The AfterShokz Aeropex Bone Conduction are Bluetooth headphones. Due to their unique design, which uses vibrations instead of speakers to produce sound, they don't go on or inside the ear in any way, and they simply rest on your temples. Due to this, they don't block any ambient noise, making them a good choice if you like to always have background music playing while still being able to carry on conversations, or if you run outdoors and want to stay aware of your surroundings. Overall, they're a unique pair of headphones that won't be for everyone, but for specific uses, they may be exactly what you're looking for.
Our Verdict
The AfterShokz Aeropex are bad for neutral sound. Since they have no speakers and produce sound via vibrations, our testing rig was unable to properly chart their frequency performance. Therefore real-world usage should likely produce better results than our scores show. That being said, they produce sound uniquely and aren't ideal for people looking for a more neutral sound.
- Comfortable and stable.
- Sound varies depending on fit and positioning.
- No app support or EQ.
The AfterShokz Aeropex are sub-par for commuting and travel. They're portable and breathable, but by design, they don't block any ambient noise. While some people may like that they allow you to stay aware of your surroundings, they leak quite a bit of sound at high volumes, which isn't ideal if you need to crank them up to hear your music over the rumble of a bus or plane engine. On the upside, they have a comfortable fit that feels like wearing a pair of glasses, which is nice during a long trip.
- 13-hour battery life.
- Leak a lot of audio at higher volumes.
- Bone conduction design doesn't block any noise.
The AfterShokz Aeropex are decent for sports and fitness. They have a comfortable and lightweight design that feels just like wearing a pair of glasses and don't put any pressure on your ear. They're stable and extremely breathable since they don't go in or cover the ear, so you won't sweat more than usual. They're particularly well-suited for outdoor workouts since their design means they don't block out any ambient sound, which helps you stay aware of your surroundings. They even have an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance, although we don't test it currently.
- Open design is good for exercising outdoors.
- Sound varies depending on fit and positioning.
The AfterShokz Aeropex are poor for office use. They don't block out any background noise and leak quite a bit of audio when you listen at a high volume, which could bother your co-workers. However, they're comfortable, and they allow you to listen to music while still paying attention to your surroundings or carrying on a conversation, which could be ideal for some jobs.
- 13-hour battery life.
- Leak a lot of audio at higher volumes.
- Bone conduction design doesn't block any noise.
The AfterShokz Aeropex are Bluetooth-only headphones. They're compatible with Bluetooth-enabled PCs, but their latency is too high to be recommended for gaming.
The AfterShokz Aeropex are Bluetooth-only headphones that can't be used wired.
The AfterShokz Aeropex are sub-par for phone calls. Their microphone performance is mediocre, as it makes your voice sound muffled and doesn't do a very good job of separating it from background noise, which makes it harder for the person on the other end to hear you. Also, since they sit outside of your ears, they don't isolate you from background noise, so it may be hard for you to hear the person you're speaking with as well.
- 13-hour battery life.
- Mediocre microphone performance.
Changelog
- Updated Apr 03, 2023: We've included a comparison to the Sony Float Run Wireless in the Stylebox.
- Updated Feb 15, 2022: We've retested 'Additional Controls' for EQ presets.
- Updated Oct 08, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Mar 18, 2021: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The AfterShokz Aeropex Bone Conduction headphones are available in four different color variants: 'Cosmic Black', 'Solar Red', 'Lunar Grey', and 'Blue Eclipse'. We tested the 'Cosmic Black' variant and expect the other colors to perform similarly to our unit. These headphones are also available in another size, 'Mini', with a shorter headband. However, we haven't tested that variant, and our results are only valid for the 'Standard' size.
There's an upgraded variant of these headphones called the Shokz OpenRun Bone Conduction too. They offer a similar performance to the AfterShokz Aeropex but also support Bluetooth 5.1 and have a quick-charge feature. If you come across another variant or your headphones are different, please let us know in the discussions below so we can update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The AfterShokz Aeropex are headphones intended for sports that use bone conduction instead of speakers to produce sound. They have a comfortable and stable fit and don't block out any background noise, which is ideal for people who want to listen to music while running or cycling outside while still staying aware of their surroundings. They have a longer battery life than the similarly-designed AfterShokz Trekz Air Bone Conduction, and unlike that model, they're rated IP67 for water and dust resistance, although we don't currently test for that.
See our recommendations for the best headphones for working out, the best wireless earbuds for running, and the best Bluetooth earbuds.
The Shokz OpenRun Bone Conduction are the next generation of the AfterShokz Aeropex Bone Conduction. While both are otherwise the same in terms of build quality, comfort, and sound quality, the OpenRun have a quick charge feature, and they support Bluetooth 5.1. The Aeropex come with two charging cables instead of one, and their soft case is better than the OpenRun's drawstring pouch.
The AfterShokz Aeropex Bone Conduction are an upgrade over the AfterShokz Trekz Air Bone Conduction. They're both bone conduction headphones, but the Aeropex have a much better control scheme, a longer battery life, and are rated IP67 for dust and water resistance. On the other hand, the Trekz Air use a standard micro-USB charging cable as opposed to the Aeropex's proprietary cable.
The Shokz OpenRun Pro Bone Conduction are the upgraded, next generation of the AfterShokz Aeropex Bone Conduction. While both headphones are comfortable, the OpenRun Pro have a significantly better carrying case and better overall battery performance. They also have a companion app that offers two EQ presets. However, the Aeropex have a higher IP rating.
The Apple AirPods (2nd generation) and the AfterShokz Aeropex Bone Conduction are very differently designed headphones, which you might prefer depending on your needs. The Apple are more conventional in-ears and leak much less audio. Their truly wireless design and compact charging case make them much more portable as well. On the other hand, the AfterShokz deliver sound via bone induction and sit outside your ears. Because of their design, they don't block any ambient noise, which is great for people who exercise outdoors. They also have an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
Test Results
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