Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 vs OpenRun vs OpenRun Air 2: the three neckbands, decided

The verdict

What's the same

The fit. All three are titanium neckbands with the transducers on the cheekbones, sold in Standard and Mini. Multipoint on all three. Physical buttons on all three. On fit security they tie at 10, and on awareness they tie at 10, so the decision lives in the other 60% of the rubric.

1. Water: IP55 vs IP67

The Pro 2 is IP55; the OpenRun and Air 2 are IP67. Shokz's comparison post spells out the practical difference: the OpenRun is “fully washable under the tap,” Pro models get “gentle cleaning with a damp cloth.” Neither IP67 model is rated for swimming (Shokz says “not for swimming” beside the Air 2's rating). If your problem is dried salt on the pads or a downpour, the 67s are built for it. The Pro 2 scores 8 on sweat resistance; the other two score 10.

2. Sound: DualPitch vs single-path

The Pro 2's 10th-gen DualPitch pairs the bone transducer with an air-conduction unit. The Air 2 uses PremiumPitch 3.0 (8.5-gen) and the OpenRun PremiumPitch 2.0+ (8th-gen), both bone-only. Shokz's own post describes the Pro 2 as music-focused and the Air 2 as lightweight-focused. On our rubric that's 6 versus 5 versus 4. None has real bass; the Pro 2 has the most.

3. Battery and charging

12 hours (Pro 2), 10 (Air 2), 8 (OpenRun). Quick charge: 5 minutes for 2.5 hours, 5 for 2, 10 for 1.5. The Pro 2 and Air 2 charge over USB-C in an hour. The OpenRun uses a magnetic induction cable on most colors (USB-C on blue and black only, per Shokz) and takes 1.5 hours. Losing the proprietary cable is the single most common OpenRun complaint we read, and it's the reason we say buy it only on a deal.

4. Weight and Bluetooth

26.4 g for both the Air 2 and OpenRun; 30.3 g for the Pro 2. Shokz says the Air 2's frame is 9% smaller than the OpenRun's. Bluetooth 6.0 (Air 2), 5.3 (Pro 2), 5.1 (OpenRun). Four grams on a neckband is noticeable over a marathon and not over a 5K.

5. Where that leaves the OpenRun

It's the pair most runners you know are wearing, it's IP67 and it has a moisture detector. It's also 2019 hardware with 8 hours and a magnetic cable at the same list price as the Air 2. Shokz keeps selling it because it still works; buy it when a retailer cuts the price, not at list.

If the OpenRun is already off your list

Most people end up choosing between the two current models rather than all three, and that is a cleaner decision with a page of its own: Shokz OpenRun Air 2 vs OpenRun Pro 2 takes the IP67-versus-DualPitch trade apart on Shokz's own numbers.