Bone-conducting headphones are one of those things you don’t know you need until you try them. Having written off numerous pairs of in-ear Bluetooth by heading out in the rain (an occupational hazard in the UK), I first went bonephone in the summer of 2021. I haven’t looked back since.
My Aftershokz (now Shokz) Aeropex quickly became my number one running companion, whether listening to podcasts (my usual audio accompaniment of choice) or – when I want to up the pace – working through the higher BPM end of my music collection. I’ve loved how I can use them on the road and still hear traffic and pedestrians, while their IP67 waterproof rating has kept them intact through numerous downpours. But what’s surprised me most is how often I use them when I’m not out running.
It turns out bone-conducting headphones are invaluable when you’re out shopping, doing housework or cooking – especially when you know a “Dad, can you get me something to eat?” is never far away. So, as a self-confessed bonephone evangelist, I was eager to try out a new model to see (or, rather, hear) if it was time for a change. These Suunto Sonic headphones certainly looked like a good candidate, coming in at a comparable price point to the Aeropex’s successor, the Shokz OpenRun ($129 (US) / £129 (UK)), and with elegant, minimalist Black styling – we’ll admit that the jury is still out on the, ahem, striking Lime alternative.
The promise of 10 hours of music per charge (versus the A.
