Running & Cycling · The rankings
Best earbuds for hiking: seven open-ear picks for long days, weather and hearing the trail
Hiking asks for three things a gym doesn't: battery for a whole day, a rating for real weather, and ears open to what's on the trail with you. Neckbands and hooks, ranked for hours and rain.
By Mike M.Updated Spec-checked, not worn by us
#adReader-supported: we may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. It never decides a ranking. How we rank · Disclosure
Quick picks
The rankings at a glance
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Suunto Wing 2 The cyclist's bone conduction set: IP66, 12 hours plus a 24-hour power bank, LED safety lights that react to your cadence, and head-movement controls so you never take a hand off the bars. | Best for hiking overallBone conduction (neckband) | 8.3 /10 | Check price · Amazon |
| 2 | Shokz OpenRun Air 2 Lighter and better sealed than the Pro 2 (26.4 g, IP67) with 10 hours of battery and Bluetooth 6.0; you trade the Pro 2's bass driver for a frame you can rinse off. | Best in weatherBone conduction (neckband) | 8.7 /10 | Check price · Amazon |
| 3 |  Cleer ARC 5 IPX7 is the strongest water rating of any ear-hook here, with 12 hours per charge, 60 total, aptX Lossless and LDAC, and an AMOLED touchscreen case. Heavy at 11.5 g, and priced like it. | Best hook for long daysOpen-ear hook | 8.6 /10 | Check price · Amazon |
| 4 | Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 The bone conduction pick for most people: the neckband stays put through anything, 12 hours of battery, and Shokz's DualPitch driver adds an air-conduction unit for bass the older models can't make. | Best-sounding neckbandBone conduction (neckband) | 8.5 /10 | Check price · Amazon |
| 5 | Mojawa Run Plus IP68, 29.6 g, 32 GB of storage and a 5-minute quick charge in the under-$100 band. A swim-capable neckband that undercuts Shokz on paper. | Best phone-freeBone conduction (neckband) | 8.2 /10 | Check price · Amazon |
| 6 | Shokz OpenFit 2 The open-ear pick for most people: 11 hours per charge, IP55 buds, a physical button plus touch, and Shokz's DualBoost dual-driver sound. The hook fit is the reference the others get compared to. | Best hook for soundOpen-ear hook | 8.3 /10 | Check price · Amazon |
| 7 |  Baseus Bowie MC2 IP67, 5.1 g, 11.5 to 13 hours per charge and 55 to 60 with the case, Bluetooth 6.0 with multipoint and LDAC. On paper the best-rated budget clip-on by a distance. | Best budget for the trailOpen-ear clip-on | 8.6 /10 | Check price · Amazon |
#ad · Prices are set by Amazon and change often, so we don't print them. Scores are ours, built from published specs and cited independent reviews, not our own wear tests. Photos are illustrative stock. Tap a row for the full write-up.
What a trail asks of an earbud
A long hike is eight to twelve hours of wear, in weather that changes, with the sound of the trail being part of why you went: a creek, a bird, a rattle, another hiker's “on your left.” So this list weights battery per charge higher than any other page on the site, treats the IP rating as a weather rating rather than a sweat rating, and lists only open-ear designs. Sealed picks and their transparency modes are on best earbuds for running if you want them.
