AfterShokz Aeropex Sport Running Headphones, Wireless Bone Conduction Bluetooth Earphones with Mic, IP67 Waterproof for Cycling, Work out (Blue Eclipse)
ALL-DAY COMFORT
A superb solution to “hot” ears! No longer endure the pain and hot caused by in-ear or over-ear headphones. Weighing only 26 g, Aeropex open-ear wireless headphones bring you an extremely comfortable listening.
SAFTY – Hear both traffic and music
Bone conduction sports headphones keep you connected with your surroundings. Hear the music while running, but still hear the car coming. Listen to your own preferred music, but still hear your colleagues. Perfect for sports and home office.
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Enhanced AudioLatest 8th bone conduction technology allows more bass dynamic range and less vibration feelings. Aeropex sports headphones makes your music sound like the performer is right there beside you. | Designed For SportsWith an 8-hour battery life in a single charge of 2 hours, never be worried by battery life anxiety, even during full Marathons. No chance of Bluetooth earphones dropping off during any sports activity with an intensely tested ergonomic design | England Althletics RecognizedThe only sports headphones allowed to use in open road races in England. Enjoy running, cycling and other outdoor activities with Aeropex Bluetooth sports earphones. |
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IP67 WaterproofIP67 rating makes these wireless headphones fully sweat and water resistant, enjoy your loved music even when running in the rain. | Make your work and life easierEquipped with Bluetooth 5.0 and CVC 8.0 noise cancelling technology, wireless headphones effectively suppress the ambient noise, ideal for telework and conference call. 50% less sound leakage compared to Air to keep privacy intact, never worry about bothering others. | 26g Light WeightLightest bone conduction wireless earphones, weighing in at less than an ounce and lighter than an egg, providing all day comfort experience. Aeropex sports earphones are the ultimate workout buddy. |
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| Bone conduction technology | 8th of bone conduction technology | 7th of bone conduction technology | 5th of bone conduction technology |
| Material | Full titanium | Titanium Headband Polycarbon Ear Hook | Full titanium |
| Bluetooth version | Bluetooth v5.0 | Bluetooth v5.0 | Bluetooth v4.2 |
| Water resistance | IP67 | IP55 | IP55 |
| Weight | 26g | 29g | 30g |
| Continuous play | 8 hours | 6 hours | 6 hours |
| EQ Model | 2 EQ | 3 EQ | 2 EQ |
| Microphone | Dual Noise-Cancelling Microphone | Dual Noise-Cancelling Microphone | Dual Noise-Cancelling Microphone |
| Charging | Magnetic Charging | USB-C Charging | Micro-USB Charging |
| Warrenty | 2-year | 2-year | 2-year |
| Dimensions: | 12.42 x 9.95 x 4.41 cm; 30 Grams |
| Model: | AS800O |
| Manufacture: | SHENZHEN VOXTECH CO.,LTD |
| Origin: | China |
Really worth the outlay.
I bought these for two reasons. The first being that I have always had in-ear headphones, bu t a recent ear infection stopped me from wearing these and I couldn’t handle the idea of running with over-ear headphones,
The second reason was safety, being able to be aurally aware of your surroundings whilst listening to music as you run, and therefore not stepping out in front of a bus seemed to b a great idea.
Sound quality is reasonably decent, the headphones are very comfortable to wear, they don’t slip or fall off. or move around whilst you’re running and the battery life is just fine. Very happy to have these.
Outstanding Sound Quality and Comfo
I use these headphones for both Microsoft Teams calls and mobile phone calls. As it connects to both at the same time, it is great and allows, me to take calls during video meetings. All background sound is blocked out and the Bluetooth is very strong allowing me to have meets in my house and while out side for a walk or ride.
My wife loves the quality and comfort for her daily walk so we plan to purchase a second set.
The only improvement I would like would be for the software to cut out wind noise as this would allow me to continue on my bike – currently I stop to take a call as the wind noise the other person can hear is very loud.
Great for running with awareness
Given their intended purpose of providing audio while maintaining awareness of surroundings they are great. Music sounds surprisingly good, and they are invaluable for directions when running new routes using something like komoot for planning. It can be hard to hear when alongside busy, noisy traffic but I think that’s pretty unavoidable with this technology and not a fault.
They drop one star because there is no feedback for when the assistant is activated and ready to accept voice commands. The assistant is useful if you have your phone zipped away while running.
If you accidentally press the button twice for the assistant it redials the last phone number which is NEVER what I want to happen! I wish this could be disabled and there was a beep when the assistant was waiting for commands.
Great bone conduction headphones
I previously owned Aftershokz titanium headphones which I was more than happy with. However, these were classed as sweatproof and not waterproof. I decided to upgrade to the Aeropex for this reason and have not regretted it. The sound quality is great for someone like me who has hearing loss in both ears. I can now listen to music in stereo, which was almost impossible previously as hearing loss is different in each ear.
The headphones also allow calls to be taken clearly and am told by call recipients that the sound is also clear at the other end. I would say they are slightly expensive at full retail price, but I bought mine at a big discount on Prime Day.
I would recommend these.
Great for exercise
These are brilliant, as a keen runner and rider I wanted some earphones that would let me listen without stopping me hear others, be they runners, bikers or motorists (for obvious reasons!)
These leave your ears open to the world around you and play music direct into your skull using your bone to carry the vibration into your ears.
They don’t have the sound quality of my Sony XM3 over-ear cans but I didn’t expect them to – what they provide is perfectly acceptable for you to listen while retaining spatial awareness. Apparently you can even swim in them, but not tried that yet.
Picked them up on the Prime day sales, great buy with the 33% discount applied.
Useful headphones for running in places where you need to be ale
These are my second Aftershokz headphones. I previously had the Trekz but they gave me ear fatigue, so I got the Aeropex.
They’re definitely lighter than the Trekz, with a kind of velvety feel. The battery life is a bit better and the sound is as expected. My only issue is that they don’t automatically shut down if they’ve been left on without being used. Cheaper models can do this, so I’m not sure why these can’t – it was the same with the Trekz as well.
I’ve been able to wear them with sunglasses and either a headband, visor or cap, without experiencing ear fatigue, and I don’t run in anything else. You will have to adjust the sound as you change environments but that’s not a big deal to me. I can hear everything around me, which is one of the main benefits of owning them.
I wish I had bought these in the first instance but you live and learn. If you can get them on special offer or at a discount price, buy them! Either way, they’re definitely worth it.
It does what it supposed to :-)
It does what it’s designed to do and I’m pleased with it.
Received product on 11th May 2021
Pros:
– Sound = Don’t expect any anything amazing. Very good sound quality though. Bass is very minimal.
– Mic = Very good/clear/loud > Sent voice messages on Whatsapp, made phone calls etc and so far no one had mentioned my voice sounds very low.
Battery = So far it does last and perhaps beyond the 8 hours. Max 9, as I currently work from home have it on all day with Youtube on.
Cons
– Noise Cancelling – these are absolutely not made for that, hence for environmental awareness.
– Commuting – Could get drowned out by road work. Have not tried on UK underground tube yet, so no comments.
Fit, sound, and purpose all excellent.... but had to get a replacement.
I love these headphones – they feel great and give me excellent sound as a nonaudiophile who mostly listens to podcasts and audiobooks.
However, my first set failed after about a month. I was taking them off while wearing a hoodie and they died and would not turn back on. I suspect it was some sort of poor static shielding. That being said, it was very simple to get a replacement set which arrived within a week or two. Excellent customer service.
I adore these headphones and wish I’d got them years ago. I am neurodivergent and sounds can be overwhelming or trigger odd symptoms. On top of that I hate things in and on my ears.
By playing certain unobtrusive white noises I can eliminate my sensory issues, it’s been game changing.
I also love being able to play audiobooks or music while I’m with the kids. I can still hear the kids fine while having enough distraction to pay attention.
I’ve worn them every day for about 3 weeks. The battery lasts all day, often more if they’re not playing continuously all day. It does buzz a little if at top volume but you get used to it pretty quick and with most things you don’t need top volume.
They’re really easy to connect, comes with two charger cables which are magnetic so no dust in holes. The pouch it comes in is nice. Phone calls are great and apparently the mic is much better than any other headphones I’ve had for cutting out traffic etc.
If I could change one thing it would be the band being smaller as it catches on my jackets but I’m small and it’s not enough to drop a point.
Mainly being able to listen without awful buds in my ears or headphones pressing on my ears is wonderful.
I gave 1 star for noise cancellation only because that’s not what they’re for, though they did come with east plugs if you want that. Nice touch.
Very good - just understand what you’re getting
So the main benefit of these is that you can hear your audio whilst also hearing your surroundings. You aren’t getting earth shattering audio quality – you’re getting utility – and for that they are very good.
The audio quality is hard to describe really. It’s crisp and clear, just with barely any bass. People say this sounds like cheap earphones.. that isn’t true. Cheap earphones are muffled and shrill.
I bought as my AirPods block out my surroundings so I don’t hear people calling me or the doorbell etc, but with these I’m still aware of surroundings. You can’t really hold a conversation with them on and playing music at a good volume, but you can tell that someone is calling you etc.
The pause button on the side is useful.
Other reviews say the alert beep is loud – I think it’s totally fine.
The magnetic charger is nice and it is good that you get two.
Initially I found them quite uncomfortable but this passed. They’re not quite as comfortable as the AirPods – I never forget that I’m wearing them – but they’re fine.
You can’t lie down wearing them.
Hope this helps someone.
Very close to perfec
I wanted a set of headphone I could wear on a bicycle that didn’t block out traffic and pedestrian noise. I also wanted something I could wear while in a wet atmosphere such as a hot tub. They are comfortable to wear, I often wear them all day and forget they are there.
I use them to listen to talking books while working so sound quality is not paramount, someone who wants perfect sound may not be so impressed. When at maximum volume they do cause a vibrating sensation where they touch the skin, some people have said its off putting, doesn’t bother me, if I need them on maximum volume I’m usually doing something thats far more off putting than headphones vibrating.
Bluetooth does work over quite a distance, I can be in a different room to my phone and it stays connected, even between upstairs and downstairs. And it seamlessly answers the phone so I can speak normally and the inbuilt microphone picks up everything, when call is complete it switches straight back to whatever I was listening too.
Can’t find anything to fault about them as they do exactly what I want, including working all day, and if they do run flat 10-15 minutes on the charger puts enough life back in them to continue. The charger connection is also excellent, no fiddly usb plugs. The electrodes are encased in a magnet so by offering the magnetic charger port up to the headphone it connects itself, you can almost throw the headphones at the charger and the magnetic pins find locate and connect immediately.
Aftershokz Aeropex - Fantastic boneconduction headphones
After two years of use, one warranty swop out, these have been fantastic !
I will not hesitate to recomend them for use.
Just to be clear, I tend to use them (the Aftershokz Aeropex) all day long now, for general listening and workouts, and my other studio audio grade headsets and earphones for different purposes.
Have now purchased the Aftershokz OpenComm headset to test for conference call use. Will update with a review on those after a year or so of use.
The overall value of my review, is to those discerning buyers, who are not looking for a passing review of a product, rather a genuine, long-term user review, and then to give the review appropriate weight in a buying decision. I do this to help. Hope it does.
A real improvement but not great battery life
The sound quality in the Aerospekz is way better than the Trekz and worth the extra cost. Not only is it deeper and clearer with the Aerospekz you can hear clearly when outside in the wind. So the best headphones for runners.
However, despite the advertising saying they have 8 hours of battery life, the most I have got is 4.
I want to add this experience – my Aerospekz went through the laundry with my running kit. I feared the worst, but, No. After one hour in a bowl of rice they charged and worked just fine. So much more waterproof that I thought.
