Shokz OpenSwim Pro

£169.00

Take your tunes with you from the gym to the pool with the Shokz OpenSwim Pro Headphones, which are built to withstand anything from the sweatiest of workouts to lengths in the pool. With IP68 waterproofing you can be sure that the OpenSwim Pros will deliver reliable, safe and top-quality audio without hindering your ability to reach your goals through every activity.

I’d never considered headphones for swimming before, mainly as I assumed most earphones aren’t waterproof, and those that are, look like they’d get easily lost in the pool. Therefore, when I got the chance to test out the Shokz OpenSwim Pros I was super excited, as I do find swimming lengths can be rather dull after a while. Straight out of the box, the OpenSwim Pro headphones have a unique neckband style which sits comfortably around the back of your head just resting on your neck, and the earpieces hook over your ears. I loved the neckband design as they felt super secure on my head, and the ergonomic ear hooks ensured that no matter how much I moved my head they were hooked onto my ears. The sound is then delivered through the open-ear bone-conduction design which means you can remain aware of your surroundings, whilst still making the most of your music for whatever activity you choose.

To ensure that the OpenSwim Pros are suitable for the pool or even super sweaty workouts, they are designed with IP68 waterproofing which means the casing has been designed with a triple seal to keep water out and ensure that even if submerged in water up to 2 metres for almost 2 hours, they will remain working perfectly fine. This is great for swimming as it means you can get in all your usual laps, and the music never has to stop to give you that little push of motivation to reach your goals.

To keep the music going, the OpenSwim Pros are designed to be compatible with Bluetooth, so you can pair them with your phone whilst in the gym. However, as Bluetooth connections don’t work underwater, the headphones are built with 32GB of MP3 storage, so you can store all your songs and playlists right on your headphones so they’re ready to go as soon as you need them.  This is great for the pool or even when you don’t have a phone signal, as it means you can just switch over to the MP3 and you can keep the music going.

My favourite aspect of the OpenSwim Pro Headphones is that the sound quality is excellent using the bone-conduction design. The sound is rich and delivers a powerful base, but I love that when I’m commuting, out on a run, or even in the gym, I can remain aware of my surroundings for extra safety. Plus if I get a call, the built-in ENC and DNS filter out excessive background ambient noise to make voices just that bit clearer.

I loved testing the Shokz OpenSwim Pro Headphones in the gym as they sit comfortably in my ears and helped me push through each movement supported by motivating music without feeling cumbersome in my ears. After my gym session, I went to do some laps in the gym’s pool, followed by a quick dip in the hot pool to end my workout. Throughout this, I could listen to my favourite tracks using the MP3 setting and make the wind-down part of my routine a little bit more relaxing with my normal cool-down playlist. The headphones remained working perfectly fine even after being submerged in the pool, and I loved that I didn’t have to worry about them falling out or getting damaged from sweat whilst in the gym – plus the useful neck and ear hook design means they never get caught in the way of your movements so remain firmly in place whatever you’re doing.

My only slight complaint is that in very quiet settings the open-ear bone conduction design means that people can hear my music. This isn’t a big issue whilst in the gym or at the pool, however, I used the Shokz whilst on the train and my friends could hear my music a little - just something to be taken into consideration if you want them for very quiet settings too!

The Shokz OpenSwim Pro are the perfect partner for hitting the gym and the pool. The waterproof design ensures that they can withstand anything you throw at them whilst remaining comfortable and secure with each activity. If you are an avid swimmer and are looking for a way to make lengths just that little bit more enjoyable (or even a big hiker or runner), the Shokz OpenSwim Pro Headphones are an excellent no-fuss option. The OpenSwim Pro let you store all your favourite songs right in your headphones so you can either connect to your Bluetooth or completely detach from the outside world with the MP3 setting whilst ensuring that every activity is supported by Shokz top quality sound and innovative design features for a great audio experience every time, no matter the conditions.  

Pros:

• Bone conduction design for safety and awareness
• Comfortable and secure fit great for the gym, a walk or even in the pool
• MP3 mode can store up to 8000 songs for easy listening whilst not connected to Bluetooth
• Waterproof triple sealed design for use in water up to 2 metres for 2 hours

Cons:

• Bone conduction design means that in quiet settings others can hear your music a little