The Shokz OpenSwim Pro might be primarily designed for swimmers, but the ability to choose between streaming audio over Bluetooth or the built-in MP3 player helps to make them one of the best running headphones to buy.
While they lack the additional size options, extra sound customisation and bigger battery numbers compared to the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2, they still offer solid open-ear sound from a design that’s both comfortable and light enough to work for long runs.
The added ability to stream from a music player does mean the OpenSwim Pro costs more than the OpenRun Pro 2 and the OpenRun. You can also find cheaper open ear headphones that also offer dual listening modes, though don’t quite match up with the OpenSwim Pro in terms of what they offer as a package.
Design & Key Stats
- Price: £169/$229.95
- Water resistance: IP68
- ANC? No
- Transparency mode? Full awareness
- Battery life (buds): 9 hours
Shokz OpenSwim Pro Review
The Run Test: Likes
The OpenSwim Pro uses a near identical neckband design to Shokz’ OpenRun series, offering physical buttons that let you switch between streaming modes as well as quickly adjusting volume or skipping music tracks on the move. This is a control setup Shokz we’re fans of and it’s no surprise that rival bone conduction headphones offer similar controls.
It’s also no surprise to find one of the strongest waterproof ratings you’ll find attached to a set of headphones. These are built to withstand being submerged in water up to 2 metres as well as offering strong protection against sweat.
While the OpenSwim Pro uses an older generation of Shokz’ bone conduction technology to deliver the open-ear sound, they still manage to put in a strong performance. While not as bass-rich as the OpenRun Pro 2, they do still offer nicely balanced sound with good clarity for handling calls during runs.
Battery life depends on how you listen to your audio. If it’s streaming over Bluetooth, you’ll get up to 9 hours. Stick to the MP3 mode and it drops to 6 hours. Listening volume also dictates how long they can last before they need to be charged. We were pretty happy with how they performed when streaming over Bluetooth.
The Run Test: Dislikes
Unlike the OpenRun Pro 2 and OpenRun, the OpenSwim Pro is only available in one size. While we found the fit to be good overall, we also know that the mini version of the OpenRun series can offer a more snug fit, which may appeal to some runners.
When it comes to getting music and other audio onto the headphones you will need to connect them to a computer to drag and drop files onto them. Depending on how many files you want to transfer, this can sometimes take a while to do.
While we were happy with the sound quality, those searching for bigger bass, might be left disappointed by what the OpenSwim Pro offers on that front. Reproducing strong bass is one of the negative aspects of bone conduction technology and is something we have seen on other bone conduction headphones.
Battery life definitely takes more of a hit when streaming music from the MP3 player. If you need to also turn the volume up to compete with louder noise, that can also see battery life drop below the quoted 6 hours in this listening mode.
The OpenSwim Pro uses a proprietary charging cable, which does mean you need to keep a close eye on the supplied cable to power them back up. Despite not offering USB-C charging, you do still get a quick charge mode that can get you 3 hours of listening time from just a 10-minute charge.
Verdict And Alternatives
The Shokz OpenSwim Pro are great open-ear headphones, especially if you like the idea of not needing your phone nearby to listen to music, podcasts and audiobooks.
They’re not cheap, especially if buying them in the US. Looking at the rest of the Shokz lineup, the OpenRun Pro 2 is cheaper and offers bigger and bassier sound, two size options and a more desirable charging and battery setup. The OpenRun is even less and while lacks the dual listening modes, does match the OpenSwim Pro in many other departments.
Outside of the Shokz headphone lineup, you can also look at the Nank Runner Diver 2 Pro, which are cheaper and offer good sound for runs and swims. it does lack the more balanced sound and better physical buttons you do get on the OpenSwim Pro. There’s also the Mojawa Run Plus, which also offers two listening modes, enjoyable open-ear sound from a very comfortable neckband design.