Great for running
I had a pair of the old corded Aftershokz and have absolutely loved them, so when these were put on sale I finally treated myself. They arrived today and I have already taken them out for a run to test them out. Bluetooth 5.0 is great, I have them paired to my phone and my laptop and they switch between the two easily (check the user manual for multiple pairing, it is a setting that needs to be turned on). The sound quality is a step up from the old version, and they are so light I could almost forget I was wearing them. the IP67 rating means I don’t have to worry about taking them out in the rain. It came with a running belt, a very snazzy pouch, and 2 charging cables, the spare charging cable is a great touch. Can’t comment too much on battery life, but there is great audio prompts when you turn them on to let you know how much battery you have left, considering I have run out of battery 5 minutes into a run using the old set (and then had to run half an hour with no music), this is a massively appreciated addition.
All in all, I am absolutely loving them and am definitely glad I treated myself.
Usable for cycling, but not without issues
I bought these to wear while cycling. Sound quality is best described as ‘OK’ (think cheap open-back headphones), so given that these are the the latest generation and supposedly sound the best, I can only assume previous models sounded awful… But they’re good enough for listening as a distraction while doing something else –and, importantly, while still being able to hear ambient noise.
Wind noise while riding can pretty much prevent you from hearing anything, but that’s so far only been an issue on downhills –flat riding isn’t affected anywhere near as much.
They fit under my bike helmet comfortably enough, but only if I put them on after putting on the helmet and fasting its strap. The headphones’ band needs to be outside the helmet strap, else it presses the bars that go over your ears and the bulky bits that sit behind your ears deep into your skin and that soon gets painful.
I can’t figure out a way to wear them with anything covering my ears, though –a buff or winter har also needs to be beneath the helmet strap, which means there’s no way to then fit the headphones. So these aren’t really suited to riding when you want to keep your ears covered against the cold. The controls are also very fiddly to use with winter gloves, but that’s hardly the headphones’ fault.
When cycling leaning forward with your head tilted up –the standard position for any drop-bar road bike –the band that goes around the back of your neck (and that normally has plenty of clearance) touches the base of your neck and shifts the position of the headphones around your ears. This is worse with high-necked cold-weather tops, but is more of an annoyance than a problem.
I’ll stick with them for cycling — they’re safer and more practical than traditional head/earphones, but they’re not a perfect option for the reasons outlined above.
[Incidentally, Amazon reduced the price by 30 the day after I bought these, but was unable to refund the difference. So I had to return the originals and buy them again at the lower price — not the best solution for all concerned.]
So comfortable and amazing sound quality
I’ve had in ear headphones over years and after a while, those are uncomfortable in the ear and give me ear ache. I’m now completely converted to bone induction Aftershokz Aeropex headphones. They are much more comfortable and the quality of sound is amazing, as well as noise cancellation. I use them every day on walks, listening via blue tooth to music and also on mobile phone calls. Also a must for video conference calls and no one can see you are wearing them as the band sits behind your head and not on top. The only disadvantage is that I’m on my third pair as I’ve lost two pairs whilst taking my coat off, after walks and getting back in my car, as you can forget that you’re wearing them as they are so lightweight and comfortable.
That is what I need
I initially bought Jaybird Tarah Pro for workout that include skipping rope after watching reviews on Youtube. Users were claiming Jaybird are great for running and some wrote that jumping should not be a problem. It was a total failure! Headphones got out of my ears on multiple occasions and flew to the neighbors backyard. The sound was good only if you don’t move. So I was looking for the alternative…
I have decided to risk and get Aftershocks and they didn’t disappointed me so far. You can do skipping rope for several minutes without any problem. The sound is also pretty decent – it is better than Jaybird! plus you can hear your surrounding. Some people mentioned buzzing/vibrating sensation with them – no issue like that from my experience. Spouse said she cannot hear music while I wear them. All controls are there – pause, skipping tracks, volume and answering calls. I am very happy with this purchase and would recommend it to anyone with active lifestyle.
Outstanding bone conduction headphones
I bought these as I had a perforated ear drum in my one good ear, and in that time they allowed me to use headphones when I would not have been able to. Since then my ear drum has healed, but I have continued to use them for running and day to day use as they are excellent. By definition they do not cancel out surrounding noise, but I like this as it allows me to remain aware of those around me while listening. They also function brilliantly for hands-free phone calls, and I therefore have them on most of the time. Battery life outstanding, usually last two days of regular use at least between charges. Bone conduction headphones will never give you the sound quality of other in/over ear headphones, but if you are looking for a pair of bone conduction headphones these are excellent –
I’m not a techie or an full on audiophile — just a regular person who enjoys a variety of music styles and podcasts on the go. My motivation for getting these was primarily for use when out alone after dark both dog walking and running, which is not always safe when you have one of your sensory systems is disabled.
It is a new experience being able to hear both the music in my head and people talking to me or traffic passing by and it’s really quite impressive. The sound quality is good. For the same price, I’d want to be blown away by the quality of an in-ear or over-ear bit of kit, but that’s not what these are. The sound quality is not much better than old my 40 earbuds, but I couldn’t wear those in a shared workspace without cutting myself off from surrounding conversations, they didn’t allow me to do my own thing at home without disengaging from family life and they didn’t give me the freedom to confidently listen to anything when out on my own after dark. These are pretty nifty and what you’re getting for your money is both inclusion and freedom as well as sound quality.
In terms of Cons, these are not adjustable and, as a petite woman, I find they don’t always site 100% right. This can also be affected by my choice of clothes, headgear or hairstyles. But generally they are comfortable and they always sit correctly enough to work well. I wouldn’t recommend if you intend to use lots while lying flat (I do on occasion in bed, but they can push up at the back and be a little annoying. Again, this could be because I’m on the smaller side). I have not used the accompanying earplugs as noise cancelling is not what I’m currently after, but these will probably be necessary at the gym etc where there is loud background noise.
Back to Pros – another plus is the battery life — it lasts for hours. And when it does run low, the warning is given well in advance of shutdown so you don’t just suddenly lose it mid workout (I got the warning as I headed out the door recently and was still listening when I returned 45 minutes later. I haven’t pushed how much longer they would have lasted beyond that).
Noise leakage doesn’t seem to be a problem – I haven’t been blasting techo at full volume but have listened to podcasts and music in quiet spaces and in bed with my partner and been told it’s not noticeable to anyone in close range.
Overall, whilst these are not perfect for me — and are not cheap — they are a clever bit of kit and I would recommend or gift them to others.
I bought these headphones for walking during Covid. I walk mostly on my own so enjoy music or podcasts but noise cancelling headphones can be quite aggressive and isolate the user from the natural environment. These allow me to enjoy the outside without getting mugged or run over whilst still benefiting from music. They produce clear sound, you don’t get full bass like with in ear headphones but they are not tinny. I really like the balance they strike. I would be happy to wear these cycling and in a work from home environment they would be ideal. They do pick up some background sounds but no more than others I would say. Definitely recommended.
Great headphones
I bought these headphones for running and I absolutely love them. I’d previously used a variety of in-ear headphones and none of them sat well and kept falling out (or felt like they were about to). I also had a close shave with a car because I didn’t hear it coming (completely my fault because of using ANC headphones). The AfterShokz are an absolute game changer for me. They are incredibly comfortable – you never have to fiddle around with them and you don’t even notice they are on. You hear the traffic around you and so it’s much safer. And the sounds is great. The volume/track controls are really easy to use when running. Plus they are waterproof. I can’t recommend them highly enough.
Pleasantly surprised at the quality of audio and how well the bone-conduction technology works
Surprisingly little sacrificed in terms of audio quality, podcasts, speaking etc is excellent. Listening to music is not quite as good as with most other decently priced headphones but it’s still serviceable.
Safety is the biggest reason why you might opt for these, as they don’t go in your ears. I use these on my runs and I can hear most traffic and I don’t feel disconnected from whatever’s going on around me. Even for those who don’t go running, headphones like these might be an option just for walking around town, you can hear what’s going on around you and still be able to hear what’s being played through your headphones.
On the negative side the higher volumes are pretty unusable as they cause too much tickling in front of the ear and the volume up/down sound and other settings sounds are far too piercing and are no quieter when volume is turned down.
Ideal for cycling
I was dubious about these and was aware that they wouldn’t sound as good as an in ear headphone. But I’m totally blown away with the sound quality and functionality of them, I have to say that they actually sound better than my shure in ear Bluetooth headphones and everyone that I have shown them to and let them try them are amazed at the quality of the sound.
Ideal for mountain biking and road cycling I can still hear others and road traffic so completely safe and great for keeping me entertained on solo cycling.
I’ve marked them as a three on noise cancelling as they are not designed for this but there is a set of earplugs included with them that I have not tried.
Don’t be a sceptic but yourself a set and you won’t regret i
Very comfortable and clear sound and still hearing sound around you
I have really enjoyed them from the day I received them. I wear glasses and hearing aids so a lot going on around the ears. Because they don’t go into the ears but just go around to the front of the ear it works out fine. If you frequently take off and on your glasses can be fiddly. I use these to listen to pod casts, radio and news while walking the dog and can still listen to sounds around but obviously if you have them to loud you want hear ambient sound so clearly. If on 3/4 volume the will vibrate and becomes slightly uncomfortable. Very easy to connect to anything with Bluetooth and can connect to two devices. I sometimes forget I have them on. Take out the extra insurance if offered, our dog chewed them only had them for 4 weeks a lot of money to be damaged or lost/stolen.
Loving these headphones, amazing quality, answer all my needs and more!
2 days ago I didn’t know these type of headphones existed. I always have to faff putting earphone in and out when I have a lot of calls and people next to me also want to talk to me, or when I listen to podcasts walking the dog and passer-bys want to chat. I don’t like on-hears as they hurt my ears, and earbuds aren’t a great fit with my daith piercing. So these are perfect, I also feel safer because I can hear cyclists etc. I was expecting low tinny sound quality but I was amazed by the sound, it’s the same as my regular earphones (Mpows and Seinnheisers)! I tested on skype and everyone could hear me very clearly. Very faint noise leakage unless I blast the volume to max and even then, it’s more than reasonable. Also, the material feels great and they so light I literally forgot I was wearing them. Little bonus, the quality of the packaging is amazing. I am sooooooo happy with these, best ear/headphones yet for my needs!
Comfortable for glasses wearers! Excellent produc
I have given this 5 stars for everything.
However, they are not noise cancelling as they are not in or over the ears but they do give you ear plugs so I guess they would be good noise cancellers!
I don’t use them for working out but I should image they are fine.
Sound quality excellent for this type of headphone.
I bought them as I find in-ear gadgets quite uncomfortable after a while.
I have a pair of brilliant Beats over-ear headphones – brilliant for quiet listening to audiobooks cos I don’t need my glasses on – I find these uncomfortable with glasses.
AFTERSHOKZ – very impressed. Very light (don’t even know I have them on). Very comfortable (even with my glasses). Very easy-to-use controls.
Thank you – after all these years I have found something perfect.
This is a different level
Right. This review might not apply to everyone. I’m missing my right earas it can be seen in the photo..so not much sound goes in from the environment. The inner ear is fully functional so this bone conduction headphones were built for me. Lol.So…in my case: sound quality is perfect, it sits very comfortable on the ear and although I wear glasses it does not bother me at all. Clear crisp sound for calls as well, i use it at work so I can multi task. Battery life is good, obviously it depends on each individual use and abuse. So far i never got angry because of no battery. So that’s enough for me. Very light and with a veery smooth finish. So yeah…for me this headphones are a game changer. I strongly think that if you’re reading this means that you want to make sure it’s worth it. If you ask me, go for it. It’s totally worth it!
I love these but ....
This is my second pair. I had the original product for many years and they just broke. Although I like these new ones I do have a number of issues:
1. When used for cycling or running, wind noise does reduce the effectiveness. Same issue in a gym with background music
2. A pair of ear plugs is provided to overcome the above problem but I find it more effective to just slide the earpieces over my ears. It would have been nice if the ear plus were somehow integrated into the headset with the ability to swing them away when not needed
3. Charging – understand why they’ve not gone for a micro USB but it’s just another cable to lose/forget. It’s about time the electronics industry standardised on these.
4. Packaging – weighs more than the product and goes straight in the bin – so much for green credentials
Great sound easy to use.