The table
| Evidence | Suunto Wing 2 | Shokz OpenRun Air 2 | Cleer ARC 5 | Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fit system | Bone conduction (neckband) | Bone conduction (neckband) | Open-ear hook | Bone conduction (neckband) |
| Battery | 12 hours; up to 24 more from the included power bank | 10 hours listening | Up to 12 hours; 60 hours with case | 12 hours listening |
| Quick charge | — | 5 min = 2 hours | 10 min = 4 hours | 5 min = 2.5 hours |
| Water & sweat rating | IP66 | IP67 (dust-tight, temporary immersion); Shokz: not for swimming | IPX7 | IP55 (dust, sweat and water resistant) |
| Weight | 35 g / 1.23 oz | 26.4 g standard / 25.9 g mini | 11.5 g per earbud; 117 g with case | 30.3 g standard / 30 g mini |
| Extras | Reactive LED lights; titanium build; -20 to 60 C operating range; Suunto app | — | — | — |
| Score | 8.3/10 | 8.7/10 | 8.6/10 | 8.5/10 |
| Evidence | Mojawa Run Plus | Shokz OpenFit 2 | Baseus Bowie MC2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fit system | Bone conduction (neckband) | Open-ear hook | Open-ear clip-on |
| Battery | 8 hours; standby up to 10 days | 11 hours; 48 hours with case | About 11.5 h (bass boost on) or 13 h (off) per charge; 55 to 60 h with case |
| Storage | 32 GB built-in | — | — |
| Water & sweat rating | IP68 (fully submersible) | Earbuds IP55; charging case not waterproof | IP67 |
| Weight | 29.6 g | 9.4 g per earbud; case 53 g | About 5.1 g per earbud; about 52 g with case |
| Score | 8.2/10 | 8.3/10 | 8.6/10 |
Battery for a whole day
Per charge, the neckbands run 8 to 12 hours and can't be topped up on the trail without a cable; the hooks and clips run 8 to 13 hours and carry a case worth several more charges. That's the argument for the Cleer ARC 5 (12 hours, 60 total) and the Baseus (11.5 to 13, 55 to 60 total) on a multi-day trip, and for the Suunto Wing 2, whose clip-on power bank gives a neckband a case: 12 plus 24 hours. The Wing 2's stated operating range of -20 to 60 C is also the only temperature spec any maker here publishes.
Hearing the trail
An open ear hears the creek and the “on your left.” It also hears the things you'd rather know about early. Every pick here leaves both canals open; the neckbands leave them slightly more open than the hooks, since nothing sits in front of the canal at all. The same volume rule as everywhere: if the trail is loud enough that you're turning up to compete, it's a trail that deserves your ears.
In detail
The picks, in full
Rank 1
Stock photoBest for hiking overall
Suunto Wing 2
The cyclist's bone conduction set: IP66, 12 hours plus a 24-hour power bank, LED safety lights that react to your cadence, and head-movement controls so you never take a hand off the bars.
Spec sheetSpec-checked · not worn by us
| Fit system | Bone conduction (neckband). Ear canal stays open: you hear the room and traffic. |
|---|---|
| Water & sweat rating | IP66 |
| Weight | 35 g / 1.23 oz |
| Battery | 12 hours; up to 24 more from the included power bank |
| Charging | Headphones 1 h or less; power bank 1.5 h or less |
| Bluetooth | 5.3, over 10 m; SBC codec |
| Wind handling | Anti-wind noise to 30 km/h |
| Controls | Head-movement control plus buttons |
| Extras | Reactive LED lights; titanium build; -20 to 60 C operating range; Suunto app |
How the 8.3 score breaks down
- Fit security (25%)
- 9
- Sweat & water resistance (20%)
- 9
- Awareness (open canal) (15%)
- 10
- Sound & leakage (15%)
- 5
- Calls & wind (10%)
- 8
- Battery & charging (10%)
- 9
- Value (5%)
- 6
What the spec sheet supports
- LED lights that pulse with cadence, a genuine visibility feature for road cyclists
- Head-movement controls: nod to answer, shake to decline
- 36 hours total with the power bank clipped on
Where it falls short
- 35 g, heavier than every Shokz neckband
- IP66, not IP67: heavy spray yes, immersion no
- SBC only; SoundGuys noted excessive vibration at high volume on the original Wing
Skip this if…
…you don't ride or run in the dark; the lights and head gestures are the reason to pay for this over an OpenRun.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Suunto Wing 2
Rank 2
Stock photoBest in weather
Shokz OpenRun Air 2
Lighter and better sealed than the Pro 2 (26.4 g, IP67) with 10 hours of battery and Bluetooth 6.0; you trade the Pro 2's bass driver for a frame you can rinse off.
