Bone conduction headphones are pretty special, not just because of the way they transmit the “sound” to you but also the unique listening experience that you get. You will be listening to your favorite songs while you hear the world around you. It is an innovative device to improve your lifestyle, and not really about enhancing sound quality. To be honest, the sound quality is just decent, if SQ is what really matters to you, then you should just skip this article. If you want to be more aware of your environment while listening to your music and doing your outdoor activities, then bone conduction headphones will be able to help you with that.
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What is a bone conduction headphone?
Technically it is still a headphone, just that instead of sending the sound directly to your ears, the headphones will send vibrations through your jawbone bypassing the eardrums and directly to your cochlea. The cochlea will then send the information via the auditory nerve to the brain, which finally interprets this information as sound. This is why the headphones are rested atop your cheekbones instead of the ears, this open ear design allows you to hear your surroundings. Bone conduction headphones can be an amazing option for people who suffer hearing loss.
8 Best Bone Conduction Headphones
I will be listing 8 of the best bone conduction headphones that you can go for, and without further ado, they are:
1. AfterShokz Trekz Air Open-Ear Wireless Bone Conduction Headphones
One of its main strengths is that it is designed for long-term wearing, providing you with comfort for the whole day while you focus on doing your outdoor activities while listening to your favorite tunes. AfterShokz Trekz Air has a battery life of up 6 hours of playtime, which is more than sufficient for you to complete your outdoor activities. It is also made for athletes, AfterShokz Air is sweatproof and water-resistant (IP55 rating), so you can fully focus on your sporting activities without the need to worry about the bone conduction headphone. Furthermore, there are reflective strips that are visible up to 500+ feet at night, which is really handy for nighttime outdoor sports.
It also has Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity with multi-point pairing, which is convenient as you can connect to multiple compatible devices. AfterShokz Trekz Air is one of the best-sounding bone conduction headphones, crystal clear vocals, and comes with EQ settings which you can adjust the bass and vibrations. The improved dual noise-canceling microphones are great for calls.
As mentioned earlier, AfterShokz Trekz Air’s main strength is that it is very comfortable and very suitable for long-term wearing. If you know you will be wearing bone conduction headphones for hours every day, then you should seriously consider getting this.
Features
- Very Comfortable – designed for long-term wearing
- Battery – 6 hours of playtime
- IP55 rating – sweatproof and water-resistant
- Reflective strips that are visible up to 500+ feet during nighttime
- EQ settings for adjusting the bass and vibrations
- Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity with multi-point pairing
2. Vidonn F1 Sports Bone Conduction Headphones
Are you looking for bone conduction headphones at an affordable price? Probably Vidonn F1 will be the one for you. A great option for anyone who has a tight budget and/or just looking to get entry-level bone conduction headphones. The ergonomic streamlined design makes it secure and comfortable to wear. Additionally, it is also IP55 rated, meaning it is resistant to water/rain and sweatproof. Making Vidonn F1 a terrific bone conduction headphones for outdoor activities and sports.
With the titanium alloy backbone, this makes Vidonn F1 durable and flexible enough for comfort. The 6 hours of music playtime is amazing for this price point, not to mention it also has Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. Basically, it has all the necessary features but the question is, how about the sound quality?
The sound quality is decent for the price, Vidonn F1 is lacking in bass and muddle high-frequency response but at least the vocal is still clear which is good for casual music listening and phone calls. In short, it has most of the fine qualities of a good pair of bone conduction headphones and just lacks in the sound department. For anyone who just wants to try it out, you should consider Vidonn F1.
Features
- Very affordable and a great option as entry-level bone conduction headphones.
- Ergonomic streamlined design
- IP55 rated
- Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity
- Battery life: 6 hours of music playtime
- Titanium alloy backbone
3. Bonein Open Ear Wireless Bone Conduction Headphones
Bonein bone conduction headphones are another affordable entry-level option, be it slightly more expensive than Vidonn F1 but with better features. It is foldable, supporting 90°rotation and 180°plane rotation which you can use this feature to fold and hang them. Bonein bone conduction headphones also have almost the double battery life of Vidonn F1, with up to 11 hours of playtime.
