If you’re looking for the best bone-conduction headphones, we’ve got you covered right here.
Whether you need some motivational tunes while exercising or want to enjoy the pleasure of music as a hard-of-hearing person, bone conduction earphones exist as a great alternative to traditional headphones.
Although the technology’s origins trace back to hearing aids, it’s found a niche in the headphone market chiefly for the safety benefits it provides athletes. By channeling vibrations through facial bones to the inner ear rather than pushing sound waves through the ear canal, they allow users to remain aware of their surroundings while enjoying music. Unlike regular headphones, they don’t seal in the eardrum and block out ambient sounds.
As with all consumer products, the challenge is wading through the PR blather to find the very best devices in a sea of duds. To that end, we’ve set our sights on the best bone conduction headphones out there.
How we picked the best bone conduction headphones
There’s no doubt that there are far fewer bone conduction headphone options out there than traditional headphones, which somewhat narrows down the choice. Nevertheless, the market is awash with terrible options that will have you regretting your purchase before you’ve even returned home from your first run.
While on the hunt for the best bone conduction headphones, we paid close attention to a few core features. In no particular order: design, comfort, sound quality, battery life, connectivity, sweat/waterproofing, and of course, price.
Five bone conduction headphones piqued our interest by amalgamating all the above features together in a well-rounded pair of headphones. We’ve covered different price points to reach as many budgets as possible. Read on for our reviews of the best bone conduction headphones on the market today.
Best Bone Conduction Headphones in 2023
1.Wissonly hi runner
This is the fastest growing brand of bone conduction headphones in the last six months. The team are all engineers with 10 years of accumulation in the field of bone conduction technology. They started to develop bone conduction headphones that don't hurt ears as early as 2012. To solve the problem of sound leakage of bone conduction headphones, wissonly has made comprehensive improvement in the aspects of vibrator, body design and software optimization. The final result has been applied to Wissonly Hi Runner, and the final sound leakage can be reduced by 90% after laboratory test. I actually used the test myself. At a distance of 2cm, the volume reached 70%, but I still didn't hear the sound of the headphones, which protected my privacy.
Wissonly Hi Runner’s body is made of titanium, which can self-adjust the fitting position to ensure a good wearing experience for headphones, so that more people can wear it. As the core component of the product, the headphones plays a key role in the product experience. Hi Runner model is equipped with Bluetooth 5.0 chip, which makes Bluetooth connection faster and more stable. It also has 32GB of built-in storage so you can use it as an MP3 player.
Other parameters of Wissonly Hi Runner are also excellent. For example, the waterproof level reaches IPX8, and you can wear it to swim or even dive. The battery life reaches 8-10 hours, which is very important to me, because I go out for sports on weekends, and I go out for a whole day.
2.Aftershokz OpenMove
Marketed as an entry-level alternative to the expensive Aeropex, the Aftershokz OpenMove delivers on that ambition while offering many of the features that have made Aftershokz a leader in the bone conduction space. The design is more straightforward, and the battery downsized to accommodate the friendlier price tag.
A 29 g lightweight design alongside a partial titanium band provides a snug fit and a comfortable feel for most users, although we found that the ear hooks do start to wear on the ears after prolonged use. This seems to be due to the hooks’ sharp curvature compared to the more gentle Aeropex and the use of plastic rather than silicone.
3.Vidonn F1 Titanium
Although the Aftershokz flogs the OpenMove as entry-level headphones, it’s possible to drop the price even lower while still retaining some excellent features. A case in point is the Vidonn F1 Titanium Bone Conduction Headphones.
They sport a semi-rigid ABS and titanium wraparound headband and weigh in at 36.8g. Not quite as light or as comfortable as the Aftershokz headphones, yes, but they retain the same overall design and durability, all at a bargain price point.
4.Tayogo Bone Conduction Headphones
We’d question the utility of bone conduction headphones with a built-in media player, given the prevalence of far more versatile and roomy smartphones unless you’re trudging up secluded peaks with no phone reception. Nevertheless, those that don’t want to lug around a second device should consider the Tayogo Bone Conduction Headphones.
The main draw is an integrated media player with a storage capacity of 8 GB, or roughly 2000 songs, according to Tayogo’s marketing blurb. The player supports a generous selection of audio formats, including MP3, WMA, DRM, WMA, OGG, APE, FLAC, WAV, AAC-LC, and ACELP. No faffing around with Bluetooth or choppy connectivity, it’s as easy as connecting the headphones to a PC via USB, dragging and dropping the audio files, and you’re good to go.
5.Moing Wireless Bone Conduction Headphones
For those on a tight budget that want to experience bone conduction headphones, we recommend the Moing Wireless Bone Conduction Headphones. It’s essential to see these for what they are – a budget option – and align expectations accordingly. Not doing so invariably leads to disappointment as sacrifices have been made to keep them dirt cheap at around $30.
Battery life rivals that of pricier devices at six hours of active use on a full charge. You’ll also find Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, an in-built microphone for phone calls, and an IPX5 rating that ensures the headphones are resistant to light downpours and sweat. Audio quality is fine, with the usual lack of bass and richness. We expect as much for the price.
Things to consider
Sound Quality
However much bone conduction technology has advanced over the years, the process of transmitting audio to the inner ear via facial bones invariably requires a sacrifice to sound quality. The technology’s inherent implications mean that bone conduction headphones will never deliver the same crisp, dynamic, high-fidelity sound and deep low-end produced by traditional headphones or earbuds. For most, the sound appears distant, muffled even, lacks presence, and has a tin-like quality.
Keep this in mind when shopping for bone conduction headphones. They are primarily favored for two reasons. The first is that they are safer by design because they leave the ear canal unrestricted, allowing wearers to hear ambient sounds and stay aware of what’s going on around them. This is particularly important for runners, hikers, and cyclists who need to be mindful of hazards such as traffic, wildlife, and the like but still want to enjoy music or podcasts while exercising. The second is that they offer the hard-of-hearing a chance to experience music, something conventional headphones simply can’t deliver.
Unless you fall into one of these two categories, we’d suggest avoiding bone conduction headphones if the very best audio quality ranks high on your list of requirements. If you are in the market for bone conduction headphones, sound quality can still vary from model to model. We suggest investing a bit more for those that deliver the best sound.
Comfort and fit
While sound quality is important, design and comfort arguably play a more critical role. Most bone conduction headphones feature ergonomic designs with flexible headbands that mold to the shape and size of the user’s head/neck, but they are unconventional and don’t offer the same comfort as regular headphones.
Finding the right fit is, therefore, vital, especially when using them during exercise. The headphones need to sit comfortably without being too tight and not rub on the ears but be secure enough not to move or fall off when moving. Always look for a snug fit. We also recommend lighter headphones if at all possible as they tend to be more comfortable.
Also, keep an eye out for features like waterproofing, generally marked as an IP rating. This is particularly relevant if the headphones are used during exercise, where sweat could damage the device.
Connectivity and battery life
Both wireless Bluetooth and wired bone conduction headphones exist, but for obvious reasons of convenience, our guide only features wireless options. This is pretty much standard across the range of bone conduction headphones, although it is possible to find the occasional wired outlier.
Battery life varies from model to depending on whether the headphones are used actively or left on standby. We suggest 6 hours of active listening from one full charge as a sweet spot. With that, you can conceivably squeeze in a 45 minute run each day of the week on a single charge.