What is stated by the company is all true this is a great product. luxury feel as well made, as any headset I have used.
The only issue I have is pairing I need to go through the process each time. I also use apple AirPods and these give me the option to connect each time a call comes in or when I use my laptop. This may be me not using them correctly as I have only had them a few days.
if AfterShokz Customer service can give me direction on this or someone to contract that would be great.
Ideal headphones for training
Arrived in good time. Great quality and very light. I barely notice that I have them on. I tried wireless earbuds before but found that I had a thumping noise on each step as I was running. With these, there is only the music but I can hear the traffic noise approaching behind me, which is a lot safer when running on my local roads.
I’ve only had one phone call with them so far but that was very clear and so easy to answer.
Can’t comment on Noise cancellation so only 4 stars given.
Battery life is great.
Connecting to iPhone, PC or Apple watch was very easy.
I bought the Aeropex because their main use would be with training both inside and outside and sometimes in the rain. Either way sweat and moisture was my concern.
I would recommend these headphones.
Expensive but worth i
After years of trying in ear pods for running I splashed out on these. 150 is a lot of money but in my case I do think it was worth it for two main reasons. First is that whichever size adapter I used on my in ear pods, inevitably at some stage on my run, they would fall out. As AfterShokz sit in front of the ear, this isn’t a worry.
The second reason I love these is because I suffer with tinnitus. In ear pods always made this much worse and I ended up only ever wearing the left pod as the tinnitus is worse in my right ear. After a run with in ear pods my tinnitus could be awful. As Aftershokz don’t sit in the ear, they don’t affect my tinnitus at all.
I’m not really a music ‘fan’ so I can’t comment of the music quality, just to say I have no complaints and can hear the music loud and clear when running. What I will say though is that the sound does still ‘mask’ background noise so I can’t hear if another runner is approaching me from behind.
Easy and great to use. If you are looking for a good set of bluetooth running headphones and can swallow the price, these are very good.
Brilliant alternative to normal headphones
Wear them all the time. No more sore ears from in-ear buds or over-ear phones. They allow you to hear what’s going on around you, while enjoying music/audio books etc. so much safer than noise cancelling. They’re very comfortable and can be worn all day. It did take me about 30 mins to get to grips with the sound: it’s a different feeling compared to normal ear phones, but not too weird, you will adapt to it quickly. The battery life is incredible, much longer than advertised. Please do be aware, they are different to “normal” headphones in terms of sound quality, if you want brilliant bass and ultra high quality music, these won’t suit, but the sound quality is very good all round. They’re well priced, and made very well, good and sturdy. Would recommend 100%.
Bought with trepidation but pleased with the produc
My first pair of Aftershokz bought with trepidation as I have never spent so much on a pair of headphones.
However, lockdown has meant a different way of taking exercise – running, walking, cycling, indoor rowing being the main activities. I have a pair of earbuds as well but wearing them for prolonged times was uncomfortable and I felt at times they were going fall out.
I have found these headphones comfortable to wear and the sound quality good. The increase/decrease in volume could be in smaller increments but overall a good pair of headphones which are easy to wear and light. They are expensive but I think less likely to be lost than a set of expensive earbuds.
I bought, after much deliberation, the Aftershokz Aeropex headphones for running.
I was dubious about the quality of sound with bone conducting headphones but, I have to say, they are fabulous.
I’ve used my Samsung Buds+ with noise cancellation and ambient sound but the wind noise is too much.
With bone conducting, you don’t get the same wind noise at all.
I LOVE them for running.
Battery life is great too.
Charged fully once and used for each run until they needed charged again.
I got 10 days/runs out of them.
Each run would be approx 1hr -1 1/2hrs
I’m using this for cycling, the headphones sound is remarkable to say this is done through bone conduction, nothing goes into the ear which is kind of weird
The packaging is good but a little over designed
The package comes with a pouch to keep your headphones in when not in use and an AfterShokz bum bag (made of some flimsy looking plastic material) big enough to put a mobile phone into but not perhaps a phablet, and a set of foam ear plugs for noise cancellation
Personally I think that most of what comes with the headset is tat and how much this over packaging costs could have saved on the overall cost
The drive to cut down on plastic globally has been lost here
The funkiest feature is the magnetic charging cable which leaps to the headphones
I was skeptical regarding these headphones, I had done some research online about bone conduction and opinions varied regarding music quality etc.
I decided to push the boat out and go for the aeropex and I’m certainly glad I did. I find the sound quality excellent, for total base heads these would not cut the mustard but for people who like their tunes and not have the outside world totally blocked out they are great. They are also comfortable to wear and don’t bounce around when running, they stay in place exactly where they should. For phone calls they aren’t great in noisy environments, if there is a lot of road noise then being able to hear what is being said if a touch tricky and the person on the other end struggles to hear with lots of ambient noise but they work. The only downside is noise bleed, people around you can hear your music, not in a boom box way, but it is definitely audible at higher volumes.
Fantastic quality - Perfect for running!
Bought two pairs for running so my wife and I could both listen to music or a podcast and be able to talk to each other when required at the same time.
These work amazingly well. The sound quality is very good (you would want a dedicated pair of headphones if you are an audiophile to listen to music but that’s not the purpose of these!) and certainly good enough for running and you can still hear to have a conversation or be aware of traffic etc.
There is, obviously, no noise cancellation but come supplied with a set of ear plugs to deaden background noise in harsh, noisy environments. However, I’ve not used these yet.
Battery life is good and they come with TWO proprietary magnetic charging leads. One for home, one for the office/car.
Excellent product which, despite the reasonably high cost, are worth every penny. The old saying goes that you get what you pay for. With these, you’re paying for quality and you get it.
Cycling just became even more enjoyable!
I am an avid researcher when it comes to buying products, I’m almost keen on music, and have a broad and eclectic taste so value buying the right product for the right situation. I have some Bose overear headphones for at home immersive listening, some Jabra Active Elite 65t for when I’m out walking the dog or just want to listen when moving, and some tiny Sennheiser in ear buds for when I need help sleeping. So I have no particular brand affiliation or loyalty – is what I’m saying in a long winded way!
I tried the Jabra’s when I was riding but didn’t like the lack of awareness of my surroundings despite the HearThrough being maxed. Plus was nervous of losing one on a trail somewhere, so I began researching (again).
That’s when I found Bone Conduction headphones. I dug deeper and trawled YouTube and search engines for product info, specs, reviews, etc. to create a shortlist of likely candidates, as I knew this is the type of product I wanted.
There are many much….much cheaper options for Bone Conduction headphones on Amazon, but nearly all of the videos or reviews I found from reputable publications, etc. pointed me towards AfterShokz.
I then when through their range, and eventually, thanks to a timely birthday ended up taking the plunge with the Aeropex.
I’ve now tested these at home, for music and calls, and out on the road when cycling, and I’m nothing less than blown away by how perfect these are as a solution to the problem of taking music out with me and still being aware of my surroundings!
No, these don’t have the depth of sound of the Bose ones I have.
No, these aren’t as isolating as the Jabra’s
No, I won’t be able to sleep in these ones, like I can my little Sennheiser’s.
But that’s all fine by me, these hit my requirement absolutely spot on, I couldn’t be happier.
On the bike there is still wind noise – well I think that would happen with any headphones to be honest. But it isn’t any more intrusive than if you weren’t wearing the Aeropex, the headphones don’t make it any worse.
They are light, comfortable, stable (in terms of Bluetooth connectivity), and have a decent battery life (better than the Jabra’s I have if I don’t have the little charging case with me!)
I’m already ‘smitten’ with these AfterShokz Aeropex. If you’re looking to meet a similar requirement to mine, then take the plunge! Yes they’re a little pricier than others but you pay for what you get. A well built, cleverly designed, reliable device (something I’ll test over time incidentally, but they do have a 2 year warranty – I’ve registered mine!)
Buy with confidence, and enjoy listening to music in a whole new, innovative, way!
Been wearing these almost non-stop for two weeks to make sure I really wanted them since they are not cheap.
Pros:
1- I can do chores around the house but still be able to hear my kid if he needs me or easily stop to talk without taking them off.
2- they are light
3- the sound is great! (For bone conduction) Im not interested in hearing every minute detail of a song, just need music and books to get me through these Covid days. I imagine they’d be great for office use.
4- no ear fatigue
5- Bluetooth connection is excellent
6- excellent for cycling- fits with helmet and glasses
Cons-
1- slight pressure behind my right ear (easily fixed by placing headphone on top of my ponytail
2- if walking outside and traffic is super loud or wind is super loud- audio seems to fade and you have to turn volume up (however I didn’t find this to be the case when cycling)
Brilliant headphones!
I was sceptical at first but after testing my friends pair I was convinced! Now I love them and can’t take them off! They’re comfortable to wear and great for wearing in the gym or doing sports, I don’t have to worry about any ear buds falling out. The sound quality is what really surprised me! Ok, so you have to wear the foam ear buds to really experience noise cancellation but I don’t really care for that. Especially if I’m at work and need to speak with colleagues- I can listen to music and speak to colleagues without having to lower the volume. The quality of build is good, they feel durable, volume and call control is easy to use. The only gripe I have with these is the vibration on high volume, it gets a bit tiresome on the jaw but that’s ok, just don’t listen to music on high volume!
Great headphones for cycling
Was not sure how these would go for cycling, but I really enjoyed using them… After a week of use, they are very comfortable to wear, easy to hook up to phone, but best of all you can hear traffic coming either way, and it allows you to position yourself on the road – without getting caught out by not hearing traffic….
At speed, the wind over your ears means you need more volume to hear the music, but even then it is not that bad – you could use the foam plugs provided. Taking calls on the aeropex is a doddle, and both the sound and speech is very good…. Battery life is excellent, and the charging does not take long. 2 cables provided is a great help. Great product, and glad I purchased them….
Excellent produc
I was a bit dubious, aftee I had ordered these, because I read more reviews and there were a few negative ones. (Although the majority were 5 star). A couple said that the vibrations made them feel funny or gave them tingly ears, and sound qualitity wasn’t brilliant.
I needn’t have worried. The sound quality is excellent. I wore them the whole day at work, and could hear when people came and spoke to me. The battery was still fine after using all day.
Yesterday I went for a 5k run and they were perfect. Didn’t move about or slip like I thought they might. Very lightweight too, you forget they are on.
I didn’t give any stars for noise cancellation as they don’t…that is what they are designed for, so that you can hear sounds around you.
I can highly recommend these.
I’ve been cycling and running for the last 15 years without any headphones as I don’t like bulky units or stuffing my ears so that I can’t hear my surroundings, like traffic and road noise, plus some of the headphones I’ve been trying make extra wind-noise.
These headphones, however, don’t shut out the traffic sounds or road-noise, you can easily speak to someone around you with them playing and the sound is fairly good (8/10) I would say, they are easy to control and quick to connect to my phones Bluetooth, I’ve even been using them a lot as my main headphones when I go out for a walk or a quick run to the store.
(Battery charge) The battery lasts a long time and charge fairly quickly so (10/10) there.
(Noise cancellation) They won’t do much good on aeroplanes or on the underground/metro except if you use earplugs with them, then they work really well (tried & tested on London Underground), I guess that’s why there’s 1x set of earplugs in the pack 😉
Bottom line… I love these and don’t seem to leave home without them anymore.
Well made and perfect for working out.
I decided to go for bone conducting phones as I run a lot and ear bud types are not accepted in most official UK races due to safety concerns. The sound quality of Aeropex is balanced and they are comfortable on a long run. Noise cancellation is irrelevant for these phones when listening as the whole point is to allow you to be aware of your surroundings, however, when ambient noise is low they perform like other phones but without having something stuck in your ears. When used for phone calls the microphones are noise cancelling. Bass is a bit light but I think if it was heavier it could get very tiresome hence my comment about balanced sound. My main criteria for purchase was a good fit so they didn’t need constant adjustment when working out, wireless connection which works well, and as mentioned previously they are accepted for use in official events. I didn’t know what to expect when buying them but I was pleasantly surprised and they certainly do the job that I wanted them to do. They are a bit pricey but they are well made and come with a silicone case with a magnetic catch, a waterproof running belt (which was unexpected but a nice touch) and some ear plugs that can be used to block out sound entering the ear via the eardrums so the effect is more like that from earbuds. There are also two charging cables so you also have a spare. These are magnetic and click into place when the polarity is correct. The other end terminates in a USB connector.
