Clip-style open earbuds might be hot right now, but they’re not the only option for people who want a pair of buds that doesn’t plug their ears up—you’ve got “earhooks,” too, and Shokz just dropped a new pair.
Shokz claims its newly announced $130 OpenFit Air 2 are the “lightest earhook product in Shokz history,” weighing 7.2g per earbud. That might seem kind of weighty, but earhooks are typically heavier than their clip-style counterparts. Nothing’s Ear Open weigh 8.1g per earbud, for context, and, Shokz OpenFit Pro weigh 12.3g per bud.
That’s not the only aspect of its OpenFit that Shokz trimmed, either. Shokz says the case on its OpenFit Air 2 has also slimmed down by a little more than 10% over the first generation. Again, that may not seem like a big deal, but charging cases on open-ear products—earhooks in particular—tend to run on the larger side given the general shape of the earbuds, so shaving that down is a bigger perk than it sounds.
Sound-wise, Shokz is upgrading the OpenFit Air 2 with its Bassphere technology, which is meant to deliver more low-end, something clip-style and earhook wireless earbuds struggle with. Having used Bassphere on the OpenDots 2, I can say from experience that it does make a difference. Shokz says the OpenFit 2 hold 8 hours of battery on a single charge, and they’re IP55 rated for sweat and water resistance.
One thing that OpenFit Air 2 won’t have is any kind of noise reduction, which is still only available on the $250 OpenFit Pro.
If earhooks aren’t your thing, Shokz is also releasing a new version of its bone-conducting earbuds, the OpenRun 2, which are 9% smaller than the last generation, have an IP67 rating, and have a 10-hour battery life. Bone conduction, in case you’re unfamiliar, is preferred for runners and other athletes over other types of open earbuds since they let you hear more of your surroundings when you’re out and about.
Both the OpenFit Air 2 and the OpenRun 2 will be available on Aug. 27 for $130.
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