What is the best bone conduction headset in 2023

As often at Shokz, several colors are available: pink, blue, black and white.

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What is the best bone conduction headset in 2023 ?

A bone conduction helmet delivers the sound via the bones of the skull, instead of the eardrums. Practical to play sports, it allows you to remain aware of your environment. Discover here the best helmets with bone conduction, mainly of the Shokz brand.

THE Bone conduction helmets are mainly intended for athletes and athletes. The principle of this technology is not to send the sound directly to the tympanum (as in the case of conventional headphones), but in the jaw bone, via vibrations. These vibrations are then driven from jaw to the inner ear. A bone conduction earphone is therefore not placed in the pavilion of the ear, but just in front, on the bone.

The philosophy of helmets with bone conduction is the opposite of noise reduction headphones. Your ears are free: suddenly, you are not isolated from the rest of the world. This is why this type of helmet is particularly used by athletes. This allows a jogger or a cyclist to practice by listening to music, while remaining attentive to what is happening around.

In addition to sport and other outdoor activities, this type of helmet can be useful in a professional environment, for example in a open space To stay available while listening to your music. Some hearing impaired can also make a great benefit from this technology, since sound does not go through the eardrum but by bones.

However, it is necessary to be aware that the audio quality delivered by a helmet with bone conduction is clearly less good than that of conventional headphones. The fact is that we do not buy this product to listen to music in its best quality and immerse yourself, but to stay alert. Rather, it must be seen as a complementary system to headphones or headphones, which is not intended to supplant them.

Very few manufacturers are interested in this technology. The best current manufacturer of bone conduction helmets is Shokz (formerly called AFTERSHOKZ). There are many other brands, such as Tayogo and Vidonn, but we have chosen to focus here on the best models available, which are in our view produced by Shokz.

Notice to athletes, we explain the manufacturer’s range here and The best helmets with bone conduction available.

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Open Pro: the best headset for sport

L’Open Pro is the most recent and high -end helmet from Shokz. This model is clearly intended for running enthusiasts and other outdoor sports. If you want to learn more, Geoffroy was able to try the model for a full month during his weekly shopping.

Like the other models, this helmet is made of titanium, which makes it particularly solid, even in the event of a fall. It is entirely covered with soft and pleasant silicone against the skin. It is very stable to wear for running enthusiasts.

To effectively resist sweat, the helmet is IP55 certified. The brand has also worked on the sound quality delivered, in particular on the transmission of bass, largely improved. Autonomy was also improved, to reach 10 hours, a good performance. The fast load is also in order: 5 minutes are enough for 1 h 30 of use, and one hour is necessary for a full load. A magnetic load cable (and unfortunately owner) comes with the helmet. However, you will need to provide an in addition sector block – and this applies to all shokz models.

The helmet works via Bluetooth 5.1 and enjoy the multipoint. It has a double noise reduction microphone to make and receive calls, which is particularly effective, even in noisy environment. However for listening, the surrounding noises are not suffocated by the helmet. Despite its efforts, the OpenRun Pro is quite poor in music with the treble and the bass not enough highlighted for technical reasons. On the other hand if you are a podcast listener, this is a model that can accompany you.

As often at Shokz, several colors are available: pink, blue, black and white.

Why choose the Shokz OpenRun Pro ?

• The latest bone conduction technology
• Noise reduction microphone
• Beautiful autonomy

If your budget is less, you can also turn to the little brother, the model Open, Sold 50 euros less. This is a version similar to Aeropex, but with fast load. It has less autonomy compared to the Open Pro, and bone conduction technology is a little less recent. We will soon offer you a little grip of this helmet on Frandroid.

Geoffroy’s opinion on the bone conduction on video:

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OpenSwim: for swimmers and water lovers

As a waterproof helmet, theOpenswim of Shokz is certified IP68. He first resists dust, but above all with total immersion up to 2 meters, for 1 hour. This is simply the highest protection standard. Being thought of, of course, for swimming, you can wear a pool cap, ear caps or even concern swimming glasses.

If OpenSwim has great qualities, especially on the comfort of the object and its reliability in water, it also has a big defect: it does not work in Bluetooth. You must indeed load your music on it, like an old MP3 player, an era which already seems very distant. It has a small storage capacity of 4 GB, which corresponds to around 1200 songs. It supports MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC and FLAC formats. We forget here the fast, reserved for the high end that are the OpenRun Pro and the OpenComm. The announced autonomy is around 8 hours.

