AfterShokz Aeropex - Open-Ear Bluetooth Bone Conduction Sport Headphones - Sweat Resistant Wireless Earphones for Workouts and Running - Built-in Mic

I don’t write many reviews, but this product exceeded all expectations. I use these headphones for several hours every day, in all types of environments. I use them when I’m driving. I use them when I’m biking. I use them playing golf. I use them around the house. They are so comfortable and natural, it’s like music is following you everywhere you go, but without blocking out the sounds of the world around you. They are really extraordinary. Let me go into a bit more detail. I have several other wireless headphones... AirPods Pro, PowerBeats Pro, and Bose QC30. The sound quality on all of them is fabulous. They all have their pros & cons when it comes to design. The AirPods are convenient to stick in your pocket. The PowerBeats are great for working out. The Bose are great for airplanes. The biggest drawback of all of them is that they are ear buds, and even with the noise canceling disabled, they block out too much ambient sound for some activities. For example, I’d never use both buds when driving or biking as it was too dangerous. If you wear ear buds around other people, you can’t have a normal conversation without constantly removing them. In addition, if you leave the ear buds in for long periods of time, you’re likely to irritate your ear canal. With the AfterShokz none of this is a problem. I can’t speak to the other AfterShokz models, but the Aeropex are so light and secure that they aren’t even noticeable... you forget you have them on. Because they don’t go into your ear, but around and in front of it, you can hear everything around you as if you didn’t have headphones on and you can wear them for hours and hours. They are very thin, so no problem wearing them with glasses, a hat, and even a mask. The sound quality is not as good as the ear buds, but it is very good at low & medium volume levels. The only negative I’ve experienced (and it’s not really a negative) in a week of wearing them is that at high volume levels they can vibrate a bit (especially if you’re listening to something with heavy bass), which is annoying, but it’s also a sign that the volume is probably too loud anyway. Just notch the volume down one or two clicks and it’s perfect. I haven’t stretched the battery to it’s limit, but yesterday I used them for 7 hours with no problem... 2 hours driving and 5 hours on the golf course. On the golf course, you can have music playing all day and no one around you has any clue... they can’t hear it and you’re able to have normal conversations with them. It’s really liberating for someone that like to have music playing in the background all the time. And as a side benefit, the music really helps with my swing tempo! One tiny issue... the USB charging cable is unique for these headphones (not a microUSB or Apple connector). It’s magnetic, which makes attaching it to the headphones very easy. The headphones come with 2 of these special cables, but they are short. And the big problem... if you are caught without one, you won’t be able to recharge unless you find someone with an AfterShokz cable. I can’t recommend these headphones highly enough. Although there are other headphones with better sound quality, these are good enough and you’ll find yourself ditching the others and using these constantly.

Update Nov 10, 2023 My Aeropex died yesterday. They lasted from Feb 14, 2021 to Nov 9, 2023. That's about 2 years and 9 months, which is 9 months longer than the two-year warranty. Update Oct 28, 2023 My Aeropex are still going strong. I also have Apple AirPods Pros, but the Aeropex still have their place. I now use the Aeropex with my iPhone and MacBook, and it integrates well. The Aeropex will last me all day, 16 hours or more. The AirPods last 6 hours before needing to be recharged. When I want noise cancellation and good music sound, I use the AirPods. When I listen to streaming audio or make phone calls, I use the Aeropex. I also use the Aeropex when I'm doing yard work and want earphones that won't fall out, like the AirPods sometimes do. Update May 14, 2021 I've had these headphones since February 14. I use them while exercising and sweating heavily, and they're very sweat resistant, unlike the AfterShokz Air. They're great! They're also perfect for the office and home office. They pair seamlessly with both my smartphone and Windows laptop. They have long battery life, lasting all day, and they charge quickly. February 14, 2021 I just bought AfterShokz Aeropex bone conduction headphones from Amazon and tried them out today. I'm really impressed. They're lightweight and the best-sounding bone conduction headphones I've had. Bone conduction headphones aren't for everyone, but I love them because the "ear pieces" fit right in front of the ear on the cheekbone, keeping the ear opening free and allowing me to hear my environment. They don't sound as good as conventional headphones, especially for music, but they're great for podcasts and phone conversations. And a huge bonus: The Aeropex Bluetooth connects to two devices. So I have my Aeropex connected to both my cell phone and my laptop. It's great for Zoom/Teams conferences on my laptop, phone calls on my cell phone, and cell phone podcasts, without having to disconnect and reconnect my Bluetooth. Previously, I had AfterShokz "Air" bone conduction headphones and really liked them, but they died from sweat from my workouts. I even replaced them (under warranty) twice, but sweat was a killer. The Aeropex is rated better for water resistance (and sounds better). AfterShokz Aeropex is a little pricey, but it comes with a two-year warranty. During that two-year period, I'll be testing the "sweat-proof" features of it.

