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I have used many headsets and earbuds over the years.
My current earbuds are Bluetooth, which is needed these days, but they constantly fall out of my ears.
With always doing something outdoors, working out, or just walking around, I want something that I can use everywhere and does not fall out of my ears all the time.
That is when I found AfterShokz! These things are so amazing that I decided to write a quick review. As always, if I miss anything or if there are any questions you have about these, let me know in the comments below.
If you only want to know if you should give AfterShokz a chance, my suggestion is Hell YES!
Why You Should Buy These
I purchased the ones pictured below and have used them daily since. To make a long story short, I could not be happier with my purchase.
Suppose you are like me and research a lot before buying a product. You will read online reviews, do many online searches, and ask everyone if they know anything about the product you are searching for.
I found reviews that said they didn’t like this headset. Interestingly, I found negative reviews because they wanted them to act as regular over-the-ear headphones.
What I Was Looking For
I wanted to test these headphones out because I wanted to hear what was going on around me.
A few examples are when I’m at work, writing (like right now), walking, running, or riding my bike (side note: did you know, in the state of CA, having both your ears covered while driving or riding a bike is illegal?).
The Aftershokz do a perfect job for what I have been looking for.
I have yet to wrap my head around it because you can make these headphones noise-canceling, too!
When you purchase these, there are earplugs included in the box. So, once you put the headset on, insert the earplugs, and you can still hear the music or podcast you are listening to!
If that sounds crazy, it is! Almost like magic!
I always want to provide you with the best gear and equipment that I use.
If you are looking for a ‘treat yourself’ gadget or want to give someone the best gift ever, you should consider AfterShokz.
These are the BEST “earbud headphones” I have ever used.
See the image below. I’d say they look pretty cool too!
What The Heck Is ‘Bone Conduction Technology’?
I know I had no clue what it was, but I was intrigued once I found out.
First, you need to decide what it is that you are looking for.
You will be happy to know there are different AfterShokz versions on the market, such as the Aeropex, Air Headphones, OpenMove Headphones, and Titanium Wireless Headphones.
Put, bone conduction technology delivers the music through your cheekbones.
This allows your ears to be open to hear what is happening around you.
There is some science and tech stuff, but know that the transducers send mini vibrations through the cheekbones to deliver the sound directly to your inner ear.
Something interesting is that this technology bypasses the eardrum completely.
And therefore, putting earplugs in your ears (if your environment requires that) allows you to hear your music still!
It even provides more bass and low end as well.
The Good About AfterShokz
I like to make lists of pros and cons for pretty much everything.
As you can see from the image above, these are not cheap investments.
You want to make sure you are getting your money’s worth.
Let’s start with the pros. There are many, but I will sum it up to my top ones.
- They are super light, weighing in at less than an ounce (or about 26 grams). In fact, I often forget they are even on.
- Very easy to use.
It sounds surprisingly good, considering they are not in your ears.- They are reliable, as they don’t fall off your head. And I have used them hiking, walking, working out, running, on a bike, at work (don’t tell anyone), and just around the house.
- Work for hours. The website says eight, but I have used mine for around nine.
- You only need two hours or so to recharge.
- The ones I have are even IP67 rated, aka sweat and weatherproof.
- It can become noise-canceling (once you put in earplugs).
One other thing about noise-canceling headphones.
I’m not sure what it is, but I have a headset with a button I can push. Once a few seconds go by, I start feeling nauseated.
It might be due to not being a super high-end headset, but I never use it. If I’m in a loud environment, I will use earplugs. Having the Aftershokz allows me to still listen to music and not feel nauseated!
These are made to be with you for the toughest workouts and adventures. And because I know someone will ask, no, I would not recommend swimming with these.
The Aftershokz website has a version for swimming, but I’m not much of a swimmer, so that didn’t interest me. Rain, sweat, and the elements did, and these have been working perfectly.
Things to Consider About AfterShokz
I have honestly only found a few cons with these.
- It’s not great for talking on the phone.
- They are okay for a quick call or to listen to voicemail. But I have found that the person on the other end will complain about the wind while on the phone. It could be a very light wind, something you don’t even feel, but they will hear it. This headset has two different microphones, which seem to pick up almost everything.
- The back strap doesn’t make them comfortable sitting down, such as in a car with a headrest or an airplane.
- The pressure makes the backstrap push against your ears. This is due to their construction as they wrap around your head. I did find a fix for this. I flip them around so they are under my jaw (instead of behind my head). This allows them to work still.
