Bone conduction headphones are gaining popularity, but the concept behind them is old. The technology has been traced as far back as the Renaissance, according to the National Library of Science. It was even used in the creation of the first hearing aids.
More recently, it's become a popular option for athletes who want to listen to music while working out and still be able to hear their surroundings. Instead of sending sound waves directly into your ears, bone conduction headphones use small transducers to send audio vibrations through your bones. This allows you to listen to music without covering your ears. (It will even come through underwater.)
A caveat: Because nothing is covering your ears, wearing them in a crowded or loud place like a gym will deliver poor results. For those environments, check out my recommendations for the best workout headphones and the best noise canceling earbuds.
Here are the best bone conduction headphones you can get right now.
Best overall bone conduction headphones
If you're looking for the best overall bone conduction headphone experience, consider the Shokz OpenRun Pro. They offer the best audio quality in this roundup, up to 10 hours of battery life, and are very comfortable. Bone conduction headphones aren't well know for crystal clear audio, but the OpenRun Pro set the standard for the rest of the competition. They also offer good call quality. While they're great for running, with an IP55 sweat-proof rating, you ca't use them for swimming. Two downsides worth noting: The case doesn't charge your headphones and the fit can be limiting to people with large heads.
Shokz OpenRun Pro ($179.99)
Best bone conduction headphones for swimmers
Underwater headphones have been around for a while, but bone conduction technology has made them more popular. Since they send vibrations through your bones, going underwater doesn't affect their performance. If you're looking for the best bone conduction headphones to wear while swimming (or just in the shower), the H2O Audio Tri Multi-Sport are your best bet. They have 8GB of internal memory so you can download music directly to your headphones, and not be bound to your phone's Bluetooth connection while swimming. They are rated IPX8, which is the highest waterproof rating, and are a more affordable option than many.
H2O Audio Tri Multi-Sport ($99.99)
Best premium bone conduction headphones
The Zygo Solo take a different approach than conventional bone conduction headphones. Instead of downloading music into an internal memory, the Solos use FM radio transmitters to stream music—they are, in fact, the only bone conduction headphones that will let you stream music while underwater.
Zygo Solo ($224 discounted)
Best budget bone conduction headphones
If you're looking for an affordable pair of bone conduction headphones that can also work great for swimming, consider the Creative Outlier Free Pro. They also have an IPX8 rating and an internal memory to store music. While they have better battery life, the sound does take a hit compared to the H2O Audio Tri Multi-Sport. But if you want to save some money, they are a solid budget option.
Creative Outlier Free Pro ($89.99)
Best bone conduction headphones for runners
If you're more of a runner than a swimmer, the Shokz OpenRun are the best bone conduction headphones for the sport. They are smaller and lighter than most comparable tech, and still deliver great sound. The IP67 water-resistance rating makes them perfect for rainy, sweaty, or dusty/sandy runs. And if you need to take a call, the noise-canceling mics will be able to pick out your voice even in a loud location.
Shokz OpenRun ($129.95)