Exceeded expectations on a bicycle
I bought these for home working and for on the bike.
Home working = excellent. Great battery life, sound quality is good, connectivity is excellent (dropped x2 and that might have been my fault in about 60hours talk time)
Bicycle = really pleasantly surprised. I read a few reviews say due to wind noise, you can’t hear and the fit with helmet straps and sunglasses wasn’t good. Fit is brilliant, no issues with either of my helmets or 3 sunglasses, so if there is an issue, it must be head/ear location. Wind noise is a potential issue but at a steady 20 mile an hour, I can hear fine. It gets complicated with head winds. Cycling into a head means sometimes I can be going slowly and not hear clearly. But a tail wind can have the opposite effect. The song also plays a part. Some are louder or at a pitch that is clearer for me. I have found it to be a revelation and the big thing is you can still hear traffic behind you. I tried a pod cast and that wasn’t so good, but that was into a headwind
In summary, just bowled over at how good they are but u shouldn’t expect to be able to hear everything all the time
The ultimate bone conditioning headphones!
Perfect for the job I purchased them for. Running next to roads and in public means you need to be aware of what is around you, theres nothing like being almost knocked down by a over zealous bike rider or a boy racers M3 style wing mirror! With these they are clear and moreover the bass is fantastic but you can still hear most of what’s going on around you. I’ve also run with others whilst listening to a Podcast and can hear both the podcast and the other person very clearly. Also extremely resistant to water (having run in the rain) and sweat. My favourite purchase of the year by far! Can’t recommend enough. Also (not that I’ve needed to use it yet) but a friend claimed on the warranty and said the replacements arrived promptly within 4 days! Great service too.
Ride and listen without blocking what’s happening around you.
I use it for when I’m cycling on road. They fit around the front of the ear allowing for any noise to come through. I wear glasses and wear these and I don’t personally have a issue with these. I’ve used them in winter with a hat under my helmet while the heavy pours and I can personal confirm for myself I have had no issues with that.
Does what it needs to take phone calls and listen to something while I’m out and about but at the same time allowing me to listen to what’s happening around me.
Works with Siri as well. The only thing yo get used to is using the volume control if your phone isn’t in front of you. And pressing the button to activate Siri or whatever you use as a personal assistant on your phone.
Do not accept these to noise cancelling which they don’t. They will bleed whatever your listening to out if it’s loud. You get to hear what’s happening around you while your cycling without getting bored if your commuting to work or just out and about.
Very impressive!
I am really really pleased with these headphones. They are perfect for when I am on the bike and need to keep an ear out for traffic and other hazards. It is very impressive how good the sound is overall even though it is using pure bone conducting audio. No the quality will not be as good as dedicated headphones but that’s not the point. They give the wearer the ability to hear clear sound whilst also being aware of the surrounding environment, something you can’t do with in ear or over ear headphones. There is no “noise cancelling” feature, don’t know why that is an option I can rate it on since it’s not in the feature set of the device at all, kind of defeats the purpose. If you wanted to block out outside noise and just use them like a regular pair of earphones you can do this by wearing foam earplugs.
Much better than I expected
As a runner, trying to find a suitable set of earphones that won’t fall out when running has always been a task of struggle and futility. I did find a 80% stable pair of bluetooth earphones from Anker, but they’ve been discontinued. I liked those earphones.
Looking ahead to a future marathon, I read that only bone conduction headphones (specifically AfterShokz) would be allowed. I previously watched lots of reviews, due largely to my reluctance to spend so much money on “earphones”. The reviews leaned me more towards the expensive end of the range rather than the more budget-friendly end.
So, I saved up, waiting for a sale, and bought these Aeropex.
I wasn’t expecting brilliant sound, and I didn’t think the way they sit so far from your head would make them stable. I also didn’t think the claimed 8 hours of battery life would be likely.
I was surprised on all three counts. The sound is easily as good as, if not better, than the earphones I’d previously been using. They sit perfectly still on my head – no bouncing around. And the battery life is crazy. I logged my runs since first charging the Aeropex. The first time they lasted about a fortnight, during which time I’d run for about 13 hours. The second time they didn’t seem to last quite as long, a little under 12 hours, but still well over the claimed 8 hours.
Needless to say, I’m pleased I bought these and wish I hadn’t hesitated to get them. For me, they really are the best running earphones/headphones I’ve ever used.
These are brilliant for certain situations
Only 3 days in – the make and quality of the product seems first-class and nice packaging. Can’t comment yet on how long they last (comes with a 2 year warranty). Also supplied with a robust silicone bag which I really like to keep them safe. These don’t sound like your Bose over ears and don’t think they will, the bass is not the same and as they’re not in your ears it can’t be, but you can hear the music really well and the midrange response is spot on so great for vocals and superb for podcasts and talking/books etc. This is the compromise for being able to hear your environment and for me when I’m cycling or out walking the dog there isn’t a better and more comfortable earphone or headphone, and I’ve tried a few! I have my Bose when I want some thumping bass and noise-cancelling earphones when I’m stuck on a train and want to block out the world, so these are an ideal addition to earphone/headphone solutions. Highly recommend, so long as you know what you’ll get, the difference in sound compared to normal headphones/earphones -but if you need to hear outside as well, fully recommend this very clever solution.
For work, perfec
For over a decade I’ve been aware of the tech and it lives up to my expectations. Perfect for my work more so than sports so I can hear surroundings and colleges and work safely in the lab.
At the higher volume there is localised vibrations but knocking the volume back by one resolves this, more noticeable on calls with human voices. I’ve used for 24hrs and sometimes the inner ear feels a bit strange from the vibrations but I’m sure this is something that will normalise, very new way of listening for sound in this way
It can be quiet in noisy environments which is to be expected and likewise very little noise cancellation but that’s what I want from these
Very light, can forget they are there I am sure.
Only feature I would like to see is auto shut down when nothing is playing, for me this would be a very useful feature going forward
Ideal for cycling
I wanted a pair of bone conducting headphones to use while cycling. I wanted to be able to listen to podcasts or music whilst still being able to hear traffic noise around me. I’ve had these headphones for a few weeks now and have used them on my mountain bike and road bike. The sound quality for me is excellent. I’m no audiophile but I’ve really enjoyed using them and have certainly made solo training rides more enjoyable. The only time I’ve struggled with podcast dialogue is in particularly windy conditions or long downhills where the wind noise can drown out elements of the dialogue. In these cases I’ve just paused the podcast until the descent has finished and resume it. Listening to music is less of a problem with wind noise. I’ve found I’m still able to hear approaching traffic and general ambient noise clearly. These headphones are a great product and I’d be happy to recommend for cycling.
Tricky to rewind
Generally a brilliant product. Sound is pretty good either with or without earplugs, especially considering the unusual way that it is transmitted. This is clearly not a product for listening to music at its peak, but for use while outdoors and during exercise in particular, it is ideal.
My biggest frustration is trying to control track numbers. I mostly use mine to listen to audiobooks. Pausing and playing are easy. Fast forward is easy with two clicks of the button. But trying to press the button three times to rewind in the allocated length of time is incredibly challenging and usually just results in fast forwarding and pausing instead of going back.
Awesome product great technology.
I am also an over the ear hearing aid user as well as glasses, its a little bit of getting use to and positioning, i found one side fitted better but i always find this but after 2 days its no problem. I have never been able to wear headphones but saw this technology a few years ago and have been watching it advance, with this virus going around i didnt want to keep handling my phone also i wanted to have private conversation with people again, well at least people only hearing part of the conversation. The other thing im a wheelchair user and having your phone on display isn’t the most ideal thing.
I went for the more expensive as it houses the advance tech and very pleased i did they are awesome my Mum has said its the first time she has heard me clear on the phone for a long time and the same with me, also i was forever missing calls because i couldn’t hear the phone ring this has stopped this.
I have marked the section “for working out” with a top mark as i didnt want it to let the 100% marked low as it didnt deserve it.
My only thing is it wants some sort of measurement or even 2 or 3 different size made as they feel a little large around the neck area but i couldnt go for a child size as i need the size over the ear to sit on the correct place of the bone to get the best out of them.
One awesome product.
Sound quality not great compared to other 'normal' earphones but...
Sound quality not great compared to other ‘normal’ earphones but this is, apparently, as good as it gets for bone conduction headphones. Main problem for me is a tinny sound/lack of bass. This is despite experimenting with their position as much as is practical. Given it’s supposed to be an improved model I can only imagine what it was like in earlier models. Even 25 non-ear canal devices sound a lot better to me, and I’m not a ‘bass junkie’.
Having said all that, they really ARE good for jogging etc. as, as AfterShokz promote, they don’t fall off or out and you can hear what’s around you, even if they are somewhat drowned out by passing traffic. “Better safe than sorry” as they say, and I have some near misses with noise cancelling alternatives. I think my brain normalises the poor sound pretty quickly, actually, and by the middle of a run I’m thinking they do sound better than nothing – “ok’ish” given their benefits.
Perhaps the earplugs supplied would be better being “leaky” to allow most but not all external noise in?
So… a keeper for me on balance. Just.
These are my fourth pair of aftershoks of various models. I have some hearing loss and use the wired model for conference calls and phone calls. I use the wireless versions for working out either in the gym or at home , as I don’t want to get my hearing aids sweaty. These work really well, they are comfortable, have a great battery life and I get enough volume out of them for my needs ( so probably loud enough for anyone!). Couple of things , I know the Aeropex is waterproof which Is why there’s a proprietary charging cable ( two included in the box, nice touch) but I’m not dead keen on having yet another standard of cable connector, also bear in mind that eventually the battery performance will get worse. My first pair took over 4 years to get to a point where I needed to replace them though! All in all these are fantastic though , really work well would highly recommend
Great concept for outdoor use where you need to maintain awareness
After using my Aeropex daily since purchasing I would say they are a generally excellent product I would recommend to anyone who As someone that does not like in-ear headphones or larger over-ear ones when outside.
I have been interested in bone conduction technology for a number of years and AfterShokz in particular. I was fortunate to be able to borrow the previous model from a friend who uses them for running and based on their performance bought the latest Aeropex model for myself. Glad I did as they are a noticeable step up on the older technology. Sound quality is great and they make an ideal headset for calls as well as listening to music. There are only two caveats people should be aware of both related to the nature of the bone conduction technology.
First, bass levels are diminished compared to traditional in-ear or over-ear headphones so if deep bass is a deal breaker then these are not the headphone for you. Second, playback can be washed out by ambient noise because there is nothing blocking your ear canal… I see this as part of the appeal of the technology, that I am aware of my surroundings when listening to music during my commute to work or a run in the evening.
It is also worth noting the magnetic charging cable is a great addition over a standard USB plug and the battery life is an acceptable 5-6 hours of continuous playback. The unit is also rain proof (to a degree) and has survived the occasional downpour when I was caught without a coat or umbrella.
Awesome!
Well I’ve got to say I’m impressed. If used them in the shower & bath instead of my Bluetooth speaker to great effect! Don’t have to worry about the neighbours anymore :). I’ve used them when setteling down for bed and the pillows don’t get in the way, I’ve used them during the day so I can still listen out for the postman and tomorrow I’ll be using them on a bike ride 🙂 sound quality rely is excellent considering I’m used to over ear noise cancelling headphones myself. The one negative I have is with the bleep you hear when you press a button…. For some reason the bleep is set to full volume which during the day is fine but if I’m going to bed then change the volume on the headphones it’s hart attack inducing and not in a good way, why aeropex didnt set the bleeps volume to the devices volume I don’t know :/ hopefully they can issue a fix or something? Otherwise 10/10
When I purchased these I was very conscious that I was paying a lot of money to find out whether they even work! “Bone conduction headphones” is a phrase that sounds like something out of sci-fi, and having something vibrate into your jaw threatens to be quite irritating. Nevertheless, these are the gold standard for runners, and I’m happy to report that yes, they work, with some provisos.
