Our verdict on the latest open-ear earbuds, now with noise reduction

The explosion in popularity of running shows no signs of slowing down in 2026.

And if you're one of the hundreds of thousands who have packed out running clubs, Park Runs, 10kms or marathons in the past year, you'll have also noticed the rise in popularity of open-ear design headphones.

I was initially sceptical about the open-ear experience and the perceived sacrifice in sound quality. But after testing out a pair of Shokz Open Run Pro 2 bone conduction wireless headphones back in 2024, I've been won over. They've got me through two marathons, countless kilometres, and I've gifted pairs to family for birthdays.

I can't run without music but love the feeling of still being connected to the environment around – and footsteps below – me. But it was the addition of an air conduction speaker to the bone conduction technology, which meant the sound quality finally matched the experience.

Now, Shokz have released their latest open-ear earbuds, the OpenFit Pro, launched at this year's CES. Shokz say these offer the option to reduce background noise without compromising the quality of sound or comfort. It shouldn't work – but it does, and I think it's a bit of a game-changer.

It's a clear move away from a primarily fitness and running product to earbuds, which they say can carry you through your day, from gym to commute to office to home.

I was given a pair to test out about a month ago. Here's the disclaimer:  I am not a tech or audio expert. But I do love to run and go to the gym and spend an awful lot of time in the office, and walking to and from work, all the time with headphones on. Here's my verdict.

Sleek and solid

The first thing to strike you is that these earbuds are clearly aimed at being a premium product. The aluminium alloy and stainless steel charging case is a lot more robust and is more compact compared to the OpenFit 2+ open-ear earbuds. And while the silicone 'hooks' remain, they are reinforced by a titanium-enhanced frame, which makes it feel more solid and also looks really sleek.

Crucially, they have kept a physical button for controlling volume, skip and answering calls. I've always felt a physical button is more sturdy and easier to find and use, particularly when working out.

At $399, they should feel premium, and they do. The price point is just below that of the AirPods Pro 3 and $50 cheaper than the Bose Ultra Open earbuds. You feel like you get bang for your buck.

The headphones are incredibly comfy to wear, and you will quickly get used to the hook design and forget you have them on. 

The earbuds are sweat- and water-resistant, and the battery life is a standout. This has always been a strength with the Shokz range. You get up to 12 hours on a single charge and up to 50 hours with the charging case with noise reduction disabled, and around half that with noise reduction enabled.

It takes just over an hour to charge fully, but 10 minutes will give you around four hours of listening. This is a great feature as it means that whenever you need to get out of the house but have forgotten to charge your earbuds, you just need to give them a quick blast.

Noise reduction verdict

The big new feature for the OpenFit Pro, though, is the noise reduction feature, despite it being an open-ear design.

Now, this does come with caveats. Some environments perform better than others when it comes to noise reduction. And because it is open-ear, you cannot physically block out the sound. Shokz are not trying to market these as true active noise-cancelling earbuds, and I think that is a smart move.

But the noise reduction feature, driven by a triple microphone and AI voice recognition, is very impressive. I think ultimately you need to work out how it works for you best.

Don't think of it as an aide to blocking out total noise to sleep on a flight – I think instead a better way is to use it, for example, in the office when you need to really focus for a few hours, but you want to remain available should a colleague need to speak to you.

As well as using this feature frequently in the office, I also used it at home when I wanted a little more quiet to read or work or listen to a podcast, or in a cafe when I just wanted to lower the general hustle and bustle around.

If you turn it on without music, it feels like everything around you is muffled and noticeably quiet. It is also effective while listening to music, but really comes into its own when listening to audiobooks or podcasts.

A bit like the open-ear experience generally, don't compare it to what you are used to; explore how it works best for you. But I think it is fair to say the quality of the noise reduction means this is no gimmick, but a clear improvement that justifies the OpenFit Pro being sold as a reimagined pair of headphones with a clear point of difference.

Bass really stands out

As impressive is the sound. The OpenFit 2+ was a great experience, but this just raises the bar. The big difference I found was the bass, which really comes through the Pro. They can also be optimised for Dolby Atmos, which offers a really immersive experience.

And sound leakage is also lower compared to the OpenFit 2+ and OpenRun Pro – well, that is at least according to my in-no-way-scientific experiment of sitting next to my partner while blasting out Biffy Clyro and seeing what she could hear.

They can be easily cranked up in the gym to power your workout and then eased down while outside.

From gym to office

I think what I really like about the OpenFit Pro is that they fit every part of your day. I never had any concerns that they would slip off and fall during a sweaty gym workout, and they are more than loud enough to drown out the gym music.

During my commute to work, sometimes I would struggle to hear audio on the OpenRun Pros, but there was never any issue here. Even taking and speaking on calls was no problem, with the audio crystal clear.

And, as mentioned, they are a great companion in the office. Not just with the noise reduction, but multi-point pairing means I can easily switch from a call to a Google Meet meeting on my laptop. They allow you to remain connected to your colleagues.

I still prefer the OpenRun Pros for running – I love that they physically sit on the neck and really let in the environment around you on those quiet trails, although these are equally adaptive when it comes to open ear. But it is a big ask to fork out around $720 to have both pairs, and if you had to choose one, I would go for the OpenFit Pros as they sit comfortably and securely during the run or workout and still have that open-ear experience, which I think is a must for safety as well as serenity. And they are a great experience in the office.

Maybe to be a true allrounder they could benefit from the integration of an AI assistant like Siri or Gemini. And sometimes I find the microphone doesn't pick up everything when I am making a call in a busy environment.

Are they worth it?

But are they worth the upgrade or investment if you are new to the open-ear experience? Yes. The noise reduction feature, combined with improved sound quality and comfort make these a genuine pair of earphones, equally at home in the gym or office. And, when it comes to earphones and their advances, at the heart of it all, they have to sound great. And these do.

Along with the rise of run clubs, I expect more and more companies to innovate in the open-ear space, not just to provide that connection with your surroundings, but also as a crucial safety feature. And with the OpenFit Pro, Shokz has taken the lead early in 2026.

The Shokz OpenFit Pro are available for pre-sale now and will be on sale from January 22, available in black and white, for $399.

Our writer was gifted the Shokz OpenFit Pro for the purpose of this review.

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