5 Best Bone Conduction Headphones in Australia for 2024
Whether it’s swimming in the pool or attending a Zoom meeting, fans are raving about these ultra versatile headphones.
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Bone conduction was used as a hearing aid solution as far back as the 15th century, but it was only in the 1990s that the technology was patented for consumer headphones.
Bone conduction headphones are ideal for any situation where you want to listen to music but still need to be aware of your surroundings. Usually, that means suburban runners, who need to be able to hear the sounds of traffic while they jog.
Because bone conduction sends vibrations through your jaw to your inner ear to transmit sound, it can also be combined with a waterproof design to allow for use underwater. With no exposed speakers or components, these specially designed underwater headphones allow swimmers to listen to music while in the pool.
You don’t have to be an active person to use bone conduction headphones, either. These wraparound headphones are also a great option for office workers who have to be available for conversations with co-workers, but use music or podcasts to help them focus.
While bone conduction headphones offer the benefit of not blocking out ambient sounds, it also means certain sacrifices.
There’s no possibility for noise cancellation, which makes sense given the headphones don’t cover or block your ears. Audio quality can’t compare with high-end headphones like the Sonos Ace or the Apple AirPods Max.
You may also experience some uncomfortable vibration if you turn the volume up too loud, though that will depend on the model chosen. If you do find the vibration of bone conduction too intense, there are other earphones available that use a similar “air conduction” technology.
None of the major tech manufacturers like Samsung, Apple or Sony offer bone conduction headphones, which can make finding the right pair a bit harder.
To help, we’ve combined our experience with bone conduction headphones with extensive research to come up with this list of the best bone conduction headphones in Australia.
OUR TOP PICKS
OUR PICK OF THE BEST BONE CONDUCTION HEADPHONES
Shokz OpenRun Pro 2, $319 at Amazon Australia
Shokz OpenRun Pro 2
Tried and Tested by Nick Broughall, Technology Contributor
Shokz says that the OpenRun Pro 2 features the company’s 10th generation of bone conduction technology. The key difference is that instead of using bone conduction for the full range of audio, it uses air conduction technology to deliver the deeper bass sounds.
The bone conduction is instead focused on delivering the mids and highs, which it can now do without vibrating your skull.
It results in a better overall audio quality. Shokz’ algorithms balance the sound between the bone and air conduction technologies, giving the headphones a full 20Hz-20kHz frequency range.
That means that you can hear everything from thumping bass to the highs of vocals. But you have to remember that you can also hear the outside world, so while the audio quality is good here, it’s not going to be on the same level as a pair of noise-cancelling headphones.
It also means that these headphones do leak a fair amount of audio at louder volumes. While that’s not an issue for someone out on a run, if you intend to wear these on a commute, know that cranking it up past 50 per cent will likely annoy your fellow commuters.
The OpenRun Pro 2 also features a more robust body made using Titanium, and a tweaked design that reduces the clamping force on the side of your jaw. Compared to the original OpenRun Pro, the sequel is a lot more comfortable, I was able to wear it for an entire day without feeling any discomfort.
These are ever so slightly heavier than the first generation, but there’s a significant boost to the battery. You’ll get around 12 hours of listening time on a single charge, which is solid on its own.
If you do run out of battery, five minutes on the charger will give you 2.5 hours of listening time. While that’s not uncommon these days, it’s a good inclusion, particularly if you intend to use these for running.
I also love the fact Shokz moved away from the proprietary charger it used in the OpenRun Pro to use a standard USB-C charger here.
Shokz does offer a free app for both iOS and Android, which you’ll need to download if you want to adjust the EQ settings or set up Bluetooth pairing with two devices at the same time. Fortunately, it’s easy to use and straightforward to control.
When it comes down to it, the combination of bone and air conduction technologies, superb battery life, a comfortable and secure fit and superb audio quality make these the best bone conduction headphones you can get right now.
There are cheaper models out there, but if you want the best, then this is it.
BEST BONE CONDUCTION HEADPHONES FOR SWIMMING
Shokz OpenSwim Pro, $299 at Amazon Australia
Shokz OpenSwim Pro
What You Need To Know
Because the OpenSwim Pro offers a secure fit and an IP68 dust and water resistance rating, they are an ideal partner for swimmers who want to listen to music or podcasts while swimming laps.
But Shokz hasn’t just added a better water resistance rating to its standard bone conduction headphones here. It has added 32 GB of internal storage, so you can copy MP3 music tracks to the headphones, ensuring you don’t need to rely on Bluetooth.
Because of the open-ear design, there’s no concern about losing an earbud as you swim laps, and while the sound quality can’t quite compete with in-ear or over-ear models, neither of those styles will work underwater.
The sound quality is still good, though. These headphones use Shokz’ eighth generation of bone conduction technology, so the bass can vibrate a bit at high volumes.