First, some plusses. They’re very comfortable and very secure: airpods are just as comfortable but I’ve had them pop out a couple of times during exercise. The bluetooth is better than airpods at holding a signal. I haven’t swum in them but they’re apparently waterproof and I have no problem believing that. Oh, and It’s a matter of personal taste, but I think that they look good.
Now the not-so-good. The Aeropex are quiet … I find that the last quarter of the volume range of my phone just doesn’t add any gain, as though your bone can only conduct a finite amount of sound, so if you’re looking for enveloping sound, look elsewhere. Also, while there is something miraculous about hearing music without having your ears covered, the sound quality is not good: although I find that they are good enough to enjoy my music, I don’t think it would be going too far too suggest that these have the worst sound of any headphones (or earbuds) I’ve ever used!
Part of the concept of the Aeropex is that you can hear what’s going on around you and – paradoxically, given what I’ve said about the volume – this isn’t entirely correct. True, you don’t have the sense of being stoppered up in closed-backed headphones, but you certainly lose a lot of your perception of environmental sound. It’s probably safer to say that if you’re running or cycling, these give you a better chance of hearing an approaching car than any other headphone you could choose. But they don’t mitigate the risk entirely.
So with the Aeropex you’re laying down serious money for something that compromises a lot in order to provide an equivocal benefit: how am I giving these four stars rather than three or lower? Essentially, it boils down to the fact that if you want to exercise, these are the best headphones you can get. They are incredibly practical, have decent battery life on a single charge, sound “good enough” for the purpose and give you some sense of your environment.
If you want a single pair of headphones that does everything, I can’t recommend these: at best, they are a second pair. But if you need something that does what they do, buy them, you’ll love them. Personally I’d buy them again without hesitation.
[Update April 2021: Since writing this review I have bought a set for my wife as well and she is very happy with them as well. I regularly use mine for long telephone calls, where they are hugely convenient.]
Great for in the office
I purchased this headset as a replacement for my old Trekz Titanium. I loved that headset and my colleagues very quickly got used to the fact they could talk to me still while I was listening to my own music.
I had to replace it due to wear and tear, as it used to get chucked into my rucksack without any case to protect it.
Straight out the box these new Aeropex have a fantastic silicone rubber case, which although not rugged, is enough to make you think twice about how you put the headset away.
Sound quality is better than the Trekz Titanium, a little more bass, or warmth to the sound; that is not to say these are any comparison to standard headphones for tracks with heavy bass sound, but these aren’t designed with the audiophile in mind.
Personally I have found these are great for listening to quiet Classical music while I’m working, and I’m still able to hold conversations with colleagues; and also take business calls without having to pick up the phone, being able to use the computer whilst talking is a massive bonus.
Outside of work, these are very comfortable whilst running, and you can still hear everything going on around you.
I have found you get used to listening to music through these after only a short time; and you can crank up the volume plenty, unlike the old Trekz Titanium, you don’t get as much vibration from higher volume.
Like the old headset, you can use the multifunction button to voice dial for phone calls, and with an Android device you can use voice commands to select music in Spotify, I’d imagine other such commands work as well, but I’ve only used for Spotify so far.
To summarise, these are fantastic for listening to music whilst working in an office, round the house or when you’re out and about; but you are still aware of your surroundings and able to hold conversations with people.
You also have seamless transition from listening to music to making Phone calls.
Good for a specific purpose
Birthday gift for the girlfriend who listens to podcasts a LOT, it would be fair to say she loves the headphones. She doesn’t like mine because it drowns out all surrounding sound and she wanted to hear if someone called on her, hear a car coming outside or if the dog was out of sight and barking. The sound is clear, at least for the spoken word and she uses it so much it gets a nightly recharge like her phone!
I thought I’d try it out myself to see if it’s worth a pair for myself but, as an audiophile, I won’t be making that purchase. It’s fine for the spoken word and for classical music but anything with a base is reduced to a tinny version and the whole sound range seem to shift up the scale because the base simply isn’t there. Saying that, we both find them very comfortable to wear, both getting to a point where we forget we were wearing them and, given her very extended use of them, has only complained once that her ears were getting a little tired of wearing them and that was after about four days of use sufficient to drain the batteries (around 6-8 hours a day).
Keep your wits about you whilst cycling
I have long wondered about buying these after hearing an American friend of mine’s last year. With lockdown I have taken up cycling again. I do not like to cycle with ‘normal’ earphones in as I think it is wise to be aware of approaching traffic. I decided to take the plunge and buy the Aeropex . With the diminished traffic and the ability to hear these have proved an ideal accompaniment on my rides. They are also much appreciated when doing any time on the turbo trainer where time can appear to standstill! Sound quality is amazing especially with the spoken word if you like podcasts or listening to audiobooks. They are simple to connect to your phone and the audio for calls is much better than the supplied headphones that came with my phone. I wish I had bought them sooner which I always think is a good test for any new product you buy!
So far so good.
I bought these to wear whilst cycling, I wanted music and to be able to hear what was happening around me. Unfortunately having your ears open to outside sound does mean that the sound quality is compromised, particularly when moving at speed, so if your a sound purist these probably aren’t for you. If your OK with your music just sounding OK, these are great! They’re lightweight, fit under a cycling helmet and around glasses, easy to pair and easy to operate. So far I’ve only used them for a 90minute ride, they performed well using spotify for music and a cycling app to give updates, both were quite clear. They’re quite expensive, but they seem to be well engineered and manufactured and are comfortable to the point of you forgetting you have them on.
So much better than expected
Short version: best exercise headphones I’ve ever used. No downsides.
Sound Quality: I’d never used bone-conduction headphones before and from talking to people that have had them, they said not to expect much from the sound and that they can be quite “leaky” (i.e. other people around you can hear them). Not the case with these. The sound quality is fantastic for what they are. Obviously they’re not the same as a set of Sony XM cans but then I don’t want to wear a big set of cans when I go running (I go running to make my cans smaller). As others have said, if you turn them up really loud, then they vibrate against your head. Also, if you turn up other headphones really loud, you hurt your ears. So, top tip. Don’t turn things up really loud and put them next to your ears.
Connectivity: I’ve returned far too many bluetooth headphones recently due to dropped connections as soon as I’m near any kind of radio source, especially bad on the tube or on the street when there’s a lot of traffic. I took these for a 5k today during my allotted daily exercise and they didn’t cut out once, even though there was a hell of a lot of traffic out when I was running by a road. They do pair with multiple devices but I found that when I paired them with my laptop for a video call and then went for a run, they were really unhappy to be disconnected from my laptop and kept beeping so I turned around and disconnected them again. I’m not planning on using these as a work headset, so that’s not a big issue for me.
Little bits: The set I got came with a ‘sport belt’ which is big enough to fit my Pixel 2XL and a set of house keys. It’s surprisingly good quality so I think I’ll keep using it rather than an armband for my phone. The headphones use a proprietary magnetic charging cable and I was dreading having to shell out a probably 20 for a second cable for work (if I am ever allowed back) but it turns out there are 2 cables in the box. They also come with a soft silicone case with a magnetic clasp. All of the packaging is recyclable and of the kind of quality that stops you from regretting shelling out 150 for a set of exercise headphones.
Lastly, while I was only planning on using these for running/cycling/fighting the hordes in tesco car park, I’m so impressed with the sound that I just use them all day. The fact that your ears aren’t covered is fantastic, but it takes a while to get used to because you can hear what people are saying clearly, but it’s confusing because your brain thinks “Why are they talking so quietly, obviously there’s a banging tune playing right now?!”
So so so pleased I finally invested in these. The sound quality is superb considering it’s bone conduction and they really do allow you to hear everything that’s going on around you which is essential when running or cycling.
I also use them for work and the microphone is exceptional, great sound quality again.
The fit is comfortable, can easily wear them all day without noticing.
The controls are also superb. Reliable button presses for play, pause, rewind, fast forward, volume etc. make them extremely easy to deal with and leave your phone alone.
Recommending these to anyone that will listen!
My wife has the previous Trekz Mini version and compared to these the Aeropex are considerably slimmer and lighter. Having said that not sure there’s an 80 difference between the two as Trekz are still excelle
Wont go back to in ear headphones agai
Oh my word these are by far the best headphones I have used I truly like the fact you can wear them whilst training on foot or riding my road bike without limiting my awareness to my potential risk of surrounding’s.
They are super comfy look stylish and don’t move on the head whilst running on trails or technical terrain.
paired with my phone in double-quick time.
charging is by a USB cable with magnetic docking point so cannot get it wrong. (of which you get two, Bonus!)
Sound quality is good although some might find it a bit tinny with certain songs as it utilises bone technology, but this was not a problem for me.
Absolute plus was the protective carry case, and the race belt for carrying your phone, keys and some cash, which had durable materials and a sealed zip.
Excellent - highly recommended
I bought these after my Trekz Titanium broke (someone sat on them and they snapped), and I was very pleased at the step up in sound quality from the older model.
The sense of vibration is also massively reduced compared to the older model, to almost nothing, even on full volume.
The sound is not massively loud, but loud enough to hear at higher volumes even when cycling or walking in the wind.
Although not in my mind when I bought them, it turns out that these have been brilliant for working at home during lockdown – they free up my hands for my pc or paperwork while I speak to colleagues or clients, without the weight of a normal set of headphones, and without blocking out the surrounding noises, and the call quality is excellent.
The loop at the back of the head is perhaps a bit more extended than I would like, and is a little uncomfortable for sitting back in an armchair, but when moving around or sitting at a desk, it’s easy to forget you’re wearing them.
When my Titaniums broke I thought about just buying that model again as the price on the old model has fallen, but I’m very pleased I splashed out on this model instead.
Highly recommended.
Excellent office, home and jogging headphones
Good: First of all I’d say comfort, they really fit well on my rather big head 🙂 also flawless contact when jogging. Great office headphones. Multipoint connection is brilliant I can listen to podcast from phone and use for PC tele-conferencing without reconnecting. Bluetooth headset phone operation for phone is flawless, great microphone noise cancellation too, useful battery check, ability to mute during call is great too, overall pretty good control functions. I am fine with sound quality which is better then I expected for open ear, the reported vibration in high volume is reproducible but not a problem I dont listen so loud anyway, with earplugs you get more conventional experience but the open-ear is the whole point of this headset, so you can interact with environment. Battery seems excellent get me through 12h of fairly frequent use at low volume.
Minor gripes: in multipoint loosing one of connections (walking away from computer brings in annoying alarm need power off/on to ignore), the beeps on key presses are too loud when wearing with earplugs
Very stable fitting headphone
I really like these headphones. I have recently been through 4 differnet types of headphone in this price range, but sent them back.
I struggle to get the earbud type to stay in one of my ears and find them uncomfy. These ones sit on the outside of your ear and are very stable.
I have them on while training and walking dogs and listen to audio books. They let other sound in, while I can still hear my book. If I want to block out other sound, they come with some ear plugs.
The sound quality is not quite as good as some other headphones, and the vibrations are uncomfy at the highest volume, but other than that, no complains.
Best headphones for active people
These are amazing. I wear them when cycling and can still hear the traffic and going-ons around me. When running I can still hear my breathing, my feet meeting the ground, and traffic. It’s a strange but brilliant sensation.
They fit well alongside sunglasses and/or a cycle helmet. I use them to listen to the radio at work and the battery lasts all day. The multi-function button allows easy pause, skip-track, and volume control. This device is comfortable to wear and doesn’t move or vibrate when running or jumping around. After a few hours of wearing them I find they can get heavy on the ears but the same could be said of any headphones.
Taking calls on this is better than any hands-free device I own. People tell me they can hear me completely clearly and the audio quality my end is excellent.
