There’s never been a pair of regular wireless earbuds so light or comfortable that I’ve forgotten they’re in my ears, but it’s becoming an occupational hazard for the OpenFit Air 2. I’ve regularly come home from a run or stepped off my exercise bike and headed for the shower before remembering Open ear audio expert Shokz’ latest fitness-friendly model were still wrapped around my ears.
7.2g per earbud might not sound truly featherweight, but the flexible nickel-titanium alloy frames helps the drivers almost hover over my ears – crucially keeping them unobstructed for great situational awareness when working out. Being wrapped in IP55 splash-resistant, skin-friendly materials that don’t rub or shift while running helps too.
They’re now the lightest hook-style ‘buds in Shokz’ lineup, being 1.5g less per side than the first-gen pair. The charging case has shrunk to match so is easier to stow in a gym bag or pocket.
As well as shedding weight the OpenFit Air 2 tackle some of the original OpenFit Air’s pain points, such as tricky controls, sound leakage and bass presence. A single pressure-sensitive button on each bud now handles playback, volume and answering calls, rather than the OG’s touch surfaces that were all too easy to trigger accidentally. Raised bumps make them easy to find by touch, and you can configure them fully through the Shokz smartphone companion app.
This is also where you’ll find a few helpful tools like the Find My Earbuds audible alert and Multipoint connectivity; it has flawlessly bounced the Air 2 between my phone and running watch. Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair make the initial setup a breeze too.
While Shokz also puts four equalizer presets here – and lets you create two of your own using the five-band custom EQ – I’ve mainly stuck to the Standard mode. The OpenFit Air 2’s dual drivers produce an impressively clear and full-bodied sound for an open design, while also keeping leakage under control. Others can still hear that I’m playing something while we’re in close proximity, but not that I’ve gotten back into 90s Eurodance in a big way.
As with pretty much all open-fit earbuds these don’t pump out sub-bass that’ll make your fillings rattle – but there’s still enough mid-bass presence that Zombie Nation’s Kernkraft 400 isn’t just synths and percussion. That’s at 60% volume, too; you don’t have to fully crank the volume to get the best clarity the OpenFit Air 2 can deliver. They’re good enough that I happily kept listening to them at my desk once I’d called time on my regular lunchtime bike ride.
I think the OpenFit Pro does a better job of countering the ‘hollowness’ seemingly intrinsic to open-fit, but these aren’t far behind. Regular wireless earbuds obviously punch harder, but they can’t hold a candle to the Shokz’ ability to let outside sounds through.
I had no complaints about call quality, with everyone I dialled able to hear me clearly even while outside on a blustery afternoon. The dual-mic setup’s noise reduction algorithms strip back wind noise rather effectively.
The OpenFit Air 2 also gets a thumbs up for battery life; I consistently got close to the claimed eight hours of listening time per charge from the buds themselves. Ten minutes inside the case would bring another three or so hours, or more exercise than I’d usually attempt in a single session. The case would add enough juice for between 33 and 36 hours of total playback before it would need a charge itself.
While price has gone up a bit since the first-gen OpenFit Air debuted in 2024, this new pair are still a very reasonable £129 (no US pricing was available at the time of writing). I’d absolutely add them to your shortlist if you’re wanting a new pair of workout buds that won’t isolate you from outside sounds. If, however, you’re wanting something that can also cut through background distractions – say that one gym playlist you just can’t stand – then the pricier OpenFit Pro remain my top choice.
The Shokz OpenFit Air 2 are on sale from September 16 in the UK, in Ice Blue, Black and White colours.
