I had never tried bone conducting earphones, much less waterproof ones, so I jumped at the opportunity to try these and I am so glad that I did.
PROS
-Open ear design; I have seen the type of over-the-ear headphones that are like earbuds that cover the ear canal without actually going in your ear, but these do not cover your ear holes at all?! I would have thought this would significantly affect sound quality but this is not the case and I am so surprised bone conducting technology works so well. You have to see.... er, hear it to believe it!!
-Open ear design means that this is great to hear everything around you while still listening to music. This is helpful when street level and you need to hear your surroundings but I also tested these when talking to my roommate and was able to have a conversation without disrupting my content. So practical!
-The behind the neck design is snug and the material is quite bendy and flexible and feels much more durable than a budget-friendly pair of headphones that I have tried.
-This is Shokz's 8th generation technology,, and even though this is not their most recent tech the sound quality is solid and I was impressed when listening to various media that I tested ranging from podcasts, tiktok videos, Netflix and audio tracks.
-I like the controls with buttons situated underneath to control power, volume, etc.
-I know most people might be used to music apps such Apple music or Spotify, but I love the built in mp3 player with its own separate playback mode. The music player is versatle enough to recognize various media files such as flak and mp4 and I was even able to convert and listen to an entire audiobook file.
-Sometimes earbuds hurt my ears, especially when wearing them for longer periods of time, but since nothing goes in your ear, you might actually enjoy these for entire films. I tried this with Netflix and the sound was great but the behind the ear design means you can't lay back or use a pillow while watching, ate least not without making some adjustments.
-I don't have a swimming pool to test test the underwater features, so I wore these in the shower and being able to blast music in the shower is quite an experience. Not having an earbud to drown out the sound of the shower is a bit of a design limitation (you can hear everything as normal) but easily remedied but turning the volume up a little (or a lot). If you have never blasted music in the shower, it is quite an experience and was an awesome way to start my day. I used the mp3 mode, but I am wondering if I could shower using the Bluetooth mode for music apps. I will test this and update later.
-Quick charge mode is wonderful feature for a last minute charge before your work outs, commutes, audio sessions, etc.
-It comes with this nice little travel pouch for storage between uses and I thought the quality was better than what I typically expect from such accessories. The flexible design of the headphones makes them fit easily and I am not worried about them being damaged while in the case even if in a backpack or suitcase.
-Currently available in both grey or red and it took me a minute to decide which one to order. These apparently are also manufactured in blue and black, so hopefully these will become available on the Amazon website soon.
CONS
-Inherent design means no features such as active noise cancellation or EQ customization.
-I have not tried using this product yet for calls, I will update asap.
-Significant difference in battery life between Bluetooth and mp3, where the latter is much shorter. I found that battery life is definitely affected by volume, so if you like to blast music, expect considerably more battery drain.
The touch controls are slightly different when using Bluetooth mode or mp3 mode which takes some getting used to.
-Keep that instruction book safe --- there's a bit of learning curve for some tasks (e.g. touch controls, music transfers, etc.) which were not necessarily intuitive to me so I found myself returning to it several times.
-Take good care of the charging cable which is a proprietary cable from Shokz due to their innovative design. So if you lost or damaged a cable, it would not be as easy as simply switching out a USB-C cable for instance.
-Current asking price of $250 is expensive but honestly does not seem unreasonable given the product quality.
Overall, I feel the Shokz open ear, bone conducting headset is a rather unique product offering all kinds of athletes considerable value. I was pleasantly surprised by the performance of watching videos, listening to music and podcasts when taking a brisk jog, to napping on the couch, to showering. Please note that I am not a runner so the experience of someone who uses this during strenuous physical activity may greatly differ from mine. Given the price tag, if you are more interested in audio quality rather than the unique features of this product, it may be better to invest into top tier earbuds or headphones, but I think serious athletes or those simply wanting to blast music in the shower would be quite satisfied with this product.
| Connectivity technology | Bluetooth |
|---|---|
| Wireless communication technology | Bluetooth |
| Special feature | Volume Control, Lightweight, Multipoint Pairing, Fast Charging, Microphone Included |
| Included components | OpenSwim Pro Bone Conduction Headphones*1, Silicone Carrying Case*1, Nose Clip*1 & User Guide & Legal Statement*1, Swimming Earplugs*1, 4-Pin Magnetic Charging Cable*1 |
| Age range (description) | Adult |
| Material | Nickel-Titanium Alloy, Silicone, Plastic |
| Specific uses for product | Travel, Professional, Fitness |
| Recommended uses for product | Cycling, Motorcycling, Running, Calling, Swimming |
| Compatible devices | iPhone, Watch, Personal Computer, Mac, Android |
| Theme | Running, Swimming, Sports |
| Control type | Volume Control |
| Cable feature | Without Cable |
| Item weight | 27.3 Grams |
| Water resistance level | Waterproof |
| Package type | Standard Packaging |
| Manufacturer | shokz limited corporation |
| Place of Business | Shokz Limited Corporation Baodazhou Community Shiyan Mount City Industrial Park Building 1, 4th Floor Shenzhen, Guangdong 518108 China Phone number: 18173854725 |
| Model | SHOKZ S710 |
| Model year | 2024 |
| Part Number | S710 |
| Special features | Volume Control, Lightweight, Multipoint Pairing, Fast Charging, Microphone Included |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Battery Average Life | 9 Hours |
| Batteries included | Yes |
| Batteries Required | Yes |
| Battery Cell Composition | Lithium Polymer |
| Cable Feature | Without Cable |
| Material Type | Nickel-Titanium Alloy, Silicone, Plastic |
| Does it contain liquid? | No |
| Includes rechargable battery | Yes |
| Manufacturer | shokz limited corporation |
| Item model number | SHOKZ S710 |
| Product Dimensions | 12.4 x 10 x 4.52 cm; 27.3 g |
| ASIN | B0CS3JBP67 |