The term "noise cancelling" for these headphones doesn't make a lot of sense for what they are, open ear headphones. I am able to perfectly hear music and also hear what is going on around me which is what I need for my job. Adding ear plugs only makes the sound better. There is a "sweet spot" that you have to find to get optimal sound, trial and error until you find where works best for you. There is a multifunction capability that is very handy, allowing me to be connected to 2 devices at the same time, i.e. watching a show on my tablet and still being able to answer calls on my phone all through the headphones. Voice calling is also very clear. My only complaint is the hard band. It's flexible but it sticks out from my head so it gets in the way when you lean back on a headrest, wear a collared shirt or when I throw on my hard hat at work....I think I've just got to get used to it still. I was very concerned about comfort when it came to wearing glasses and the headphones at the same time and I have not had a problem yet, the arm of my glasses and the headphones don't seem to get in the way of each other. So far, the battery life has been far better than the 8 hours they are rated for. I had them on and listened to music for the majority of a 15 hour shift yesterday, did not charge them last night and they're still going strong 6 hours into today's shift and are still at a medium charge level. I was also VERY pleased to find that the headphones came with 2 chargers....how wonderful is that?!?! Music, Audiobooks, Podcasts, and calls were all stellar with the headphones, watching a show was a little tricky just because I think there is too much going on and the noise levels vary some much, the bass isn't great so I think that is the main problem with watching a show/movie on them. All in all, a little pricey but worth it for what I need them for...music to keep me sane while being required to wear hearing protection at work for long shifts.

"Bone conducting" sounds very exotic but it's a little more usual than you might think. To get an idea: Grab a pair of decent on-ear headphones, place them on your temples so your ears are uncovered, and turn up the volume a bit. This is pretty much what Aftershokz sound and feels like. It makes you realize there is a bone conducting component to regular headphones. Similarly, there is still an aural component to these - if you have them sitting on a desk or hanging up, you can still hear them audibly over the air. For the price you're paying, you're getting a new usage experience rather than sound quality. Here are some examples: * Actual wet performance. Lots of headphones now have some kind of IPxx rating. While they aren't damaged by water, that doesn't mean they *work* when wet. These do. You can listen to audio while dunking your head under the shower. Maybe that's not something you're going to do, but it means rain and sweat won't drown it out. That's something I've had happen plenty. * Isolation when you want it. ANC and a good seal are fine but they don't beat wearing actual earplugs IMO. I can put in some earplugs and still listen to a podcast while vacuuming my car or something - and I don't have to crank the volume. I think that's impressive. Still, some people can't do earplugs - OK, ANC is better for you. * Awareness when you want it. Things that need your attention can get it. That doesn't mean you can understand everything you hear. The effect is like having two people talk directly to you at the same time - hard to understand even one of them, and usually the loudest speaker wins. But you're aware at least. Those differences were pros in my opinion. Other pros: Long battery life, great power connector. Pretty good fit (for me - wife disagrees) as the device is small and stays firmly on my head. Also a pretty good mic set up - nobody has complained when I've used these, unlike my other wireless headphones. Still, for best quality, wired is still the way to go. Cons are not insignificant: * Less audio quality for the money, to be sure. If you want audiophile equipment, move along. These can't provide it. If you just listen to podcasts and place phone calls, I think it's A-OK. Also pretty good for providing "background music" while working. Admittedly, though I'm not a "music person", this is a little hard to get past. * Personally I hate the controls. On/off, volume, and pause are fine. Beyond that, I'm struggling. My cheap plantronics phones are better here. * Bluetooth connectivity. I know Bluetooth isn't perfect and Windows 10 BT experience in particular leaves much to be desired. But comparing these to a cheap pair of plantronics phones, I expected more. The cheap pair connects faster, switches devices significantly quicker and both without as much manual intervention. This is personally my greatest point of dissatisfaction, as the Aeropex are five times the price. I really hope this thing can receive firmware updates to improve connection behavior. I gave these a try for 6 weeks and have decided to keep them, despite my reservations. It came down to the fact that, even with the shortcomings, I get a LOT of use out of them. Enough that I don't feel like rolling the dice on another product for now.