We regret that Shokz did not offer the two possibilities of use, that is to say to be able to load music on the helmet, but also to connect it to Bluetooth with his phone. Any swimmer or swimmer can indeed want to use his bone conduction helmet in a different environment than water, for example to run: in this case, he will not be able to connect his smartphone to the openswim, which is good Shame. It is not with a microphone, so you can say goodbye to calls in free hand. You will understand, Shokz has designed this helmet for, and only for, swimming and other water sports.

Little more all the same, it comes with ear caps suitable for swimming, which will be very useful for better perceiving your music in the middle of splashes and children’s cries. Note that it can be used without problem in the sea.

Why choose the Shokz OpenSwim ?

• If you are a swimmer or an inveterate swimmer
• Comfortable port under a swimming hat
• Perfectly waterproof

OpenMove: Helmet at a low price

If you do not want to spend as much for a sports helmet, or you will only have occasional use, you can then opt for the model Openmove, which is one of the references best sold by Shokz.

OpenMove is the entry -level shokz headset. Here therefore no fast charge or extended autonomy. You still benefit from unique bone conduction technology in Shokz. The double microphone with noise reduction is also part.

He benefits from an IP55 approval and is therefore resistant to sweat. It was thus thought of for sport, but not that. It does not have two modes of equalization: one for outdoor use, and one to boost voices, which makes the helmet perfect for podcasts, audio books or radio. Good surprise, his bluetooth is also multipoint. Like the other models, it incorporates the control buttons (volume, light and turn off the helmet, etc.) on the branches.

On the battery side, we are on at least 6 hours of autonomy and a USB-C recharge.

This is a great choice if you just want to test this technology and see if it suits you. We will warmly recommend it to people who move by bike in town and need to hear what’s going on around them for security issues.

Why choose the OpenMove Shokz ?

• A more affordable price
• A good microphone
• IP55 approval

OpenComm: an ideal helmet for work

L’OpenComm Maybe a seriously interesting option if you spend your days on the phone. This helmet is specifically designed for phone calls, and be worn for a long time.

At a time when teleworking has become common, and therefore the phone calls and meetings in Visio also, this helmet thus takes on its full meaning. It will be perfect for those who cannot stand to spend the day with headphones in the ears or with headsets that hold hot.

He benefits from the same fast charge as OpenRun Pro, with a good autonomy of 16 hours in conversation. This is the only helmet with a pole microphone, with a DSP noise reduction system that works very well. We regret, however, that this microphone, which is also in titanium, is not removable. Small specificity, the helmet can be paired very quickly by NFC with a smartphone.

Small black point, the price of 160 euros, a little high for the product.

Why choose the OPENCOMM Shokz ?

• Particularly effective microphone
• Comfortable and very light
• A pairing by NFC

The cheap alternative: Vidonn F1

You don’t want to spend too much money to test bone conduction ? There are many other manufacturers in the field, less known than Shokz, like Vidonn, a Chinese brand. This last produces low -cost helmets clearly oriented on the entry level. Models such as the Vidonn F1 (but also other Chinese brands) have the merit of existing, if you want to stay around 40 – 50 euros.

The FI1 vidom, in the form, is very similar to the Shokz helmets. However, it is a little heavier and will hardly suit the small heads. He benefits from a microphone, as well as an IP55 certification (against sweat), just like the OpenMove of Shokz.

Why choose this model rather than those mentioned above ? Only for its price.

You will see that there are many models of low-cost bone conduction helmets on e-commerce sites. At a very low price, we can for example cite the Zruhig model on Amazon, less than 30 euros.

In our view, it is better to go directly to more qualitative brands such as Shokz to make the most of this technology. But of course it depends on your budget.

The OpenFit Shokz: Open headphones

Shukz has been offering a little different product from aerial conduction, much more classic. However, they are always thought of for athletes, with an ear turn. The headset is stack at the entrance to the auditory conduit, without clogging it. So we stay on the same philosophy. If you want to know more and have our opinion on the OpenFit, we have tested them in detail.

About headsets with bone conduction

What is a bone conduction helmet ?

To understand how precisely a bone conduction helmet, you have to understand the principles of acoustics, the sound being a wave spreading differently depending on the environment in which it is. In the case of traditional headphones, sound is propagated by air; In the case of bone conduction, the sound is propagated by the bones, more precisely via the zygomatic arcade of the temporal bone, located just under the temple. It is on this bone that the emitter of the helmet arises. The sound is thus delivered directly to the inner ear, without going through the eardrum. This is why they are very relevant to people whose eardrums have a disability.

Shokz ?

Shokz, which was called AFTERSHOKZ until the end of 2021, is an American company founded in 2004. Their first bone conduction helmet was released in 2012, so for ten years that the brand has perfected its technology and files a patent on a patent. Recently, Shokz has been the official supplier of the French Athletics Federation.

