My favorite bone conduction headphones just got a waterproof upgrade – and they're very comfortable

Music keeps me focused and helps motivate me when I exercise, but I also like to be aware of my surroundings. For that reason, I’ve used bone-conduction headsets for years, with Shokz being my preferred brand. When the company released the OpenSwim Pro, a waterproof headset designed for swimming, I couldn’t wait to try it out in the water. 

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During the summer, I spend a lot of time in local lakes and pools while exploring swim-tracking technology. It’s great to listen to music while in the water, and I can do just that with this headset, which can be worn up to two meters deep for two hours. And it sounds great underwater — even better than on land.

While this pair is designed for the water, bone conduction headsets are great for other outdoor activities as well. For example, I’ve been cycling a lot more lately, and the open-ear design lets me be fully aware of my surroundings while I’m on my bike, especially when navigating around cars and pedestrians. 

When it comes to playback controls, the headset features two buttons on the right that rest behind your ear and a large single button on the left side in front of your ear. The two smaller buttons serve primarily as volume controls, while the large multifunction button can be used for play/pause, answer/end calls, and previous/next song.

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Battery life is another reason I prefer to wear wrap-around headsets like the OpenSwim Pro. Shokz advertises up to nine hours in Bluetooth mode and six hours in MP3 mode, and just 10 minutes of charge time provides up to three more hours of listening time for Bluetooth mode.

I also prefer the wrap-around form factor for active workouts. The flexible nickel-titanium alloy frame keeps the headset in place without any pressure on my head. It is covered in a soft silicone material that provides traction and comfort.

One challenge with the Shokz OpenSwim Pro is that it doesn’t support music subscription services like Spotify. While in MP3 mode, you’ll need to load your audio files onto the headset by connecting it to your computer via USB cable and transferring them manually, up to 225 songs per minute. 

Thankfully, I have a few hundred songs in MP3 format that I purchased or ripped years ago and keep in my collection, as the headset supports MP3, FLAC, WAV, AAC, M4A, APE, and WMA file formats. This is actually better than it sounds since the headset has a large 32GB capacity and holds up to 8,000 songs. 

I also suggest that users install the Shokz app as it supports standard, vocal equalizer, and swimming modes, as well as multipoint pairing, customization of the physical buttons, firmware updates, and a battery status indicator. You can also customize the multifunction and volume buttons to launch your voice assistant and switch between Bluetooth or MP3 modes. 

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The headset’s impressive audio quality is delivered through Shokz PremiumPitch 2.0+, a bone-conduction technology that provides clear sound, powerful volume, and rich bass. Shokz has been perfecting bone conduction devices for years, and this headset uses its latest eighth-generation technology, which lets the audio speak for itself. 

While the Shokz OpenSwim Pro is primarily designed to enjoy music while swimming or working out, it has two mics with noise and echo cancellation so you can make calls, record voice notes, or use your voice assistant.

I tested the Shokz OpenSwim Pro with an iPhone, several different Android phones, a MacBook Pro, a Garmin watch, and an Apple Watch Ultra 2, and it played flawlessly with all these devices. While I still have a decent MP3 collection, I would love to see support for Spotify, YouTube Music, or Amazon Music in the future so that the headset would be a more attractive option for others.

ZDNET’s buying advice

I’m not a pro swimmer, but the ability to play music while in the water keeps me going lap after lap. The OpenSwim Pro stays put on your head, has a long-lasting battery, and sounds great. As long as you have access to your own saved music files, this headset is a solid option for waterproof beats.