The last and biggest complaint is using the function button.
- Every time you push it, there is a loud beep. It’s frustrating that you cannot make it quieter. I’m sure there is a reason they did this, but it is the biggest issue I have with these.
These are the only complaints that I could find with these. They are not deal-breakers.
Order Your AfterShokz Today!
If you are looking for a truly amazing pair of Bluetooth headphones, you have found them.
So, have I convinced you to get your own yet? There are a few different price points. The ones I got are in the image below.
This is a nice review. One thing I’m mostly impress with about the head set is that it doesn’t fall off. I find it annoying to keep adjusting my headset, it’s very uncomfortable. But this actually sounds promising. Also charging it for two hours sounds right. I can hardly do without my headset for a few hours, so two hours sounds just right
It’s also surprisingly comfortable. I worked out with it this morning, went for a short run, kettlebell, and it didn’t move. I love this thing.
As another test, I listened to mine yesterday for about five hours, and today I’m on hour two already. And I still have battery life left.
I was just at the store listening to music while waiting and conversing with the checkout clerk (I didn’t pause my music). It’s very impressive and really suggest it.
Thank you very much for this review, you solve my problem. Now I can get an earpiece that serves me well during my early morning jogging. Top of it I don’t have to stick something into my ear, and the noise of the Aftershokz filter and I can hear what is happening in my immediate environment.
You got that right. They are totally worth the purchase.
Great review, I’ll have to check them out.
Thanks for stopping by, and when you are looking, I highly suggest the AfterShokz. Feel free to reach out, but then I’m sure I’ll have way more information about them.
Great review, good headphones are hard to find, . If I was looking to buy headphones, I’d be seriously looking at these. Really nice layout of the information, very informative. Pro and con are nicely laid out give the reader pretty well a good overview of the product. The information on the product seems to be all there. Nice layout of the website not too cluttered easy to read.
Thanks for the nice comment. If you ever have any questions about them, feel free to reach out. I have really enjoyed using them so far.
I am so impressed by these AfterShokz headsets, especially the ear buds.
When i was younger the headsets were brilliant but very bulky, then i changed to ear buds because they looked really cool. I would listen to my favourite music everywhere. The adjustment of having to keep putting them back in the ear when they slipped out was really annoying though, especially when walking fast or running!
Now that i’m older i tend to use them less.
Recently i’ve been using ear buds to record my poems and songs, and you are absolutely right…..they still slip out of the ears.
When i saw the YouTube advert for the headsets, i was hooked straight away and thought yes i need a pair right now…..the less bulk, the less sound leakage, the clips around the ear – all brilliant!!!
What difference does the Titanium make(it’s probably more expensive).
I was concerned about the vibrations through the cheekbones. Would that cause any lasting damage in the long run, especially over the years of using the headsets?
Definitely needing to save up. I’m like a kid at the candy store.
You have convinced me to get a pair before Christmas. ‘Re-defining my Possibility!
Hi, and glad I could help you out. I am super happy with my purchase, yes they are expensive, but I think they will pay for themselves in no time. I got the top ones because I wanted the water resistance feature. The titanium always goes back to its original shape and weighs almost nothing (I honestly forget they are on).
I am also concerned about the lasting damage to hearing while using any headset. There wasn’t a lot I could find on this, but I figure that the music isn’t deafening when listening to these. And if you are in a loud environment, using earplugs will help (and you can still hear your music). And this headset also bypasses your eardrums, so I assume that’s a good thing.
As for the cons that I listed above, one is the function and volume buttons. When you push them, they are pretty loud. If you are using earplugs, it’s a very loud beep. I have been using controls (skip, volume up/down, etc.) on my phone, so I don’t have the loud beep.
I would be totally interested in hearing how you like them if you end up purchasing them.
Excellent review, I am super intrigued with the bone conduction technology. I really hate anything in my ears to begin with. My hearing is bad so I am wondering if they have anything using this technology for standard everyday hearing. Anyhow, great article and I will look forward to your reply. Thanks,
Ken
Hi Ken, and I agree with you on having things in your ears. It’s a pain. They always fall out, and after an hour or so, most hurt.
I would be totally interested in the bone conduction technology that would work for you. I don’t know for sure, but I wonder if it depends on the hearing loss you actually have. As for AfterShokz, they only make things that are based on headphones. They don’t have hearing aids.
If you decide to purchase a pair or go somewhere to sells them to try for yourself, I would love to hear if they work for you.