What is the point of using a bone conduction helmet ?

There are several of them. The main goal is to be able to remain aware of its environment, while listening to music. Note however that the classic wireless headphones now offer “transparency” modes, allowing to listen to what is going on around, which works just as well. Conduction helmets can also suit people who do not support having a headset in the ear pavilion. Finally, this technology, which disseminates sound through temporal bone and not the eardrum, can be of great use for hearing impaired.

The people around me will hear what I listen to ?

Yes, it is possible, but it depends of course on the volume as well as on the environment in which you are. If you are in a quiet place indoors, for example an office, your colleagues may hear the vibrations.

Can I wear glasses with a bone transmission helmet ?

No problem for wearing glasses, view or sun, with a bone conduction helmet. They are designed not to bother the passage of the branches. On the other hand, if you have long hair, we recommend to attach it almost systematically, the hair can quickly take itself in the arch, making the experience quite painful.

Is it possible to have a bone bone conduction helmet ?

The question appears many times on specialized forums. Indeed, many consider that this device, not covering the ear, can be used even on an electric bike. The reality is quite different since a decree of the Council of State dated February 7, 2017 prohibits the use of helmet with bone conduction, the device being a source of distraction for users.

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What are the best helmets to play sports in music ?

A multitude of current models can follow you during your bicycle route or your running.

Sports headphones are available in subcategories themselves. If the models with bone conduction remain the most common, you will also have to dwell on the supra-ear solution. You will also need to pay attention to the Bluetooth technology used and noise reduction. With the help of Darty, this article will help you understand what each sports helmet can bring you.

Bone conduction helmets, the most common for sports practice

As their name suggests, bone conduction helmets promote sound transmission in your body (more precisely along your cheekbones) rather than in the air. The perceived music is of excellent quality, but these devices do not stop there. Compared to other helmets, they keep the auditory duct open. This allows you to listen to the surrounding sounds, a useful feature for outdoor athletes. They will be useful to you if you practice your activities in public places, where you must remain aware of your environment.

In this category, you will find the range of Shokz:

• The Shokz Openrun: a helmet including the essentials for sports practice. It displays up to 8 hours of autonomy and integrates Bluetooth 5.1. IP67 certified, it resists water and perspiration, suitable very well in sports. It remains very light, with a weight of only 26 grams.
• The Shokz Openrun Mini: a helmet promoting a reduction in ambient noise. This model reduces the 50%sound leaks, providing better audio rendering. It remains above all designed for sports, with IP67 certification and wireless listening. This model offers 8 hours of autonomy and load 90 minutes of endurance in 10 minutes.
• The Shokz OpenRun Pro: For longer uses, this pro version has 10 hours of autonomy and an ultra fast load. In 5 minutes, the user recharges an hour of musical listening. The OpenRun Pro also includes a new bone conduction technology and a double microphone intended for calling.

Supra-ear helmets, a sound rendering close to perfection

People practicing their activities in the gym or from their home will be able to choose a supra-ear helmet. This solution is based on large pads placed on your ears. This isolate their surrounding sounds more. The most important criteria are then weight and ergonomics. Your helmet must be light enough to follow your movements without escaping and without exhausting you.

Among the supraicular solutions to remember, there is:

• The JBL Live 400BT: Reference for interior athletes, the Live 400BT offers wireless use with 24 hours of autonomy and a fast load. In addition to the excellent quality sound quality, it has features improving calling and consciousness of the environment. It is compatible with a voice assistant and its audio rendering is customizable via an application.
• The Manhattan 165389: a light helmet (134 grams) and wireless adapted to the indoor sports practice. Interesting for an occasional practice, it has an adjustable arceau and the imitation leather pads. If it is indeed a wireless helmet, the device also includes a 3.5 mm jack set.

Washable pads, customizable shortcuts. Additional functions to consider

Manufacturers add additional features to their devices. Active noise reduction is part of it. Each headphones are different, it is useful to detail a few to help you find a sports helmet adapted to your profile.

For example, these two models have washable pads, a characteristic rarely seen and useful to athletes:

• Adidas RPT-01: if many models are waterproof to perspiration, this wireless helmet goes further with a knitted coating. Removable and washable, it optimizes the life of your device. Heavier, the RPT-01 also displays a very high lifespan (40 hours) and has personalized shortcuts.
• The Philips TAA4216BK: in addition to its 35 hours of endurance and its IP55 certification, this supra-ear helmet includes washable pads. Philips adds a vocal assistant and simplified pairing. This will help you start your sessions faster.

If it is impossible to detail each headset recently developed by major brands, this article will have given you the keys to find the model of your dreams. The few products above represent what current solutions can do to support your sports sessions.