Battery life depends on how you use the headphones, with MP3 playback offering about six hours of playback, compared to nine hours on Bluetooth.
The headphones do come with a proprietary charger, which can give up to hours of battery off a 10-minute charge.
The result is a pair of versatile bone-conduction headphones that have an average 4.3/5-star rating from over 450 reviews on Amazon and an average of 4.4/5 on Google.
BEST VALUE BONE CONDUCTION HEADPHONES
Shokz OpenRun Pro, $269 at Amazon Australia
Shokz OpenRun Pro
Tried and Tested by Nick Broughall, Technology Contributor
If you’re after bone conduction headphones for a secure fit while being active, the OpenRun Pro from Shokz are a great value option.
Despite being updated to the best-in-class OpenRun Pro 2, the original model is still available at a cheaper price, making it a worthy option for those on a budget.
You get Shokz’ 9th generation of bone conduction technology, with good audio quality and a comfortable, secure fit. 10 hours of battery life means you can listen for an extended period of time, and if you do happen to run out of juice, five minutes on the charger is enough for 1.5 hours of playback.
The OpenRun Pro does offer a proprietary charger, but it can be frustrating if you can’t find the cable.
Because these headphones are a bit older, the audio quality isn’t as good as the OpenRun Pro 2, neither is the battery life.
But these are $50 cheaper than the OpenRun Pro 2, so if budget is a primary concern, these are well worth a look.
BEST BONE CONDUCTION HEADPHONES FOR MUSIC
H2O Audio TRI Pro Multi-Sport, $263 at Amazon Australia
H2O Audio TRI Pro Multi-Sport
What You Need To Know
As the name suggests, the H2O Audio TRI Pro Multi-Sport bone conduction headphones are designed for multiple sports.
But the key feature on offer with these headphones is the inclusion of a feature called Playlist+. This lets you store a copy of music streamed from a music streaming service like Apple Music or Spotify on the headphones’ 8GB storage.
That means you can listen to music or radio programs when you’re underwater and not connected to your phone.
The H20A Audio TRI Pro offers up to five hours of battery life, and with an IPX8 rating, can be used for swimming.
Reviewers love the lightweight design and call out that they are comfortable to wear with a swimming cap and goggles.
It does have a proprietary charger, and audio reviewers indicate that the Shokz models offer better audio quality. But for offline audio playback, these are worth consideration.
BEST BONE CONDUCTION HEADPHONES FOR BATTERY LIFE
Suunto Wing, $270.33 at Amazon Australia
Suunto Wing
What You Need To Know
Suunto has tried to stamp its mark on the bone conduction headphone space by combining its Wing headphones with a charging base.
Like a pair of AirPods, the Wing offers its own internal battery, lasting up to 10 hours on its own. But the charging base can offer an additional 20 hours of playback. You charge the base via USB-C, so there are no proprietary cables to worry about.
Rated at IP67 dust and water resistance, these headphones are designed to be sweat-resistant rather than waterproof.
Knowing that these headphones are most suitable for runners, Suunto has also packed a few LED lights, which can either glow constantly or blink, making the wearer more visible, particularly as it gets darker.
There’s also a mode to use head gestures to control things like music playback and whether to answer or receive calls. The downside here is that it can have a significant impact on battery life.
With an average rating of 4.3/5 on Amazon and 4.6/5 on Google, the Suunto Wing is a viable, though premium option for anyone after a premium pair of bone conduction headphones.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING BONE CONDUCTION HEADPHONES
The most important element when deciding on a pair of bone conduction headphones is what you want to use them for. Not all models are rated for underwater use, so if you would like to use them while swimming, that’s going to be your main comparison point.
Beyond that, look for battery life, and also how you will charge the headphones. Historically, bone conduction headphones have used proprietary chargers, which can be problematic if you lose the cable.
While bone conduction typically offers weaker audio quality than in ear or over ear headphones, there is still a fair amount of variation in the audio quality for different bone conduction models. Check reviews to make sure you’re getting the best audio quality you can for your budget.
HOW WE CHOOSE PRODUCTS
With hundreds of models available, it’s impossible to test every model out there. To help you find the best bone conduction headphones we tested several well-known brands at different price points. In addition, our shopping team read hundreds of customer reviews and looked at test results and ratings from product review sites to find the best bone conduction headphones from premium to budget to help you find the right one for your ears.
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Nick Broughall
Nick has been reviewing the latest technology and gadgets for over two decades. He’s edited leading Australian technology publications like Gizmodo, TechRadar and Finder; was a co-founder of gadget site EFTM and currently runs BTTR.reviews. He is a regular finalist in the Australian IT Journalism awards, and won the Best Reviewer award in 2016. These days, he tries to balance his gadget addictions with board games and bushwalking.
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