It supports Bluetooth connectivity (4.0) with a wireless range of up to 33 feet (10 meters). Great for outdoors and sports too, as it is rated IP55. Bonein bone conduction headphones are slightly louder and have more audible vocals/dialogues than Vidonn but both have the same issue which is lacking bass. It is quite comfy to wear as well.
If you are considering getting entry-level bone conduction headphones at an affordable price point, Bonein is worthy of your consideration. It has all the features you will need and decent sound quality, but if budget is not an issue, you should go for higher-end models like AfterShokz.
Features
- Affordable entry-level choice
- It is foldable – supports 90°rotation and 180°plane rotation
- Battery life: 11 hours of playtime
- Bluetooth connectivity 4.0 – wireless range of up to 33 feet (10 meters)
- Rated IP55 – sweat and water-resistant
4. Aftershokz Aeropex Bone Conduction Headphones
Another amazing bone conduction headphones by Aftershokz, and it is a lot tougher too, with an IP67 rating, Aeropex is sweat and waterproof. There’s no need for you to worry about bad raining days or sweat erosion, you can use these headphones for all sorts of outdoor sports and adventures. Not to mention with up to 8 hours of battery life of continuous play of your favorite tunes, Aftershokz Aeropex is definitely made for long-term wearing.
To make this even sweeter, Aftershokz Aeropex is light and comfortable to wear, you can work on your outdoor activities with ease. With the Bluetooth 5.0 connection and dual noise-canceling microphones, you can now make crystal-clear calls with stability.
The PremiumPitch 2.0+ helps to enhance the bass response which gives it better bass than most bone conduction headphones. It can also go incredibly loud which is another impressive feat. The sound quality of Aftershokz Aeropex is truly great, one of the top best sounding bone conduction headphones on the list. Absolutely worth your consideration.
Features
- IP67 rating – sweatproof and waterproof
- Up to 8 hours of continuous music play
- Very comfortable – made for long-term wearing
- Bluetooth 5.0 connection – dual noise-canceling microphones
- PremiumPitch 2.0+ – enhances bass and higher volume
- Moisture detection alert for safe charging and easy upkeep
5. Tayogo Sport S2 Bluetooth Bone Conduction Headphones
It is not on Amazon so it can be a bummer for some people. The good news is you can buy Tayogo Sport S2 directly from their website, and while I am writing this, they are actually having a big discount. With or without a discount, Tayogo Sport S2 is still affordable and a top contender for entry-level bone conduction headphones. Comes loaded with features such as Bluetooth 5.0, a built-in mic, and up to 6 hours of playtime.
IP55 water-resistant rating is cool too, you can do your outdoor activities and even sports without worries that your sweat or a bit of water splash will damage your bone conduction headphones. The aesthetic look of Tayogo Sport S2 may be a bit dull and blend.
The sound quality will be considered decent, as it lacks clarity in the highs, the bass is a tad better than most bone conduction headphones. Tayogo Sport S2 still is a good pair of bone conduction headphones especially at this price point and a great option for people who just want to try but don’t want to spend too much.
Features
- Affordable entry-level choice
- Bluetooth 5.0
- Battery life of up to 6 hours of playtime
- IP55 rating
6. Pyle Bluetooth Bone Conduction Headphones
Pyle is a brand that makes affordable products for the masses, and their Bluetooth speakers do have good sound quality for the money. As for the sound quality of their bone conduction headphones, is good too, with audible vocals and dialogues, but you can’t expect much from the bass department though.
Pyle bone conduction headphones look stylish and modern, which you can proudly wear outside, and has an IPX6 water-resistant rating. The battery life is okay but the recharging time is quite long, 4 hours to be fully charged. This pair of bone conduction headphones does have all the usual features you’ll need such as Bluetooth connectivity and more. At this price point, Pyle bone conduction headphones should be more than sufficient for anyone with a tight budget and it does look good (looks more expensive than they are).
Features
- Looks stylish and modern
- Affordable – a good choice as entry-level bone conduction headphones
- IPX6 water-resistant rating
- Bluetooth connectivity.