The only downside to these is that, when listening to music, the audio is not as good as standard headphones. For me, this has no bearing because the audio quality and max volume is still plenty good enough when doing sport.
If you want headphones that give the best sound and base then these are not for you, but as an active person or if listening to music at work, then look no further. This is for you!
Final note, when on max volume, the bone induction pads will vibrate, with bass, where they touch your skin. At first, I didn’t like this, but after a few minutes I got used to it and it’s now like having a mini sub-woofer on my person. As soon as you reduce the volume a little, the buzz is not noticeable.
My office recently enforced a one earphone only policy to get around some communication issues in the office because fellow co-workers, including myself often got too carried away with listening to music and didn’t realise when people came over to speak to them.
However, I’m very picky when it comes to my work environment and I was a bit cheesed off with the new rule. So I bought these as a compromise.
These… Headphones?… Grant me the ability to work efficiently, block out the usual (and sometimes off-putting) office sounds (something that one single earphone could not do), while simultaneously allowing me to address people if they came over for work related discussions.
However, one thing to note are that these are bone conduction. Not miracle workers. For what they are, they’re great sound quality. But, they won’t replace your headphones, or indeed some earphones in terms of sound quality. Especially when it comes to sound leakage, as bone conduction can be notoriously bad for it at medium to high volumes.
What they lack in sound quality (which they’re still pretty okay at) they make up in function. I’ll be honest. These have largely replaced most of my listening devices with a few exceptions (mainly situations where I prefer a more isolated listening experience).
The battery life lasts a while. I haven’t tested it to the claimed max usage, but I haven’t had them randomly die on me during the working day. So if you’re sensible with battery charging intervals, you’ll be fine.
In the box, you’ll can a silicon case, two magnetic plug charging cables, a waist pouch for your phone and keys (for running and cycling), and a little plastic box containing what I assume to be reusable ear plugs. Maybe they’re just one use. I don’t know.
I must admit, I wasn’t expecting the running pouch or earplugs and the pouch in particular has seen a substantial amount of use and has thus far held up pretty well.
Overall, I’m pretty impressed with these and I certainly feel like I’ve got my money’s worth out of them, so I’ll be keeping an eager eye on this brand in the future.
Love these headphones!
Wow, so pleased I finally splashed out and bought these beauties…wish I hadn’t waited so long! I had some cheap bone conductors previously but there’s no comparison, you really do get what you pay for. The quality of design and performance is amazing so you won’t be disappointed. Love the phone belt that came with them as well. (Fits a 7plus with a skin fitted).
A few words of warning though… my old (non aftershokz) headphones were very poor regarding noise cancellation etc and you could practically hear a ninja doing a silent fart behind you! Whereas the sound quality and noise cancelling performance of the Aeropex is so good that you really must pay attention to the world around you, can’t stress that enough! Running down a country lane the other day with these on (not at a loud volume either) and never heard an old Landrover chugging along impatiently behind me! So overall fantastic headphones and a great purchase but do get into the habit of being aware of your surroundings
Great Headphones
I bought these headphones to use at the gym as I seem unable to find any that will stay in place and not fall out of my ears when working out. These stay in place, I think the sound is good but if you’re looking for for a brilliant audio experience, these aren’t for you as they do exactly what they’re made for; allow you to hear music/audio whilst being totally aware of the sounds in your surroundings. They don’t move when leaning down whilst I’m doing yoga but I do find that when I’m on my back, the neckband means that they move forward a little but I can still hear what I need to. I haven’t had them very long so I cannot comment on battery life yet. All in all great sports headphones but for the price, I would have thought the manufacturer would have included a hard case as the soft one will not prevent damage to the rather expensive headphones and they seem to be squashed into it. I have now purchased a hard case from a different manufacturer as I want to ensure my headphones last as long as possible without damage.
If you’re a runner, you like music and can afford these, they are great.
After running a half marathon the other day with some normal noise isolation headphones, I decided that I wanted to change the way I ran with music. Don’t get me wrong, my soundbuds have done me well, but while you can cleanse your eardrums with loud music, you also totally drown out the sounds around you – cars, cheering, birds, my lungs.
I read a lot of reviews on these and tried out some earlier models from friends. I initially wasn’t impressed, but after trying out the latest model and watching too many YouTube vids, I took a punt on these and I’m super happy.
They’re lightweight, hold a decent charge and sound pretty good too. As they essentially turn the bone matter in your head into a speaker, you’re never going to get those deep bass notes, but the sound is decent. More importantly, they offer a great compromise for being able to enjoy my music and audiobooks while hear what’s going on around me. I’m really pleased that I forked out on these.
Overlay your world with sound
I’ve waited a little while to give a review to give these a fair assessment. These little HEADphones are brilliant! The idea of sound transmission through the skull is simply genius! And they work pretty well at it too. I’ve a pair of Bose noise cancelling headphones which are great for blocking out sound, but these are great for adding “elevator music” to everyday situations that might sound a little dull. In a noisy environment it’s a struggle to concentrate on what you are hearing if you need to, like with spoken audio. Turning up the volume does help but the vibrations on the side of the head could be a little wearisome. It works seamlessly with both my phone and work laptop which is great. It even paused a Youtube video playing on the laptop when a phone call came in so all I had to do was answer the call on the headset! That did impress me. I’ve used them at a gym doing exercise and they are so small and light you barely notice them. Perhaps not the best 150 spent in my life, but it is some pretty cool tech and I’m delighted with them. Well done AfterShokz.
I commute through the city centre on a bike and I like to listen to radio, podcasts or music. Since I also like to hear approaching buses (!), I was in the habit of inserting just one earbud of my (excellent) Bose Soundsports. This works, but its not ideal: it is hard to hear either the radio/podcast/music or the impending doom from a bus clearly when there is just one ear dedicated to each.
These are *much* better. I can have them on relatively quietly and can still hear them very clearly. It is their clarity that is most striking. And because I don’t have them up loud, I can easily hear traffic sounds around me (and can judge their direction because both ears are hearing them).
Considering how they work, the sound quality is breath-taking – far better than I expected. They are no substitute for a good quality set of earphones/earbuds. I won’t be giving up my Bose Soundsports for these. In particular, they are missing quite a bit of bass, but they are way more than good enough for what they are intended for and I find I don’t miss the bass when I’m riding my bike.
Two people I know who have rather poor hearing have tried mine and have immediately ordered pairs for themselves because they find that the bone-conduction mechanism that these use seems “bypass” the part of the ear that is causing the hearing difficulty. I understand (from reading the AfterShoks website) that this won’t work for everyone, but they do seem to be transformative for some.
They’re not perfect. There is no auto power-off. There are two EQ settings that you can switch between, but – as far as I can tell – it is just an option to pull out even more bass than they already lose). An app allowing the frequency response to be tweaked would be nice. They also have a proprietary charging cable that attaches to them magnetically (to a standard USB-A plug at the other end). In fairness, they do supply two cables, so you’re not completely sunk if you lose one. Standard Micro-USB or USB-C would have been nicer, though, and several phone manufacturers with standard connectors are touting water-resistance, so it should have been do-able. But these are minor enough complaints (more deserving of docking half a star rather than a full star).
They are far from cheap, but are are by far and away the best headphones I have found for use when cycling. There is absolutely no comparison between the experience of using these and the experience of using only one of even the best pair of earbuds. I’m unlikely to use them much in situations where I don’t need to hear my surroundings: I’ll still use my regular earbuds when I’m out walking the dog or want to immerse myself into whatever I’m listening to. But for their intended purpose, I’m very happy with them.
Excellent bone conductive headphones !
Great bone conductive headphones. Have owned Titanium model before, and have to say these sound and feel better. Although the soft case is good, I will more than likely get a hard case as my last set broke when the left arm snapped after something hit it. They are not cheap, so protection is important for me. Have not used them for calls yet, so not sure how good the mic and noise cancellation is yet compared to my last set. These headphones always spark interest from friends who have not used bone conduction before. They all say they will stop using ear bud models and change to these. They are great for sports use, in the office or cycling etc. As the ear is open, they are not suitable for noisy environments. I have fully closed noise cancelling headphones for those situations. I love the weight of these. You could forget you have them on at times. The sound is very clear. I would advise anyone to try these out. You will like them for sure !
Expect alot of orders Afershokz
I put the Aeropex on at a stand in a local shop and was blown away! I tried to order via the local shop but they couldnt get them in time for my christmas travel plans. I ordered them form Amazon and they came in 2 days!
Firstly they packaging really has that wow factor so if its a gift for someone they are going to love just opening them! The Aeropex themselves are fantastic, like nothing ive ever seen or heard before. I have always had problems with getting traditional earphones staying in my ears, especially when doing something active. ive tried them all even the ones that hang on your ear but they still pop out. not an issue with the Aeropex, they are sooo light and stay in place no matter what, some of my colleagues tried to head bag them off but were unsuccessful! I wore them all day and the battery was excellent. The sound quality too was fantastic. as they dont go into the ear canal i gave them to alot of my intrigued colleagues to try and they were blown away! Aftershokz, expect lots of orders from where i live and work lol
Im delighted with them!
I’ve been dithering over buying these for a while, reading the reviews, adding them to my basket, removing them again. My intention was never to use them for jogging or in the gym because I’m a lazy bugger. I just wanted some neat headphones that I could listen to a bit of music or a podcast, join conference calls for work, etc, but still be able to hear what’s going on around me and not shout when I’m on a call.
The first thing is that these are so light you really will forget you have them on. The sound quality is very good. I’ve got some Bose headphones of I really want to listen to music and these are never going to compete with those. If you want that sort of quality then these aren’t the right product but that’s not the fault of their fault; it’s not what they’re built for.
The bass is still pretty good and I can wind the volume up to a level far greater than I find comfortable. I’ve asked if my voice is clear on a couple of calls and there’s no problem there either.
So far, I can’t find anything really to complain about. I guess the only small thing is the bleed. I had them on listening to some music and my other half could hear it from about a metre away. I had a set of in ear ones that I bought specifically for watching films on the train as they had almost zero bleed. They were less than a tenner and they worked better than these in that respect.
It is a bit weird being able to hear music and people talking but then I suppose ill get used to that. For that, they definitely hit the mark.
I do not like ear pods which irritate ears. I will also not wear ear pods in public as they mask environmental sounds such as traffic for safety reasons. The AfterShoks mean that there is nothing poking into my ears. I can also hear environmental sounds and therefore I am not distracted. I can walk along the street listening to music, or talking to someone on the phone clearly and no embarrassment due to a huge set of earphones sticking off your head. It still is sound though and can distract you if not paying attention in the same way that you can play the radio in the car, talk to someone and drive at the same time. They were delivered well-presented with high-quality packaging, 2 charging leads (you just need the one) and a silicon pouch which I put the AfterShoks into with a charging cable. There are some soft ear plugs in a small plastic container also. They are extremely light and comfortable. They are also secure, so no worries about them falling off with any activity. Battery life is very long and a voice tells you if they get low. The voice is pleasant and not annoying. Pairing with devices was easy and trouble-free. They automatically link with my mobile and tells me that we are connected. I am yet to be able to listen to Siri on my iphone using them. But I can ask Siri to make a call, but there seems to be no voice prompt to ask “what do you wish?”. But when the multi-function button is pressed, you ask to make a phone call and it does so. The sound quality is excellent. One point is that if you krank the volume up, it starts to vibrate and is uncomfortable such that you tone the volume down again, but usually that is because the sound is too loud and may be damaging anyway, so this is not a major negative. The music is more than loud enough for me without any problems if I wish. Noise cancelling works very well by putting soft ear-plugs in your ears. I am told this is fantastic on an aircraft when flying. I just took a call on my mobile using them. The music stopped, had a very clear conversation. On hanging up, the music started up again seamlessly. I’ve been looking for something like this for a long time for the above reasons and am very glad I bought them.
