The Suunto Wing 2 are bone conduction headphones that offer a cheaper alternative to the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2, one of the best running headphones to buy right now.
In terms of fit, sound quality and battery life, the Wing 2 offers a solid performance overall. It can certainly match the OpenRun Pro 2 for staying put during runs across paces, and has battery life that can go the distance as well.
If you want the best bone conduction headphones for sound quality, we’d say the OpenRun Pro 2 and the Nank Runner Diver2 Pro offer a better performance. If you can live with the sound quality that sits below Shokz and Nank, the Wing 2 is still well worth considering.
Design & Key Stats
- Price: £149/$179
- Water resistance: IP66
- ANC? No
- Transparency mode? Full awareness
- Battery life (buds): 12 hours
Suunto Wing 2 review
The Run Test: Likes
The Suunto Wing 2 features a neckband design that’s similar to most other bone conduction headphones, using materials like silicone and titanium to provide good comfort and ensure they can handle a bit of rough and tumble. We had no issues wearing it with running caps and glasses, plus they’re light enough to be a strong fit for longer distance runs.
In terms of controls, there’s a set of physical ones that work in similar fashion to the buttons on Shokz headphones. They’re easy to reach and use, even during faster-paced runs.
Suunto includes an array of LED lights that can be assigned different light modes. That includes blinking or matching your running cadence. We’d like those lights to be bigger, but they do provide a little bump in visibility for nighttime runs.
The battery life is solid on the whole, maxing out at 12 hours. Those numbers are based on lower listening volumes, so if you’re listening to closer to maximum volume that number does drop. We did still find that the Wing 2 could achieve strong battery life and like the fact it offers both USB-C charging and the ability to power up using a power bank charger that’s also included.
We’d class sound quality as very good and is a nice fit for outdoor runs when you still value that increased awareness. With two sound modes on offer, it’s pretty much essential to use the available Outdoor mode when outside to boost volume. Suunto’s wind cancellation technology does work well in blustery conditions to make sure wind doesn’t entirely cut through sound from music or calls.
The Run Test: Dislikes
The Suunto Wing 2 sound quality doesn’t quite match up to other open-ear headphones built for running. Especially compared to the bass reproduction and clarity offered on Shokz’ top-end headphones. Like other bone conduction headphones, they do leak audio in a noticeable way, which is more of an issue if you’re using them inside in quieter environments.
LED lights aside, Suunto does include a host of other features. We’d say some are more useful than others. The supported head gesture controls are too sensitive for running at times and the neck mobility and the jump-based leg fatigue assessments weren’t features we regularly made use of. The ability to connect multiple devices, hear real-time feedback from Suunto watches (where compatible) and have that powerbank charger were extras we did appreciate.
Verdict And Alternatives
The Suunto Wing 2 is a very good option for runners looking for headphones that still keep you aware of your surroundings. While cheaper than the first Suunto Wing, they’re still not exactly cheap though. If you can afford to spend a bit more, the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 will get you a better sound.
Spending less on something like the Nank Runner Diver2 Pro gets you something that delivers better on the bass front and gets you both Bluetooth and MP3 player sound modes. The H2O Audio Tri Run is another cheaper alternative, though doesn’t offer MP3 playback.
The Wing 2 does offer some features you won’t find on those headphones. Like smart LED lights, that useful power bank charger and richer Suunto watch support. These features will definitely make them more appealing for runners where having good enough sound along with those extras will make them a good fit and worth that big spend.