop offered a long-lasting battery for my never-ending workdays, enough style to wear with my business casual outfits, and an open design that allowed me to talk to passersby without needing to remove my earbuds. 

ZDNET’s buying advice

If you’ve wanted open-ear earbuds but avoided them due to their typically sporty design, the Shokz OpenFit 2 offer great sound, all-day comfort, a stylish design, and a lengthy battery life. Their true wireless earbud with hooks design makes them more sporty than Bose’s Open Ultra, but a $120 price difference makes the OpenFit 2 a little more attractive.

The OpenFit 2 have features designed to make them versatile enough to perform well in most environments, which is perfect for people who want one pair of open-ear earbuds to take with them everywhere.