The best open-ear headphones for safer running, tried and tested
Because of their open design, there's an unavoidable dip in sound quality compared to in-ear and over-ear headphones, but you'd be surprised by how dynamic the best models sound. They tend to offer better sound quality than bone-conducting headphones while ensuring that you can hear outside noise.
However, because they're designed to let ambient noise float in, they naturally struggle in consistently loud environments – open-ear headphones are best for avoiding hidden dogs and cyclists on your morning run, rather than disappearing into a podcast on your morning commute.
The best open-ear headphones offer complete situational awareness while mitigating as many of these downsides as they can, and in recent years, the tech has massively improved. Fashion-forward designs like the Bose ultra open not only sound great but look smart too, while fitness-focused earphones like the Shokz OpenFit 2 use secure and comfortable silicone hook designs to cope with more vigorous outdoor workouts.
How we tested
I assessed each of these in-ear headphones for sound quality, comfort, battery life and overall value. I wore them on our outdoor runs and walks, as well as at home, listening to a range of music genres and podcasts to get a sense of their strengths and weaknesses. I also considered the size and convenience of charging cases, app usability, EQ options and additional features.
Why you can trust IndyBest
Steve Hogarty is a tech critic for The Independent. He's interested in anything with a microchip, from laptops and robot vacuum cleaners to ereaders and headphones. Steve always has one eye on the latest developments in tech, which means that if there's something exciting and innovative in the world of audio, Steve will know about it. Now, in his review of the best open-ear headphones, Steve has gone beyond technical specifications to what it's actually like to use the headphones in the real world.
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