I am someone who ordinarily likes their music loud …. rock music generally and probably TOO loud tbh … because when I’m running or at the gym I want to lose myself in the world of music to distract myself from the fact I’m doing something I pretty much hate … exercise! So I was somewhat skeptical that these headphones would be any good for me on volume grounds alone!
But then the point was well-made that when out on the road, running or cycling, its much safer to be able to hear that car horn BEFORE said vehicle actually hits you – especially when crossing roads on a run. I was concerned that the cost of finding out if these headphones would suit me might result in an expensive (149) white-elephant but I took the plunge when these new aeropex headphones came out (black – gave up waiting for the red!) with great reviews over earlier models – and wow, I am a convert! I love em! So light and conformable, I wear them ALL the time in the day (much to my partners annoyance) as they interact with the phone so well for taking calls and the music (or radio or news) is there – with no sound leakage – in the background when I want it wandering around shops, work – anytime!
I liken this bone conduction (rather than ear) more to like ‘listening to the radio on the background’ so you are near fully interacting with the world around you if you want or need to. The sound quality and clarity for me is great and I have to admit I’ve heard some favourite tracks in a new way … so much so I’m beginning to wonder if my normal ear-canal hearing has been damaged over the years with all the loud rock music, which cheek-bone conduction now delivers spot-on! (Maybe I should get them checked out? I read these use the same technology that deaf hearing aids employ!).
Volume up and down touch of once ear. Pause music and/or take a call touching the other. All very simple. Charge lasts for ages. Can run in the rain or whilst sweating profusely – normally ruins my other headphones in the long run which either fall apart or stop working in one or both ears.
Let’s be clear – these headphones are fantastic but AS WELL as already having a pair of SONY noise-cancelling Sony WH-1000X M3 for times when I want a cut-off isolated loud music or movie experience or where I want the drone of the flight engines kept out. These are expensive for an ‘as well as’ pair of headphones and would be no use as your ONLY pair …. but then the whole point of these ‘open’ headphones is the opposite of noise- cancelling ones …. and who wears their expensive audiophile headphones at the gym anyway? … horses for courses!
I’m sorely tempted to try the version that you can actually swim in with 2G music loaded on rather than delivered via Bluetooth: swimming lengths really is so boring a bit of music would definitely be a godsend!
I am concerned that I’ve read reports on facebook reviews saying the buttons (on/off volume) stop working after several months, but I’m hoping that’s rare and won’t apply to me: with a two year warranty I’m assuming that, even if it does, I will be covered!
HIGHLY RECOMMEND – ESP IF PRICE COMES DOWN
I don’t often come back to Amazon to review my purchases, but I feel the world needs to know how good these headphones are!
I have been looking for a good pair of sports headphones for years. My main activities are running and cycling (road), and I’ve mostly used sporty versions of the normal in-ear type of headphones up to now. The main issues with them have been the headphones moving around, the poor sound quality, the wires being in the way, and particularly wind noise whilst cycling.
These Aeropex headphones solve all of the problems. They are properly light in weight – much lighter than I thought they would be. Once they’re on your head (see image), the weight is carried on top of yours ears, but it’s barely noticeable. The brace around the back doesn’t touch your head, (although I guess it might get in the way if you have long hair), it’s just there to add a little tension to hold the speakers to the side of your head. They’re very comfortable, and I’ve had no problems with any movement from them whilst running or cycling, even when wet (they are fully waterproof – you can apparently even use them for swimming, although I haven’t tried this!!).
The sound quality is great – again much better than I thought they would be. Because they use bone conduction technology the bass isn’t as good as in-ear headphones, but it’s definitely not as bad as some reviews (especially of the previous model) will have you believe. Once I start listening, I don’t notice the lack of bass any more. Also worth mentioning that I think the sound quality actually improves with a little perspiration during exercise, as it seems to improve the contact/seal between the face of the speaker and your skin.
Battery life is also amazing. They are genuinely good for many hours of listening between charges – at least what they claim, if not more. Not sure if this will deteriorate over time – will have to see…
Finally, the best thing is that these are an open-ear design, so you can hear the world around you. Perfect for cycling – much reduced wind noise versus in ear headphones, and can hear traffic as well as if you werent using headphones at all.
Very durable, and come with a nice rubber pouch to protect them when you throw them in your gym bag. In short, I can’t recommend them enough. Worth every penny in my opinion.
I bought these for cycling and discrete use in boring meetings and they work to varying levels of success.
The first thing to note is that while these are amazing for bone conduction headphones, they still sound like crap.
The second thing is that they work by vibrating your entire skull to try and rattle your ear bones into playing music. This can cause headaches and nausea depending on person, volume, what you’re listening to and what else you’re doing. These aren’t usually too bad and you get used to it quickly.
The one use case for these is “I want to listen to music while hearing my environment”. If you _don’t_ want to hear things (eg gym, train, coffee shop etc) then they’re completely useless. Buy some 15 Bluetooth earbuds and you’ll have a better time.
Some environments are also too loud to comfortably use these.
My uses:
– Cycling: pretty great, though with all the traffic noise you’re going to lose most definition. Good for music with a driving beat though.
– Meetings: almost the perfect place to use these – no background noise to drown out the sound. It very much feels like you’re at a very quiet concert rather than using headphones. Avoid any music with lyrics as it’ll sound like two people speaking simultaneously.
– The pub: If there’s no music playing and you want some, it works fairly decently, though if you’re drunk and try and turn up the volume your inner ear will become very very unhappy.
– Convention Centres: no chance, way too loud.
– The tube: if you put in the supplied ear plugs it kind of works but the vibrations from the carriage clash and over-all it sounds super bad.
Over all these are extremely expensive and not very useful. I’d only recommend these to people that spend too much money on cycling gear and people with ADHD who need music all the time.
(happily I fit into both categories)
I am an audio-bibliophile. I suffer from anxiety and listen to audiobooks to drift off. I also have partial hearing loss in my right ear due to a perforated eardrum.
Comfort: So, I don’t exercise with these headphones, I use them to relax. Sleeping in earbuds can be painful, but these sit outside the ears and are very flat. They don’t dislodge or shift around when I toss and turn. I forget I’m even wearing them. They are exceptionally light and robustly made.
Sound: It’s not great for music. They don’t have the full rich sound of earbuds unless you also wear earplugs, then they are comparable. Without noise isolation, the sound is a bit tinnie. As I use them primarily for audiobooks and TV this doesn’t matter. Having only partial hearing, they bypass the eardrum and for the first time in a year, I have even stereo sound.
I can hear the rest of the world around me (I have to, I’m a mom), which is the point. But, personally, I can’t have them on and hold a conversation with someone else at the same time. And the sound level all the way up does not drown out my partner’s snoring (sorry Dave.)
Battery: Says 8 hours but I have worn them two 8 hour nights in a row before having to recharge. They are really excellent and I have been wearing them every night for a couple of months now and the battery life is the same.
Waterproof: I have worn these in the bath and submerged my head several times. There is a millisecond blip when the charging contacts touch the water but that’s it. They sound even clearer underwater.
Ultimately, they look almost like Gelfling “princess” circlets so there may be an incident with some gold paint and cosplay in the future.
Great for cycle commute + podcas
The primary use case for these is for commute. I cycle 30 mins to/from works. Mostly quiet roads and a trail by a river. So that’s about 4hrs a week. I also struggle to find time to listen to my podcast subscriptions. Hence the purchase. These are great for this whilst staying aware of traffic.
You’ve probably read mixed reviews about audio quality for music. If you are into blues and folk then they sound great e.g Eric Bibb really enjoyable to listen to. If you are into rock/pop/dance then they sound poor imho. Bass and treble are not its strong point but middle range is awesome. Others have mentioned the ear tickle you get at max volume, yeh its a thing. What may concern for some is that these earphone’s max volume is drowned by heavy traffic e.g you won’t here much on a dual carriageway or when cycling faster than 25mph (wind noise). Also you probably won’t be heard on a call if cycling more than 10mph (microphone wind noise). Some of the above may seem negative, but for me these are near perfect. Solid bluetooth, good battery. I’ve got a big head btw and they fit fine.
An indispensable piece of kit for 'safe' listening
I purchased this product because I wanted a ‘safe’ pair of headphones to cycle with – allowing in max ambient noise. And I can say that they are awesome in this aspect. I was concerned sound quality may be poor – but was pleasantly surprised that it’s pretty good (mostly EDM-style tunes so far). I listen to at around the 6 or 7 level, at which there is no discernible tingle/buzz. Although go any higher and you will start to feel. I can’t say I have tested the call-receiving functionality so can’t comment on that. They fit really well – no issues combining with sunnies plus cycling helmet (which I was concerned could be a problem). I also now use at gym – so convenient and hassle-free. Whilst not cheap – they have become indispensable and since they seem to be the only such product – I guess they can command their premium price. Plus all the finishes and quality are superb. I would highly recommend – especially if you want for ‘safe’ listening where you need to hear outside noise.
I’ve been looking for the perfect “sports” headphones for years and I think I’ve found them! I don’t get on with in ear bud type, there is always a risk they will fall out after a while when you get “sweaty” I’m not a runner as I have replacement knees but I hike a lot and have just started cycling, the last time I went out with in ear buds which were not meant to cancel out all of the noise, I could not hear traffic and felt unsafe. I cycled 35 miles yesterday with these Aeropex on and I can only say…absolutely fantastic! The only time I couldn’t hear music was going down hill at 35 mph with wind noise but that is only for 30 sec or so! I’m looking forward to my speed walk at the next Park Run where it’s always useful to hear the faster runners coming. In October I will be hiking with my family so will be able to listen to music and chat! I do like the fact that these headphones are waterproof as I’m often out in the rain. Yes they are expensive, but money well spent 🙂 Just waiting for the blue ones to be in stock so I can get a pair for my wife.
I’ve had a pair of Trekz Titanium for over 3 years, and love them. But divorce left my wife with the house and my daughter with the Trekz Titaniums so I was back in the market for open headphones and saw the claims made by these – you know, even lighter, even more comfy, even better sound, even longer battery life, even less sound bleed, less vibration – so I thought I’d give them a try. However, I’m cynical by nature and by profession so I fully expected to return these and get another pair of Trekz Titaniums for half the price.
Then I tried them.
They are not going to be returned.
The Aeropex are everything Aftershokz say they are, and more. The ultimate audio quality isn’t up to a decent pair of closed cup over-ears but it’s blooming good, and the rest of it is peerless.
No need to sacrifice a ride
Riding a mountain or gravel bike in the countryside is always a pleasure, but when I wanted to have a training ride always felt that I had to sacrifice something if I was to train hard yet still be aware of things going on around me. Earplugs would isolate me from my surroundings so that the only thing I’d be aware of was my heartrate and the music.
Wearing the Aftershokz I can now hear the birds sing in the trees, or a river running down the side of the track. Importantly I can hear how the bike is moving beneath me, and best of all I can say hi to anyone else I meet in the countryside without them realising that I’m listening to my music.
The sound quality is good and I have never felt the need to have the volume high in order to be able to focus on the music. The headphones just sit there without the need to adjust them. For me they’ve been a great investment that will keep me motivated when perhaps I wouldn’t have wanted train quite as much.
Bought these to run in, after years of cables and bluetooth earbud of various brands.
After a while, anything you put in your ear becomes unconfortable and in my case sweaty. Hearting your own heartbeat out of time with the song you are listening to can often ruin your fave tunes, not to mention the hazards of not being able to hear whats around you while on the move.
Enter Aftershokz…. I’d be lieing if i said this was my first experience with the company, as i previously backed a kickstarter for a pair of bone conducting sunglasses, but you cant wear sunglasses in the rain and this isnt a review of those so….
These bone conducting headphones are very comfortable to wear and sit infront of your ear leaving it open so you can still hear the world around you. They are a sealed unit, apart from a small pin hole for a microphone and completely waterproof, ideal for the british summer.
Noise bleed is no worse than from any other pair of earphones and infact i had to turn them right up for anyone around me to hear anything from them at all.
Sound quality is good, though missing the bass you would get from in ear buds, but then that is to be expected somewhat as the technology behind how you hear it is completely different.
