I’m pretty excited about this one because this is officially my first product review on Not Another Mother Runner!

And we’re starting with something I’ve spent way too many years trying to get right:

Headphones.

Over the years, I’ve worn just about every type of headphone and earbud imaginable. I’ve tried Beats, Apple, Adidas, Sony, Sennheiser, and plenty of random off-brand Walmart pairs that promised great things and usually delivered… sound.

I’ve tried over-ear headphones, on-ear headphones, in-ear earbuds, and earbuds with hooks that wrap around your ears.

Nothing really worked for me.

Over-Ear Headphones + Working Out = Nope

I genuinely don’t understand how some of you work out in big over-ear headphones.

After a run or a good gym workout, I feel like I could take mine off, turn them upside down, and sweat would pour out.

Maybe that’s just me.

Either way, hard pass.

Earbuds Aren’t Much Better

Traditional in-ear earbuds are better for dealing with sweat, but apparently my ears weren’t designed with earbuds in mind.

They. Will. Not. Stay. In.

I’ve tried different sizes and styles, and sooner or later I’m reaching up to shove one back into my ear.

The style I’ve had the most success with is earbuds with hooks that go over your ears. Those stay put better, but somehow even those eventually work themselves loose.

Then I discovered something completely different.

What the Heck Are Bone Conduction Headphones?

I’ve been watching ultrarunner Andy Glaze for a long time, and I kept noticing these Shokz headphones he was wearing.

They didn’t go inside his ears.

They didn’t cover his ears.

So naturally my first thought was:

What the heck are those?

Turns out they’re bone conduction headphones.

Instead of putting a speaker directly inside or over your ear, they sit in front of your ears and use vibrations to transmit sound while leaving your ears open.

It sounded strange.

But then I started noticing them everywhere. Runners, hikers, cyclists and other people working out were wearing them.

Eventually curiosity won.

I bought a pair of Shokz.

And…

Whoa.

These Might Be the Best Headphones I’ve Ever Used

Are they the loudest headphones I’ve owned?

No.

Do they have huge, booming bass?

No.

Do I care?

Not really.

Because what these headphones do well completely changed what I want from headphones while I’m running.

They stay on my head.

I can run without constantly adjusting something or worrying about an earbud launching itself into another ZIP code.

But there’s an even bigger advantage.

I can hear what’s happening around me.

When I’m running through town, I can hear a car approaching from behind me. If someone is trying to get my attention, I can hear them.

I’m listening to my music without completely disconnecting myself from everything happening around me.

And I LOVE that.

The Best Way I Can Describe Them

Traditional headphones and earbuds make you feel like you’re at a concert.

The music surrounds you. It’s loud. The bass hits hard. Everything outside of the music disappears.

Shokz feel completely different.

They’re like having a movie soundtrack playing in the background of your everyday life.

You’re still completely aware of the world around you, but your music is right there with you.

For running and hiking, that’s exactly what I want.

What I Love

You can hear your surroundings.
This is probably my favorite feature, especially when I’m running outside around traffic or other people.

They don’t fall off.
Finally! I can run without constantly messing with my headphones.

They’re made for getting sweaty.
Shokz offers models designed to handle sweat and rain, and they even make waterproof models specifically for swimming.

They’re comfortable.
Nothing is shoved inside my ears and nothing is covering them.

What I Don’t Love

They’re definitely not perfect.

Mine doesn’t charge with USB-C.
My pair is a little older, so this may be more of a complaint about my particular model than Shokz in general. Still, having another charging cable floating around is annoying.

Loud environments can overpower them.
This is the biggest downside of the open-ear design.

At the gym? They’ve been perfectly fine.

Running or hiking? Great.

Mowing the lawn? Not so great.

Riding on a motorcycle? Forget about it.

Because your ears remain open, loud outside noise can easily drown out your music.

But that’s also the trade-off for the feature I like most about them.

Would I Buy Them Again?

Absolutely.

They stay put.

They’re comfortable.

I can hear my music.

And most importantly, when I’m running outside, I can still hear the world around me.

If you’re looking for massive bass and want to completely block out everything around you, these probably aren’t going to replace your favorite traditional headphones.

But if you’re a runner, walker, hiker, or someone who wants music without shutting yourself off from your surroundings?

Give bone conduction headphones a try.

I bought mine because I kept seeing other runners wearing them.

Now I understand why.

Real miles. Real mom. No filter.

– Shannon