I review a lot of running headphones for Coach, and as someone who runs 50-70 miles a week in training I have a lot of running time to test them. When I’m not trying out new gear for reviews, there is one set I go back to time and time again—the Shokz OpenRun Mini.
The Shokz OpenRun are the best bone conduction headphones available, because they’re cheaper than the OpenRun Pro yet offer pretty much all the same features and they actually have a higher waterproof rating. I prefer the fit of the OpenRun Mini to the standard OpenRun, since the band sits closer to the back of my head, and you don’t lose any features by opting for the Mini.
As part of the Shokz Amazon Prime Day sale, the OpenRun and OpenRun Mini headphones are reduced from $129.95 to $89.95, which is the cheapest I’ve seen them on Amazon.
The Shokz OpenRun Mini are also reduced in the Amazon Prime Day sale in the UK, dropping by 30% from £129.95 to £90.95.
As with all open headphones the awareness you get while using the Shokz OpenRun Mini is their key feature compared to in-ear buds, but they stand out from most other bone conduction headphones because they sound a little better, and have a much more comfortable fit.
The ear hook on the buds is light and unobtrusive, and creates a very secure fit for exercise. I use the OpenRun Mini with a hat and glasses on most of my runs and the thin band doesn’t get in the way. They’re easy to forget about entirely once you put them on, which is exactly the comfort I want from headphones on the run.
Naturally the sound quality doesn’t match in-ear buds, but for listening to podcasts and music on the run it’s good enough, and getting the OpenRun Mini in a deal means that you have a bit of cash spare to also get some top-notch in-ear headphones for when you’re traveling or in the office.
Several other sets of Shokz headphones are included in the Prime Day sale and the OpenRun Pro has been reduced from $179.95 to $124.95. You might be tempted to spend the extra $35 for the Pro in the sale, since it has Pro in the name, but I urge you not to. I didn’t notice any better sound quality with the Pro, and though it lasts two more hours on a charge, the OpenRun still lasts eight hours, and has a higher water resistance rating of IP67, against the Pro’s rating of IP55.
