The SHOKZ OpenFit 2 is a pair of open-ear earbuds with a flexible hook that rests over your ear. The earbuds don’t go inside your ear canal, which keeps you aware of your surroundings while music plays. Each earbud has two drivers behind Shokz’s DualBoost system: one for bass and one for mids and highs. You’ll get 11 hours of playback per charge, with another 37 hours stored in the charging case.
Bone conduction headphones that feel great to wear and offer excellent audio
If you’ve ever finished a run wondering whether a car snuck up behind you because your earbuds blocked out everything else, the OpenFit 2 fixes that. Your ear canal stays open, and your music plays through speakers that hang just above your ear. You hear traffic, dogs, the cyclist about to pass you, and the music at the same time. A Ni-Ti alloy wire runs through the silicone hook and shapes to your ear, so the buds stay locked in during workouts and longer runs.
DualBoost is Shokz’s name for the two-driver setup inside each OpenFit 2 earbud. One driver focuses on bass, and the other handles mids and highs. The original OpenFit had a single driver handling all of that, and the difference between the two generations is most obvious at the low end. Bass actually has weight to it now. DirectPitch 2.0 also keeps the sound aimed at your ear and out of the air around you, so the person on the next treadmill doesn’t have to hear your playlist.
Physical buttons replaced the touchpads on the original OpenFit. Each earbud has a button on top that controls track skips, volume, and calls. Sweat and rain don’t trigger the buttons the way they do with touch controls, and you can press them with confidence during a workout instead of tapping carefully and hoping the right command registers. Anyone who has ended a call by accident, wiping sweat off their forehead, will appreciate this change.
The earbuds’ battery lasts 11 hours per charge, with an additional 37 hours in the case. A 10-minute charge in the case is enough for 2 hours of playback if you’re already running late. USB-C handles charging, and the IP55 rating protects against sweat, splashes, and rain. The earbuds are not waterproof, so swimming or full submersion will damage them.
Shokz built its reputation on open-ear audio for runners and cyclists, and the OpenFit 2 is the brand’s most refined take on the format yet. The touch controls are gone, replaced with real buttons that work even with sweaty hands. The bass driver is new, the battery lasts an extra 4 hours, and the fit is more secure than the original. At $140, down from $180, the OpenFit 2 falls into the same mid-tier range as in-ear earbuds, but with the awareness and comfort that come from leaving your ear canal open.
