Overall Score: 9/10

Aiming to provide a safe alternative to sport headphones and earbuds, the AfterShokz Air provides a new and unique sound experience. Using bone conduction technology, these open-ear headphones transfer clear sound directly through the cheekbones to allow users to listen to music and answer calls without compromising their awareness. The AfterShokz Air uses titanium wherever possible to reduce bulk and optimise sound quality, and the wraparound design provides a flexible fit for unmatched comfort and stability. Created for athletes, these sweatproof headphones are IP55 certified and offer over six hours of continuous music and calls on one charge.

Runners who value being able to hear traffic and the surrounding environment will appreciate the AfterShokz Air's open-ear design. Despite not offering the same sound quality as high-end, over-ear headphones, the AfterShokz Air definitely provides a unique, premium audio experience with an incredibly comfortable fit. Add multi-point Bluetooth pairing, a longer-than-advertised battery life, and a two-year hassle-free warranty to the package, and it's easy to see why the AfterShokz Air had our testers excited to test them out.

Liz: "The snug, flexible fit of the AfterShokz Air is a great alternative for me, as I don't enjoy the feel of in-ear sport headphones. I found that they fit my head very well, though smaller heads may prefer the fit of the AfterShokz Titanium Mini."

Tyler: "I have a big head, and these headphones fit me perfectly. There wasn’t too much bounce, but I did notice a little movement once I was really sweaty. Smaller heads may find that there is more material across the band than they need."

Liese: "Typical earbuds don’t sit securely in my ears, so I was glad to see that the AfterShokz Air stayed in place during my run, even though I was wearing sunglasses and a hat as well. They wrap around the low base of the head and loop over the ears to sit comfortably right below the temples."

Tyler: "I usually use either my Apple AirPods or my Beats Powerbeats3. Compared to those two, I found the AfterShokz Air to feel more durable. I never felt that they were at risk of breaking, and their materials felt high quality to touch."

Liese: "The materials feel sturdy, yet lightweight. I cannot see them getting bent or broken very easily. I have been throwing them in my gym bag along with my other gear, and they seem to be holding up well."

Liz: "The durability of the band and exterior of the headphones appears to be very good. The flexible, one-piece design never has me feeling like something is going to break off or snap."

Tyler: "In terms of fit, I liked these more than traditional earbuds. After a while, having the speaker blasting in my ear can be annoying. I also liked being able to hear cars on the roads or bikes on the trails."

Liese: "For me, there is no comparison — no wires? I’m in! Apple’s wireless earbuds tend to fall out of my ears with even the slightest movement. The AfterShokz also leaves my ears open to pick up additional sounds from my surroundings, which is really nice while running."

Liz: "I find the AfterShokz Air to be much more comfortable than other headphones, excluding plush over-ear models. Earbud-style headphones often cause discomfort in my ears over time, and this was not an issue with the AfterShokz Air."

Tyler: "The AfterShokz Air's sound quality isn't bad, but it is also not as good as traditional headphones. What you give up when using the AfterShokz is the base. So if base is important to you, or if you listen to a lot of dubstep, you probably won’t like these headphones too much."

Liese: "My media repertoire consists mostly of podcasts and audiobooks, and the AfterShokz worked great for this. The volume didn’t quite go high enough when I was running along a busy street with loud trucks and cars, but volume protection is kinda the point to avoid damage to the eardrums."

Liz: "I enjoy the sound quality of the AfterShokz Air. It's more of a physical music experience, as you 'hear' much of the sound through direct bone conduction instead of through the sound waves traveling into your ear canal. I am sure that there are many over-ear headphones with better sound quality, but these are so much better for running."

Tyler: "All you have to do is hold the power button down until the light flashes and sync it to your preferred music player (for me it was my Apple Watch) using the Bluetooth settings. Battery life was also really good, as it lasted me half a workday plus several long runs without charging."

Liese: "The AfterShokz Airs were very easy to set up, and I am not particularly tech-savvy. They popped right up in my settings once turned on, and I selected them to enable the Bluetooth. I listened to most of an audiobook and multiple podcasts between charges. The battery life seemed to last a lot longer than advertised."

Liz: "I have been amazed with the AfterShokz Air's battery life. I feel like I hardly ever have to charge it. Also, the Bluetooth connection was easy to integrate with my phone."