The 5 Best Bone Conduction And Open-Ear Headphones of 2026  

The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are the best open-ear headphones we've tested. These buds clip to your earlobe for a secure fit while you're on the move. This design delivers a comfortable, extremely stable listening experience, as the buds cling to your ears like sporty clip-on earrings, avoiding the in-ear fit many find uncomfortable. The downside is that they can cause some pressure on your outer ear, particularly during long runs. They boast a very solid build quality too, with an IPX4 rating to protect them against sudden rain showers.

As you'd expect from an open-fit design, you'll be able to hear everything around you, even while blasting motivational tunes. Just don't expect your music to feature much bass, as they struggle to reproduce thumpy club kicks and deep basslines. If you're more of a podcast fan, these will suit you perfectly, though, as the balanced mid-range renders the host's voice in plenty of detail. Plus, there's an immersive audio feature that adds extra dimensionality to your audio. Rounding out their feature set are 9 hours of battery life and a solid built-in mic, giving them some extra versatility for calls and conferencing.

If you don't quite have the budget for the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, consider the Shokz OpenRun 2 Pro Bone Conduction. These are the best bone conduction headphones we've tested. Building on the foundation of the Shokz OpenRun Pro Bone Conduction, the headphones use a combination of bone conduction and dynamic drivers (air conduction), reducing the potentially uncomfortable vibrations needed to produce louder volumes with pure bone conduction. One advantage they have over our top pick is comfort, as their lightweight silicone design makes them comfortable to wear on long runs, as the material adjusts to your body temperature. The IP55 rating indicates protection against dust and water damage, too.

As with our other picks, the design leaves your ear open, resulting in great awareness of your surroundings but also a lack of bass response. Their mid-range-centric sound makes them a great choice for podcasts, though there's always a chance ambient noise will mask your audio. They come equipped with 9 hours of battery life, Bluetooth multi-device pairing, and a built-in mic that isn't bad. The companion app even comes with a 5-band graphic EQ, though it won't do much to overcome the headphones' inherent lack of bass and treble.

Next up is another bone conduction headset, though this one eschews the additional dynamics drivers found in the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 Bone Conduction in favor of a pure bone conduction design. The Suunto Wing is a sporty headset that boasts an IP67 rating and a titanium-alloy frame for durability in a wide range of environments. It's comfortable, too, though the vibrations from the bone-conduction drivers can cause some pressure on your ears over extended wear. As with other pure bone-conduction designs, this is especially true if you wear glasses, earrings, or other headgear, as the drivers can vibrate them, too.

They have a few features that help them stand out from the pack, especially for extreme endurance events, like ultra marathons. Their built-in power bank extends their 12-hour battery life by 2 additional charges. Plus, they come with integrated LED hazard lights so you can remain visible even in low-light conditions. While the built-in microphone's recording quality is okay, it does a much worse job of separating your voice from its background compared to the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 Bone Conduction.

If you're looking for open-ear buds that'll get the job done without breaking the bank, the SoundPeats PearlClip Pro are well worth a look. With their lightweight, clip-on design and excellent stability, they're a great choice for those who need to prioritize situational awareness without shelling out for the Suunto Wing. Their low cost comes with some trade-offs, though: the fit isn't as comfortable as the Suunto, and they're not as well-constructed. Still, the SoundPeats provide enough stability for brisk runs and vigorous pedaling, and they carry the same IPX4 rating for protection against water splashes.

As with other open-ear designs, the SoundPeats' sound profile lacks bass, but they also reproduce boosted high-mids that can make vocals sound a bit honky. This won't be much of an issue with audio content like podcasts, where the hosts' voices aren't competing with other sonic elements. While their built-in mic does an okay job of rendering your voice, and they feature Bluetooth multi-device pairing, these open-ears have an Achilles' heel: they barely last 3 hours on a single charge. Still, even this can be mitigated somewhat by keeping the volume low and dipping into the three extra charges provided by the carrying case.

The Anker Soundcore C30i are among the cheapest open-ear headphones you can buy right now. That said, the brand has established a reputation for offering great value for money, and these headphones are no exception. They sport a similar clip-on design to the SoundPeats PearlClip Pro, which provides excellent stability, even during higher-intensity activities like interval or speed work. However, the cuffs have a more rigid design compared to the SoundPeats, which may not be as comfortable for most people.

While they inevitably lack bass energy, they make up for it with flat mids and a balanced treble range, so the rhythm guitars and vocals in your favorite pop punk anthems cut through the mix, even if the kick drums don't. With over 14 hours of continuous battery life and two extra charges in the case, they're equipped for even the longest endurance events. Just don't expect too much of the built-in microphone, which introduces some distortion into your voice. That said, while it sounds worse than our other picks, it'll get the job done in a pinch.