- Standby time up to 240 hours
7. Oaxis myFirst Bone Conduction Headphones
Oaxis myFirst is a pair of bone conduction headphones made for children (suitable for age 4+). This is great as it is a lot safer than normal headphones, with the open ear design and at 85dB max volume, children will be more aware of their surroundings while they are playing. The cute magnetic accessories design can be used to further enhance the aesthetic look of Oaxis myFirst.
There is a convenient feature where you can fold the headphones and keep them somewhere like in their pockets. It looks comfortable but I won’t be able to really tell since I can’t wear them. Same goes to the sound quality, I can only guess by the reviews made by the parents which seems to be rather positive.
Do note that it uses a wired connection using a 1.2 meter long 3.5 mm audio jack, and doesn’t have Bluetooth for music streaming. Oaxis myFirst can be a great choice for your children since it doesn’t transmit sound directly to their eardrums and at only 85dB max volume, this will reduce the risk of damaging their hearing. The price point I would say is reasonable but is a pity that it doesn’t have Bluetooth connectivity.
Features
- Suitable for age 4+
- 85dB max volume
- Cute magnetic accessories design to customize the bone conduction headphones.
- It is foldable
- Wired connection – 1.2 meter long 3.5 mm audio jack
- Can be a cool alternative to traditional headphones
8. MONODEAL Open Ear Bone Conduction Headphones
One of the most affordable bone conduction headphones on the list, but even at this price point, MONODEAL comes with a plethora of useful features. Firstly, it has an IPX6 rating allowing you to venture outdoors without worrying about light rain and sweat. Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity with ample wireless range of up to 33ft. The battery life is good too, with up to 6 hours of music/talking time.
The ABS and titanium alloy material makes MONODEAL bone conduction headphones rather flexible and durable, as you won’t damage them if you accidentally bend them. It has a simplistic design that doesn’t look bad. Feels comfortable to wear and the tightness is just right for me.
For the sound quality and at this price point, I have no complaints and no compliments too, the vocal clarity is there and the volume is okay but as usual, the bass is really lacking, and the highs can be muddle at times. If budget is an issue or just unwilling to spend much on a pair of bone conduction headphones, MONODEAL will be a good choice.
Features
- Very Affordable
- IPX6 rating
- Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity
- ABS and titanium alloy material
- Battery life – up to 6 hours of music/talking time.
Overall Best Bone Conduction Headphones
AfterShokz Trekz Air is an amazing pair of bone conduction headphones that is very comfortable to wear and is one of the best sounding headphones on the list as well. The plethora of features makes it very suitable for long-term wearing and the innovative reflective stripes that are only visible during the night make it exceptionally great for nighttime cycling and jogging. The Bluetooth multi-point pairing is extremely rare for bone conduction headphones to have and this is why AfterShokz Trekz Air is the overall best in this top 8 list.
Best Sound Quality Bone Conduction Headphones
Aftershokz Aeropex is no doubt the best sounding bone conduction headphones ever, it has a better bass response than most and can play at high volume with clarity. It is also tough and durable with an IP67 rating, long battery life of up to 8 hours of continuous music listening. All these features, sound quality, and the comfort level that Aftershokz Aeropex possessed can easily make this one of the very best bone conduction headphones in the world.
Best Budget Bone Conduction Headphones
If sound quality is not an issue and you don’t want to spend much on a pair of bone conduction headphones, then MONODEAL will be the best choice for you. Not just because it is very affordable, MONODEAL bone conduction headphones have useful features as well such as IPX6 rating, Bluetooth 5.0, and more. The sound quality is quite decent and the overall design may look simple but it doesn’t look bad.
Final Words
You should always go for Aftershokz bone conduction headphones, and only get other brands if you are short on cash or just want a pair of bone conduction headphones without spending much money. Aftershokz has the best sounding bone conduction headphones on the market, furthermore, they are usually more reliable and durable. Traditional headphones will always have better sound quality than bone conduction types, and so you need to ask yourself which is more important, sound quality or the functionalities that only a pair of bone conduction headphones can provide.
If you are looking for something more discreet, may be you will be interested in Best Bone Conduction Glasses, uses the same technology but for glasses.