Spec sheetSpec-checked · not worn by us
| Fit system | Bone conduction (neckband). Ear canal stays open: you hear the room and traffic. |
|---|---|
| Water & sweat rating | IP67 (dust-tight, temporary immersion); Shokz: not for swimming |
| Weight | 26.4 g standard / 25.9 g mini |
| Battery | 10 hours listening |
| Quick charge | 5 min = 2 hours |
| Charging | USB-C, 1 hour to full |
| Bluetooth | 6.0 |
| Multipoint | Yes |
| Microphones | Dual AI noise-canceling, wind-resistant |
| Controls | Physical buttons |
| Driver / tech | 8.5-gen bone conduction (PremiumPitch 3.0) |
| Launched | August 2026 |
How the 8.7 score breaks down
- Fit security (25%)
- 10
- Sweat & water resistance (20%)
- 10
- Awareness (open canal) (15%)
- 10
- Sound & leakage (15%)
- 5
- Calls & wind (10%)
- 8
- Battery & charging (10%)
- 8
- Value (5%)
- 7
What the spec sheet supports
- IP67 means sweat, rain and a rinse under the tap are all inside the rating
- Lightest current Shokz neckband; Shokz says the frame is 9% smaller than the OpenRun's
- USB-C charging and a 5-minute quick charge
- Bluetooth 6.0 with multipoint
Where it falls short
- No DualPitch air-conduction unit, so bass is thinner than the Pro 2
- Two hours less battery than the Pro 2
- Bone conduction leakage and cheekbone buzz at high volume, like every neckband here
Skip this if…
…sound quality is the reason you'd spend more (the Pro 2's DualPitch is audibly fuller) or you need the Pro 2's 12-hour battery for ultra-distance days.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Shokz OpenRun Air 2
Rank 3
Stock photoBest hook for long days
Cleer ARC 5
IPX7 is the strongest water rating of any ear-hook here, with 12 hours per charge, 60 total, aptX Lossless and LDAC, and an AMOLED touchscreen case. Heavy at 11.5 g, and priced like it.
Spec sheetSpec-checked · not worn by us
| Fit system | Open-ear hook. Ear canal stays open: you hear the room and traffic. |
|---|---|
| Water & sweat rating | IPX7 |
| Weight | 11.5 g per earbud; 117 g with case |
| Battery | Up to 12 hours; 60 hours with case |
| Quick charge | 10 min = 4 hours |
| Charging | USB-C smart touchscreen case |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 |
| Multipoint | Yes |
| Microphones | 2-mic Qualcomm cVc |
| Codecs | aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, LC3, SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Driver / tech | 16.2 mm driver; Dolby Atmos and THX Spatial Audio |
How the 8.6 score breaks down
- Fit security (25%)
- 8
- Sweat & water resistance (20%)
- 10
- Awareness (open canal) (15%)
- 9
- Sound & leakage (15%)
- 9
- Calls & wind (10%)
- 7
- Battery & charging (10%)
- 10
- Value (5%)
- 4
What the spec sheet supports
- IPX7: immersion-rated, so a downpour or a dunk is inside the spec
- 12 hours per charge and 60 with the case, the most of any hook here
- Every high-bitrate codec that matters
Where it falls short
- 11.5 g per earbud; the case is a 117 g brick
- No dust rating (the X)
- The AMOLED case is a gimmick you pay for
Skip this if…
…you want light; the Shokz OpenFit Air 2 is 7.2 g and IP55 is enough for sweat.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Cleer ARC 5
Rank 4
Stock photoBest-sounding neckband
Shokz OpenRun Pro 2
The bone conduction pick for most people: the neckband stays put through anything, 12 hours of battery, and Shokz's DualPitch driver adds an air-conduction unit for bass the older models can't make.
