your cross training in the pool: they now offer wireless Bluetooth playback and built-in MP3 player

Read our full Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 review

The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 are a real game-changer for runners who want great sound without sacrificing safety or comfort. They get loud enough that you can hear them while running, even if it's loud, but not in your ears, so you can hear noise and traffic around you.

Sound quality is where the OpenRun Pro 2 really shines, thanks to dual drivers that blend crisp highs from bone conduction with deep bass from air conduction tech that give a unique immersive sound. You get 12 hours of battery life, so you can go for long runs (or even a marathon!) without worrying about charging.

The fit is secure and stable, with ergonomic earhooks and a memory wire frame that stays put no matter how much you sweat or move around.

Another standout is the dedicated EQ modes in the Shokz app, letting you tweak your audio for different environments — boost it when it’s noisy, or keep it classic for everyday runs. Calls are crystal clear, even in windy conditions, thanks to dual microphones and smart noise reduction.

Read our full Shokz OpenFit 2 review

The Shokz OpenFit 2 offer a different take on open-ear audio compared to the OpenRun Pro 2, swapping bone conduction for air conduction and prioritising all-day comfort and sound quality over sport-specific performance.

The second-gen model improves on almost every front, too. The OpenFit 2 and 2+ feature a lighter, more flexible design that makes for a more natural and secure fit — no mid-run adjustments needed.

Crucially, Shokz has replaced the fiddly touch controls with physical buttons, making it easier to pause, skip or change volume on the go, even with gloves on.Sound quality has taken a real step forward, too, thanks to DualBoost drivers and, on the 2+, optional Dolby Audio for richer, more detailed sound. While open-ear headphones will never rival in-ear buds for full immersion, the OpenFit 2 handles podcasts and playlists with surprising clarity and depth — without blocking out your surroundings.

The battery life is also standout, with up to 11 hours on a single charge and 48 hours total with the case. That’s among the best in class for open-ear headphones.

Whether you’re marathon training or heading out for a walk, these are a genuinely comfortable, runner-friendly upgrade — and a sign that Shokz is listening to feedback.

Read our full Bose Ultra Open review

Unlike any open-ear earbuds we've seen before, you'd be forgiven for mistaking the Bose Ultra for a fashion accessory. The cuff-shaped earbud is designed to wrap around your lower helix (the outer edge of your ear), with the speaker section nestling comfortably in the concha (the hollow part of your ear, close to the opening). The result is — yes, you guessed it — you can wear glasses or running sunglasses unimpeded.

For someone used to the secure feeling of in-ear buds they might initially feel a little strange, but our tester has found they've never flown off, and the open design makes them ideal for summer, when in-ear buds can start to feel a bit sweaty.

The sound quality is also among the best for open-ear options (though still may not be good enough for true audiophiles). There’s also a neat 'Auto volume' in the app which makes the earbuds adjust the volume based on your surroundings — the idea being that if you're moving between noisy and quieter environments, you don't have to be constantly toggling the volume. We tested this against various sounds — traffic, a rival speaker, clapping, walking past a noisy school — and it was very effective in all instances. Sound leakage, a problem that plagues open-ear models, was also pretty minimal here.

We won't pretend they're not expensive, though, and £299 feels like a lot when you're not getting noise-cancelling as part of the deal. If you want to stay tuned into your surroundings, though, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are an excellent option for runners.

Read our full Soundcore AeroClip review

Like the Bose Ultra Open (above), the AeroClip from Soundcore swap traditional ear hooks for a cuff-style, clip-on design, and, at just 4Open ear/bone conduction, they're a super lightweight, non-obtrusive audio option. If the ring fit feels a bit loose on your ear, you can choose from one of the two attachable ear grips provided in the box. Overall, we found the fit to be extremely secure, and the clip-on design means you hardly notice you're wearing them.

At £129.99, the AeroClips are significantly cheaper than the Bose Ultra Open, yet you're still getting impressive sound quality and competitive battery life in that package. Sound is natural across all frequencies and the brand’s virtual bass technology helps to create some punchy lows and vibrant highs. Sound leakage is also less of a problem compared with most open-ear buds. A big win.

We found the touch controls to be pretty temperamental, especially mid-run, where we had to resort to getting our phone out to skip tracks. Otherwise, these are an excellent pair of earbuds that pack exceptional value, and provide a welcome alternative to traditional open-ear designs.

