I ran, cycled and worked out with the Shokz OpenFit Air 2 for three weeks — here’s my verdict

The Shokz OpenFit Air 2 is the new entry-level model in the brand’s line-up of open earhook headphones, and comes in considerably cheaper than the Shokz OpenFit 2+ and OpenFit Pro.

They don’t quite match the sound quality of those headphones, but still sound good and have a flexible, lightweight design that creates a great fit for workouts in particular.

I rate them among the best running headphones I’ve tested with an open design, and if you need an earhook to keep your buds in place when getting sweaty, the OpenFit Air 2 offers a nice middle-ground between budget options and pricey flagship models.

Shokz OpenFit Air 2: price and availability

The Shokz OpenFit Air 2 launched in August 2026 and cost $129 in the U.S. and £129 in the U.K., which is $10/£10 more than the price of the original Shokz OpenFit Air, though those can often now be found on sale.

They are the cheapest model in the current OpenFit line-up, sitting beneath the Shokz OpenFit 2+ and Shokz OpenFit Pro. The more expensive models offer longer battery life, better sound quality and, in the case of the OpenFit Pro, noise reduction.

Shokz OpenFit Air 2: design and fit

The Shokz OpenFit Air 2 are currently available in three colors: black, white and light blue. As the name suggests, they’re the lightest OpenFit model, weighing just 0.25oz/7.2g per earbud.

This lightweight design, along with the flexible earhook, makes them exceptionally comfortable to wear for long periods in my experience.

They stay securely in place during all kinds of workouts, but don’t put any pressure on the ear, and I was happy to wear them for several hours at a time, going from work to workouts.

The reshaped speaker sits near the ear canal without blocking it, with Shokz’s DirectPitch tech helping to avoid too much sound leakage.

If you don’t need the earhook to keep the headphones in place during workouts, however, I do think the clip-on design of buds like the Shokz OpenDots Air is less fussy and just as comfortable for long periods of use.

Shokz has also reduced the size of the case compared with the older model, though it’s still not the most easily pocketed compared to the tiny case you get with buds without earhooks.

The OpenFit Air 2 has an IP55 rating, so they are sweat- and water-resistant, and offer multipoint pairing to two devices at once via Bluetooth V6.1.

Shokz OpenFit Air 2: controls

One of the things I disliked about the original Shokz OpenFit Air was their touch panel controls, which were not the most reliable and easy to use during workouts with sweaty fingers.

The new pressure-sensitive buttons on the OpenFit Air 2 are a big improvement. The small buttons sit on top of the speaker of each earbud, so you can grip both sides to press the button.

I found this new design much easier to use during runs and other workouts, and they’ll also be easier to use with gloves in the winter.

Shokz OpenFit Air 2: sound quality

The OpenFit Air 2 sound good, but not great. As with all open headphones, you lose out on bass and noise cancellation compared with in-ear buds, but they also fall a little short of the clarity and power of the more expensive OpenFit 2+ and OpenFit Pro.

However, I do think they live up to their price in terms of sound quality, and I enjoyed using them during and outside of workouts. They’re loud enough to still hear your audio when running by busy roads too, though can be drowned out when traveling on trains.

The bass is powerful enough to deliver the motivational punch I’m looking for when I put on my rock-heavy running playlist, and in quieter environments tracks like Phoebe Bridgers’ “The Governor's Waltz” sounded bright and clear.

You can customize the EQ on the headphones in the Shokz app too, which is worth doing to ramp up the bass in particular.

There’s always a trade-off to consider with the sound on open headphones, but the extra awareness you get from the OpenFit Air 2 is worth it for me as a runner, and while these aren’t the best sounding open buds you can get, I don’t think you’ll do much better for the price.

Shokz OpenFit Air 2: battery life

The OpenFit Air 2 lasts up to eight hours on a charge and offers a total of 36 hours including the charging case.

It’s not as much as the OpenFit 2+ and OpenFit Pro, but that’s a lot of battery life, and in my use, they lived up to the listed stats.

Even when running with them every day and using them for a couple of hours of work, they lasted over a week, and you can get three hours of use from just 10 minutes of charging in a pinch.

Should you buy the Shokz OpenFit Air 2?

The Shokz OpenFit Air 2 offers a good middle ground between budget open headphones and the impressive, but expensive, top options in the Shokz OpenFit line-up.

If you just want the best sound you can get from open earhook buds, I’d opt for the OpenFit Pro, but the OpenFit Air 2 sounds good enough for me and is almost half the price, and I think the balance of features, fit, and price they offer is very good.

Cheaper alternatives to consider include the OpenFit Air, which will now be on sale and, while not as good as the new model, still offers decent sound and a great fit, and the JLab Epic Open Sport, which aren’t as comfortable and don’t sound as good, but are $99.

If you’re flexible on the exact style of open headphones you’re after, I’d also look at the Shokz OpenDots Air and OpenDots 2, because I prefer the clip-on fit myself, and the case is smaller. Having been a long-term user of earhook buds for my runs, clip-ons have become my go-to, and the OpenDots Air are the same price as the OpenFit Air.