Spec sheetSpec-checked · not worn by us
| Fit system | Bone conduction (neckband). Ear canal stays open: you hear the room and traffic. |
|---|---|
| Water & sweat rating | IP55 (dust, sweat and water resistant) |
| Weight | 30.3 g standard / 30 g mini |
| Battery | 12 hours listening |
| Quick charge | 5 min = 2.5 hours |
| Charging | USB-C, 1 hour to full |
| Bluetooth | 5.3, 33 ft range |
| Multipoint | Yes |
| Microphones | Dual AI noise-canceling, wind-resistant to 25 km/h |
| Controls | Physical buttons |
| Driver / tech | 10th-gen bone conduction (DualPitch: bone + air conduction unit) |
| Sizes | Standard (over 9.25 in head circumference) and Mini |
| Launched | August 2024 |
How the 8.5 score breaks down
- Fit security (25%)
- 10
- Sweat & water resistance (20%)
- 8
- Awareness (open canal) (15%)
- 10
- Sound & leakage (15%)
- 6
- Calls & wind (10%)
- 8
- Battery & charging (10%)
- 9
- Value (5%)
- 6
What the spec sheet supports
- Titanium neckband plus ear hooks: nothing to fall out of an ear canal
- 12 hours per charge and a real quick charge, on USB-C instead of a proprietary cable
- DualPitch adds an air-conduction driver, so bass exists where older bone conduction sets had none
- Wind-resistant dual mics rated to 25 km/h for calls on the move
Where it falls short
- IP55, not IP67 like the cheaper OpenRun and OpenRun Air 2: fine for sweat, not for rinsing under a tap
- Bone conduction still leaks at high volume in a quiet room
- The most expensive of the three OpenRun models
Skip this if…
…you want to rinse the headphones under a tap after a soaked run (get the IP67 OpenRun Air 2) or you train mostly indoors where a sealed earbud's bass would matter more than an open ear.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Shokz OpenRun Pro 2
Rank 5
Stock photoBest phone-free
Mojawa Run Plus
IP68, 29.6 g, 32 GB of storage and a 5-minute quick charge in the under-$100 band. A swim-capable neckband that undercuts Shokz on paper.
Spec sheetSpec-checked · not worn by us
| Fit system | Bone conduction (neckband). Ear canal stays open: you hear the room and traffic. |
|---|---|
| Water & sweat rating | IP68 (fully submersible) |
| Weight | 29.6 g |
| Battery | 8 hours; standby up to 10 days |
| Quick charge | 5 min = 90 min |
| Charging | Magnetic induction, 1 hour to full |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 |
| Multipoint | Yes |
| Storage | 32 GB built-in |
| Extras | Full titanium construction |
How the 8.2 score breaks down
- Fit security (25%)
- 9
- Sweat & water resistance (20%)
- 10
- Awareness (open canal) (15%)
- 10
- Sound & leakage (15%)
- 4
- Calls & wind (10%)
- 6
- Battery & charging (10%)
- 8
- Value (5%)
- 9
What the spec sheet supports
- IP68 and 32 GB at a price the Shokz OpenSwim Pro doesn't approach
- Lighter than the Creative and close to the Shokz OpenRun
- Quick charge, which the Shokz OpenMove lacks
Where it falls short
- 8 hours is two short of the Creative Outlier Free Pro
- Magnetic charging cable
- Fewer independent reviews than Shokz; we cite only Mojawa's own specs
Skip this if…
…you want the brand with the deepest review record and the widest accessory support; Shokz has both.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Mojawa Run Plus
Rank 6
Stock photoBest hook for sound
Shokz OpenFit 2
The open-ear pick for most people: 11 hours per charge, IP55 buds, a physical button plus touch, and Shokz's DualBoost dual-driver sound. The hook fit is the reference the others get compared to.
Spec sheetSpec-checked · not worn by us
| Fit system | Open-ear hook. Ear canal stays open: you hear the room and traffic. |
|---|---|
| Water & sweat rating | Earbuds IP55; charging case not waterproof |
| Weight | 9.4 g per earbud; case 53 g |
| Battery | 11 hours; 48 hours with case |
| Quick charge | 10 min = 2 hours |
| Charging | USB-C case; earbuds 1 hour, case 100 min |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 |
| Multipoint | Yes |
| Microphones | Dual AI noise-canceling |
| Controls | Physical buttons and touch controls |
| Driver / tech | DualBoost dual drivers + DirectPitch |
| Launched | January 2025 |
How the 8.3 score breaks down
- Fit security (25%)
- 9
- Sweat & water resistance (20%)
- 8
- Awareness (open canal) (15%)
- 9
- Sound & leakage (15%)
- 8
- Calls & wind (10%)
- 7
- Battery & charging (10%)
- 9
- Value (5%)
- 6
What the spec sheet supports
- 11 hours per charge is the longest of the mainstream ear-hooks
- A real button, so a sweaty finger doesn't misfire a touch control
- Dual drivers give it more low end than single-driver open-ears
- IP55 earbuds handle sweat and rain
Where it falls short
- The case is not water resistant at all; don't drop it in a wet gym bag
- 9.4 g per side is heavier than the OpenFit Air 2 (7.2 g) or Shokz's clip-ons
- Open-ear leakage: people next to you on a quiet bus will hear it
Skip this if…
…you have small ears or glasses that fight a thick hook; the 7.2 g OpenFit Air 2 or a clip-on sits lighter.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Shokz OpenFit 2
Rank 7
Stock photoBest budget for the trail
Baseus Bowie MC2
IP67, 5.1 g, 11.5 to 13 hours per charge and 55 to 60 with the case, Bluetooth 6.0 with multipoint and LDAC. On paper the best-rated budget clip-on by a distance.
