Last updated: 02-Apr-21
Aftershokz launched their first headphones in 2012, and immediately they stood out from the crowd a little bit. Why? Because they use “Bone Conducting” technology. What does that mean? As Aftershokz put it, when you eat, the sounds of the crunching reaches your ears via vibrations in your cheek bones, apparently (one for the ASMR fans).
Aftershoksz have taken this and utilised it for their headphones. In essence it brings sound to your ears without the headphones actually sitting within your ears. The notable advantage to this is that whilst you can hear your banging tunes drop, and favourite podcast to help pass those ultra running miles, you can also hear the world around you. Think crossing the road, cars passing on a country lane, a cyclist approaching from behind on a trail.
They have 5 different models on the market using this technology ranging from £79.95 to £149.50. I tested out the Aeropex (£149.50).
Sounds all good and sensible. But what’s the verdict?
Features
- Open-Ear Listening
- 8 Hours of Music + Calls
- IP67 Waterproof
- Titanium fit
- Enhanced audio
- 26g
If you are used to earphones that go in your ears or those huge ones that cover your ears, these do feel a bit odd at first. They hook over the top of your ear and the bit that plays the music sits just outside of your ear. They are incredibly lightweight so are barely noticeable, and for the first few minutes I wondered if they were falling off they were so light (they were not).
Bluetooth connection means minimal fuss gaining access to your tunes, and the headphones tell you when they are connected and what the battery level is when switched on.
Now I love my music to be very loud in my ears, I would rather not have any music than listen to tinny music. I can be a bit of a fuss-pot when it comes to headphones. I can honestly say these sounded great. As you can imagine, with them not sitting directly in your ears it is not as loud as, say, over-ear ones. But these are designed to be different. Designed specifically for running and sports.
The music was loud enough to be enjoyed, and probably saving my eardrums from the usual maximum volume music I can treat them to. The music sounded both clear and great quality, and yes, you can hear traffic pass if it’s nearby. So that ultimately is very good for safety. I’m not really sure what the sound leakage is, Aftershokz claim that has been considerably reduced from previous models, but I wouldn’t want to wear them on the tube, just in case a really cringe-guilty pleasure song pops up on the playlist.
I find two things annoying with headphones when I run, and that is if they don’t stay in your ears (grrrr!) or, and this is a bit gross, when sweat gets in the way. With the sit-on-ear design of these, neither are a problem at all. Very refreshing for headphones.
The battery life is around 8 hours, so competitive with other headphones, and the good thing is they charge up quickly. A 10 minute blast of charging when they are low battery, will see you through an hours run. The only downsides are if you need to use the function buttons, they are so tiny I have to take them off my head to make sure they are switched off.
It is worth noting the charger cable is not one of the standard ones, and is incredibly specific to these headphones, so don’t misplace it!
Conclusion
These really are a great headphone for running. All rounder of delivering good quality sound, whilst being lightweight, and the safety aspect is a plus. You barely notice you are wearing them. Recommended.
| Score | |
| Design | 9/10 |
| Features | 8/10 |
| Performance | 9.5/10 |
| Value | 8/10 |
| Overall | 8.7/10 |
About the author: Susie Chan is an endurance runner and commentator. Among her many feats she has run the Marathon des Sables more times than any other UK female and broke the 12 hour treadmill World Record in 2016.
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