My wife and I are pretty active and do a lot of outdoor cycling, running, walking, etc. The bone conduction technology is a definite safety factor since it allows you to hear environmental noises. I haven't tested the noise cancellation aspect, but I would think earplugs would be as effective with or without the headphones. The sound of these is excellent especially since these are bone conductive. OTE headphones would probably have better sound for audiophiles, but the sound on the Audioshokz is very good. I have used / tested some cheaper bone conduction headphones and their sound was not nearly as good as these Aeropex. These sound as good as athletic ear buds that I have used. The comfort and size are a big plus. I will forget that I have them on since they aren't in my ear. They pair well with my Android phone for music and phone calls. I haven't had any complaints regarding the mic when used for a phone call. One of the biggest features for me (besides the comfort and sound quality) is the water proof rating. I sweat heavily when exercising and have ruined other sport water resistant earbuds as a result. Many times the speaker or the charging port is the weak link in allowing water access. The magnetic charging used for these is great, no charging ports or port covers to deal with and the speaker drivers are sealed. I have used my pair about a year? without any issue. I am completely satisfied with these headphones and impressed with the build quality, comfort and sound. I would recommend these to anyone!

These are well built and fit wonderfully around my head my head. The sound is amazing. Easy to use buttons. I wear these to Dr. appointments, when out walking, even when I'm cleaning around the house. I love them because for years I wore regular earbud-type headphones and found I could only use one side so I could hear what was happening around me, and my ear canal was getting sore from continual use. They allow you to hear around you and if you don't want to hear outside noise, they come with earplugs that cancels out everything but what you are listening to and make the sound even more deeper, intense. Sometimes I wear these just to make phone calls so I don't have to hold the phone, especially if it will be long conversations. The Bluetooth hooks up easily to any media that has Bluetooth capabilities. My daughter, who is partially deaf told me about them and after using them I told many people who went ahead and bought them for themselves and other people they care about. It was one of the best buys I've made.

Far and away, these are the best headphones I have ever owned. I work out a lot, and I had a problem. My headphones would invariably get sweaty, corrode, and break within a few months of usage. Furthermore, by the time I was done with a workout, my ears would be hot and bothered by the sweaty headphones covering my ears. And, my ears cannot accept earbuds, they keep dropping out. And, sometimes when running outside I wanted to be aware of outside noise for safety purposes. These headphones provide the perfect solution to all of my problems. They are incredibly water-resistant. They don't cover my ears and leave them sweaty. The sound is very clear. And when I want to run outside, they don't impede environmental noise. Their only tradeoff, and I consider it minor, is I have to wear earplugs when I use them in the gym. Because they don't block environmental noise you have to wear earplugs if you are in a noisy environment. I would also add that the bluetooth connection works perfectly, which is another issue I've had with other headphones. With these headphones, I have NEVER had an issue with connectivity. When I turn them on, they connect almost instantly, and they never drop.

I received my Aeropex headphones 2 days ago. I have never used Bone Conduction Headphones. I have used the in-the-ear headphones, but they were bothering my ears. Also, they did block out some outside sound. I like the over-the -ear headphones but they block out most all sounds. The main reason I wanted to try these headphones was that I join a Zoom music jam session once a week. I thought these may be useful during my jam session. Last night I joined the Zoom jam session on my Apple Macbook pro 2018. These worked out great. I could hear the members of the session fine through the headphones. When it was my turn to play, I could hear my banjo simply fine. The fit is good, and they are comfortable. I especially like the fact that they do not stick inside my ears. The sound quality is fairly good. My listening is mainly podcasting and recorded books. I do not know how they work but I am glad I found these guys. I am a fan for sure.