Spec sheetSpec-checked · not worn by us
| Fit system | Open-ear clip-on. Ear canal stays open: you hear the room and traffic. |
|---|---|
| Water & sweat rating | IP67 |
| Weight | About 5.1 g per earbud; about 52 g with case |
| Battery | About 11.5 h (bass boost on) or 13 h (off) per charge; 55 to 60 h with case |
| Bluetooth | 6.0; 38 ms low-latency mode |
| Multipoint | Yes |
| Microphones | 4-mic AI call clarity |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Driver / tech | 11 mm dynamic, 20 Hz to 40 kHz |
| Extras | Detachable air cushions in M/L/XL |
How the 8.6 score breaks down
- Fit security (25%)
- 8
- Sweat & water resistance (20%)
- 10
- Awareness (open canal) (15%)
- 9
- Sound & leakage (15%)
- 7
- Calls & wind (10%)
- 7
- Battery & charging (10%)
- 10
- Value (5%)
- 10
What the spec sheet supports
- IP67 at a budget price: the best water rating of any clip-on here
- Lightest clip-on at 5.1 g
- Battery figures nobody else in the category matches
- Three cushion sizes for fit
Where it falls short
- Less brand track record and fewer independent reviews than Bose, Shokz or Soundcore
- Baseus's battery figures are at 50% volume
Skip this if…
…you want a known name with a long warranty history; Shokz and Bose cost more for that reason.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Baseus Bowie MC2
Buyer's guide: earbuds on the trail
Rating for weather, not sweat
Rain, spray from a creek crossing, a rinse at camp: IP67 (Air 2, Baseus) and IPX7 (Cleer) cover all three; IP66 (Wing 2) covers the first two; IP55 (OpenFit 2, Pro 2) covers rain. Digits at IP ratings explained.
Hats, hoods and sunglasses
A neckband sits under a hood and above a collar; a hat band goes over it. Hooks fight sunglasses arms; the Baseus clip and the neckbands don't. Details at open-ear earbuds with glasses.
Charging in the field
USB-C: Pro 2, Air 2, OpenFit 2, Cleer, Baseus, Suunto's power bank. Magnetic cable: Mojawa, Suunto's headphones themselves. Pack the proprietary cable if you pack that pair.
Controls with cold hands
Buttons on every neckband and the OpenFit 2; head gestures on the Suunto; touch on the Cleer and Baseus.
How we scored this
Pairs we claim to have worn: none we haven't
Plenty of sites say they ran a hundred miles in every pair on the list. We don't say that, and we say so on every page. What we do instead: classify the retention system (hook, clip, wing, neckband), record the maker's published IP rating, weight, battery, charging, mic and control type from its own product page, cross-reference at least one independent published review where one exists, and score every pick on a public rubric. Every figure links to where it came from.
Scores are editorial judgments from that documented research, not lab results. Commissions never set a score or decide a pick. The rubric and its weights are published.
Corrections & updates
- First edition.
Questions
Frequently asked
What are the best earbuds for hiking?
Are bone conduction headphones good for hiking?
Can I hike with earbuds and still hear wildlife?
Keep reading
Related on Openear Club
Receipts
Sources
- Suunto — Wing 2 product page, technical specifications (checked 2026-09-21)
- Shokz — official product comparison table (checked 2026-09-21)
- Cleer Audio — ARC 5 product page, specifications (checked 2026-09-21)
- Mojawa — Run Plus product page, specifications (checked 2026-09-21)
- Baseus — Bowie MC2 product page, specifications (checked 2026-09-21)
- Creative — Outlier Free Pro product page, specifications (checked 2026-09-21)
We haven't worn every pair on this site and we don't pretend to. Specs come from the maker's own product pages (linked on every product), independent findings are attributed to whoever published them, and Amazon prices change often, so we don't print them. Where a figure isn't published, we say so. Read the full method.