Read our full Shokz OpenSwim Pro review

Rich and full-bodied sound Shokz OpenRun, with a lightweight neckband design. But they boast an additional feature that makes them a serious contender for soundtracking your runs and your cross training in the pool: they now offer wireless Bluetooth playback and built-in MP3 player.

Throw in a 9-hour battery life, 8,000 track music storage, plus an IP68 waterproof rating and it’s a comprehensive package. In our tests, a two-hour swim in MP3 mode burned 40%, while a one hour run in Bluetooth mode burned less than 10%.

If we're being fussy, there needs to be better playlist management tools, ideally in the app, for MP3 (your songs will play in alphabetical order). And sound quality will never be as good as in-ear headphones. But for what they offer, they represent pretty good value and are easily Shokz's most capable headphones overall.

Read our full JBL Soundgear Sense review

JBL's Soundgear Sense boast some of the best sound quality of any open-ear headphone we've tested. While you won’t get the bass-thumping intensity of noise-cancelling buds, at moderate volumes the Soundgear Sense offers a surprisingly rich sound profile. It’s clear and detailed enough to make those long playlists or podcasts feel engaging without tuning out the world around you. Within the JBL app, you can also choose from five different equalisers – Studio (default), Bass, Club, Extreme Bass, Vocal and Jazz – or the option to create your own.

At 13.1g per earbud, these aren’t the lightest earbuds on the market, but they don’t feel as cumbersome on as they look in their charging case and the quality feels robust and durable. Fully flexible hooks also latch securely onto your ears and help the earbuds stay put, whether you're thrashing out intervals on a treadmill or hitting the weights in the gym.

Touch controls make pausing, skipping a song or taking a phone call a breeze, too, while the battery life – 6 hours plus an additional 18 hours in the charging case – should be enough to see you through a week's training.

If you’re wanting a pair of open-earbuds to wear all day long — not just for when you’re pounding the pavements — the AeroFit Pro boast one of the best battery lives of any we’ve tested. On a single charge, they’ll last you 14 hours — that’s over double what you get from the JBL Soundgear Sense. With the charging case, that extends to 46 hours in total, while a quick 10-minute charge delivers 5.5 hours of audio. Impressive stuff.

Despite being slightly bulkier than some options on this list, the earbuds feel comfortable and soft to wear thanks to their silicone cover and they stay stable whether you’re running or lifting weights in the gym. There’s also the option to attach them to a neckband (included) for extra security.

Sound quality is pretty good for an open-ear design, with our playlists sounding rich and full-bodied, with a satisfying thump to the base. Each bud has a push button which performs all the usual commands (on and off/volume up/volume down), though it is slightly tricky to reach on the run.

At their original RRP (£149.99), we think they're a little pricey for what you get, but you can often find them on discount for lower.

With their edgy, industrial design, the Nothing Ear (Open) are easily some of the most stylish buds on the market – and some of the most comfortable, with the drivers tilted at 50 degrees to position the speaker directly over the ear and, according to the brand, at the most comfortable point. A flexible nickel-titanium wire inside each ear hook allows them to bend easily into place, while the silicone outer coating sits comfortably against your skin. The result really is the feeling of nothing at all; these are so lightweight that it’s easy to forget you’re wearing them.

The buds stow away in a slimline case, which measures just 19mm thick. On-bud controls come in the form of pinching gestures. However, our tester found them to be pretty fiddly to navigate on the run.

Audio quality is where the Nothing Ear (open) excel. The diaphragm on the buds’ driver is uniquely shaped so that it reduces distortion and deepens the sound of low frequencies, making bass-heavy tracks hit as they should. For an open-ear design, this really is some of the richest and punchiest sound we’ve experienced. Download the Nothing app and you can also choose from several EQ presets or customise your own.

To reduce sound leakage and keep your listening experience private, the buds also employ a sound seal system which reverses sound waves from rear acoustic ports and superimposes them on the sound from the front, effectively cancelling them. In practice, however, we found any music above half-volume (on an iPhone 15) was audible by a colleague sat two metres away. Of course, on the run, this is less of an issue, but it’s something to consider if you’re planning to double up your earbuds for daily use.