Battery life is incredibly good and the little magnetic charging point is simple to connect (magnetically duh) though if you lose the cable you will have to go to aftershokz for a replacement, fortunately the item does ship with 2 cables, just incase…
Total game changer for me when it comes to music while i’m running. Cant see me wearing them in the gym on a dreadmill, but that only happens in winter when the weather is bad, suppose i’ll have to keep my ear buds just for that then…..
These are awesome!!!
So when I first found them, I thought Hmm this must be a gimmick!! I tried to go to shops so I could try them out but no one had them on stands, I watched loads of reviews with a pinch of salt although some were truthful in the end.
These are great if you a runner they light, you can hear traffic, cars , bikes behind you or when you crossing roads. They fit really well and are super light in the gym they awesome as well.
If you looking for Dr Dre quality you not going to get it from these. They are not bad but if a big truck or bus comes passed you you lose sound until it passes, but that is what these are bought for they are not bought for perfect sound in your ear while you run or heavy base they are bought for practicality so you can hear traffic etc while running.
There is very little sound leakiness on these, although if turned up full there is some but it is really not intrusive to other people. I am truly happy with them overall
Great running headphones.
The headphones are a minor technological miracle.You’ll swear that you are hearing with your ears, but you are just fooling yourself. Now sound quality is good, but don’t expect the perfection of some expensive over-ear headphones, it just can’t work like that, but then these are for when you are running (or playing with your Bicycle if that’s what you are into), so the noise of the world will always outweigh and lack of perfection in the reproduction anyway.
The fit and comfort level is by far the best of any sports headphones I have ever had, they are extremely light and stay securely on you head regardless of what you are doing (Unless you are Sky Driving perhaps?).
Sources with a lot of bass, including spoken word audio books can sometimes “tickle” your face where the conductors are, but it is very slight and you just learn to ignore it.
In summary, these may be a little pricey, but they are well worth the cash if you are a runner of any kind or do one of those other sports that I’ve heard of like caber tossing, three-legged race, egg and spoon racing or sack racing. Maybe even cycling?
These headphones are absolutely superb! Best thing ever for someone like me. I have hearing loss & have worn hearing aids since childhood. For the past 15 yrs I’ve tiny worn in-the-ear hearing aids which means whenever I want to use headphones I have to take my hearing aids out. When I use in-the-ear phones/pods, I must remove my hearing aids & even with large on the ear headphones I find the sound quality better without my hearing aids. I have heard of these bone conduction headphones before & generally reviews are poor sound quality & very expensive. Recently I came across these AfterShokz & decided to give them a try. I must say I find them incredible & its an absolute must have for someone like me with hearing aids. The headphones fit from behind over top of the ears with the bone/vibration pads in front of the ears. Setting up & using the headphones is pretty standard like any bluetooth headphones. The sound comes from the vibrating pads & I find the quality just as good as any decent quality headphones. But with my hearing! Perhaps I don’t know what ‘Quality Audio’ sound is? When using them for the very first time, it can be a bit strange, as I can hear music from the headphones & also hear everything around me. The pads vibrate which feels weird but soon get used to it. The vibration becomes stronger when turning up the volume & at maximum it is too loud & strong vibration for me. I keep them around 50% – 60% level. The headphones are completely sealed with IP67 water resistance, however I don’t think I will be swimming with them. The charging connector is magnetic (like on MacBooks) & comes with 2 charging cables. For me I am finding these bone conduction headphones a life changing experience. I only wish I got them sooner!
Me : Audiophile obsessive…planar magnetic headphones/hybrid IEMs owner…
Have bought Titanium/Air and Aeropex in last 3 weeks….I know their primary 99% aim is sports-based usage, but here is a unique take/usage review…
The Great
Perfect invisible fit now…due to ergonomics + lighter weight
+2 hours battery life @ 8 hours total
Super super simple proprietary magnetic charger
100% waterproof
The Not So Great
Loss of mids “fullness/body” and forwardness vs Air..more V-shaped signature (+bass/+treble) now, than mids focused…
SBS codec, not Apt-X LL (low latency)
***Bought for my mother for TV : unusual usage but it works..finally !***
Definitely more refined SPOKEN audio image than titanium and Air…extended bass and treble…voices have a pin-pointed focus now floating immediately around the head…however for music, its become a tad sterile vs Air which I own and use every day for biking. I know full well voice ranges are in the mids, but this control comes at a loss of musical immersiveness.
As stated, regarding usage for TV/netflix… I managed to pair these up to a SBC/Apt-X Apt-X LL transmitter as my mother’s main focus is voice clarity later at night, with the TV, without disturbing neighbours .
As the Aeropex receive only in old school ‘SBC bluetooth’ and not ‘Apt-X LL’, there was a latency issue for voices syncing up on a Hisense 55-inch TV on Netflix, but I managed to sync that delay with the TVs deeper Optical-out lip sync settings….
Aftershokz would be advised to impliment Apt-X LL in the next model, to get lip sync 100% right for spoken word, as they can expand their market beyond sport for hard-of-hearing/deaf TV use etc…it will also improve the SQ micro-detail across the frequency range vs making them ‘V-shaped’ now in Aeropex.
Final Verdict 4/5 – as previous Air have a better fullness to the mids/more fun presentation for music…but for comfort/charging ease and fit..they have superceded the previous models 100%.
These are brilliant bone conducting headphones.
When used with earplugs they also make a good alternative noise cancelling headphones.
The sound feels like it is in your head rather than coming from through your bones (unlike previous models) and is much more detailed as well. They are best for listing to the TV and voices, but have enough detail to listen to music if you don’t mind a decrease in resolution compared to headphones.
Battery life is good but would love 12hrs or more. They are light weight and you forget you are wearing them after a while.
The best bone conducting headphones so afr.
First off. These are not my first pair of Aftershokz. They are my 5th 🙂 My first purchase was Trekz, through the original Kickstarter campaign, and I’ve loved them since. For various reasons, I keep two pairs going, one in the home and one for running and cycling. I have a pair of Trekz at home right now and will keep these new Aeropex in my bag ready for a run.
I love these headphones. they are so much more comfortable than the Trekz, and unfortunately I can’t speak to the attributes of the Trekz Air as I have never owned them.
The Aeropex fit perfectly around the ear and are so light that you wouldn’t notice them there. Comfortable with sunglasses and/or a cycle helmet. Paired with a Garmin Fenix 5 Plus is no trouble so far. I will update after more frequent use.
On a side-note I have had occasion to use Aftershokz customer services before and I found them nothing but helpful. Kudos for that.
Where do I start. I have been using Aftershokz headphones for some time now after running with normal in ear headphones and nearly not hearing a car and nearly ending under it along a country lane so I carried out some research and found this company.
I thought the Air model was good and enjoyed them for my running, working out in the gym cardio or weights and now the cycle ride to work.
The new Aero model is far far superior then the Air, the sound is much clearer and sounds more meaty. Plus the base has been improved, which is great as when training I always listen to Spotify Run N Base 170-175 BPM and the Aero’s make the play list sound great.
Like others reviews on here I even forget I still have these on due to there light weight and even walked into the shower with them on, thankfully they are IP67 so after a oh crap moment I then relaxed remembering IP67 .
I’m waiting for the other colours to come out and I’ll be buying my wife a pair now for when she hits the gym.
Overall these headphones are Fantastic and they do last the 8 hours, I made sure I didnt charge to find out.
Everyone I show these headphones to there reply is mostly WOW Amazing, these are from others who are using all different brands from airpods, bose etc.
They are the make and model and are going to look into them so just me showing people how great they are I reckon 10 friends and people in the gym have gone and ordered them and others added to their birthday or christmas wish list!
Well done Aftershokz keep up the good work!!
UPDATE 22/7/19:
2 weeks into the hottest marathon training season I’ve ever coached, and this headset is still performing flawlessly! My group has been running in temperatures ranging from 31C to 36C (which typically feels like 39C to 42C due to humidity), and despite sweating so much that we all look like we just jumped in a swimming pool, my Aeropex has continued to work perfectly! I’m very surprised it’s still not available to purchase within the US, but glad I took the chance and purchased it from Amazon’s UK storefront.
UPDATE 3/7/19:
I’ve used these on 7 super sweaty summer runs so far and they’re holding up great! By this point my Titanium headset would’ve fried. I’ve made sure the headset is completely dry each time I’ve charged it so far, so I’ve not tested the moisture warning system to know how it works. I honestly don’t intend to test this feature though if I can avoid it.
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
I’ll be updating this review over the next month or so as needed, but currently I’ll say this is the best headset Aftershokz has made to date. I’m a marathon runner/coach and I tend to sweat a lot during training and races. Aftershokz has replaced my Trekz Air five times now due to sweat damage, so when they announced a fully waterproof headset, I was very intrigued. I’ve run with my Aeropex once so far and I performed flawlessly. The general design looks much more waterproof than previous models, as the only hole visible in the body is the microphone. The switch to a magnetic charging connection is probably the best improvement, as it eliminates the the easiest way to short out the Air or Titanium headsets. I also give Aftershokz a ton of credit for sending 2 charging cables, since it’s a proprietary connection that you can’t easily buy outside of contacting their support team. I assume replacement cables will also be available on their storefront eventually, but that is currently not the case.
TL/DR: The Aeropex is a full improvement in all aspects over their previous Bluetooth models. I’m looking forward to hopefully updating this review with good performance reports over the next month as a break it in properly during my upcoming training season.
Been using this product for a couple of days now. Really impressed. They are very comfortable and I had them on all day on Sunday and forgot I was wearing them. They are really light. I have been using on my 10 mile cycle commute and also whilst walking the dog. On the bike the sound isn’t intrusive, in heavy fast traffic with high winds, the sound of the music does drop off. But that is the idea of the headphones, I want to hear the traffic over the headphones. They fit with my helmet and glasses as well At lower volume levels while walking the dog they are also good.
Used them in the wet, with no problems.
Sound quality is really good, not as good as over the ear headphones, but this is due to the ear still being able to hear outside noise (which is kid of the idea)
Would recommend.
After hearing a friends AfterShokz Air, I was impressed and decided that I needed to get these to try for myself.
I am not their main target customer. I use these in the office primarily with the intended occasional bike ride at the weekends (still yet to try this). I wanted to be able to listen to music but still hear the conversations going on around me in case I need to join in, or simply if someone wants to ask me a question and they can just say my name without doing a wavy dance to try and get my attention. For this they work exactly as intended.
I also take several calls throughout the day and the quality is excellent. I can hear people loud and clear and I have been told that I come across very clear with the quality on par with most headsets. Watching films seems to have audio in sync and sounds great.
I also have these connected to my laptop at the same time and can seamlessly switch between my phone and laptop.
Battery wise I am still amazed. I have not timed it yet myself, but I have no issues getting through a full day of music listening and calls with the odd pauses throughout the day.
Comfort is really really good and most of the time I forget that I am actually wearing them. I do have the music at a normal volume (not so loud that I cant hear my surroundings) so the vibrations into my jaw are not too harsh which I think also helps with reducing fatigue. But I pretty much have this on my head for a solid 10 hours to put it into perspective.
Sound quality is going to be very subjective. They are not your normal headphones and therefore will not be as good BUT they are far from average. Yes the bass response is not as good but Im not listening to loud heavy dance tracks and for the most part I forget that the bass is lacking. Music still sounds nicely rounded and pleasant to listen to.
If I was to find fault it would be with the vibrations on louder volumes. It cant really be helped, but the vibrations are a weird sensation and fatigue does set in much quicker. There is also a confirmation beep for things like volume up which is unnecessarily loud and makes me want to use my phone volume instead of the headset buttons.
Other than that I couldn’t recommend enough if the use case fits you.
—update—-
Tried these on a ride and work exactly as you would expect. The helmet straps aren’t an issue and the rear band sits low enough to not interfere with the rear helmet strap (at least on my normal helmet)
Still very happy and they have been glued to my head all day everyday at the moment.