My Shokz OpenRun Died After 3 Years. I Upgraded to the OpenRun Pro 2.

Three years. That’s how long my Shokz OpenRun lasted before they gave up. I wrote a full review of those after 3 years just a few weeks ago, saying how perfectly they still worked. And then, two days ago, they just stopped.

No warning. No gradual decline. Just dead.

I’m not even mad. Three years of near-daily use, rain, sweat, being stuffed in pockets, tossed in gym bags. For EUR 130, that’s a fair lifespan. But I needed a replacement fast because running without something in my ears feels wrong now.

Why I Went OpenRun Pro 2

I considered three options:

1. Buy the same OpenRun again (EUR 130)
2. Upgrade to OpenRun Pro 2 (EUR 180)
3. Try a cheaper alternative (Haylou, Naenka)

I went with the Pro 2. Here’s why: after 3 years I know I love bone conduction for running, I know Shokz build quality works for me, and the EUR 50 difference buys better bass and longer battery. I figured I’d earned the upgrade.

Chose the flashy orange because life is too short for grey headphones.

First Impressions (Day 1)

Got them today. First run was a 45-minute easy loop in 28C heat.

Sound quality: Noticeably better bass than my old OpenRun. The DualPitch technology is real, not just marketing. Podcasts sound fuller, and music actually has some low-end now. My old pair was fine for podcasts but thin on music. The Pro 2 handles both.

No more vibration at volume: This is a bigger deal than I expected. On my old OpenRun, when you turned the volume up past 70%, you got this weird tingling/vibration sensation on your cheekbone. Not painful, but distracting. The Pro 2? Completely gone. I can crank the volume on a windy day and feel nothing but sound. Whatever they changed in the transducer design, it works.

USB-C charging: Finally. My old OpenRun used a proprietary magnetic charger, and over 3 years I went through two cables because the contacts eroded from sweat exposure. The Pro 2 uses standard USB-C. One less cable to carry, no more corrosion issues. Small change, big quality-of-life improvement.

Fit: Almost identical to the OpenRun. Same wraparound design, same titanium band. If you’ve worn any Shokz, you know the fit. Secure, comfortable, doesn’t move during running.

Weight: Barely different. 29g vs 26g for the old OpenRun. Can’t feel it.

Comfort in heat: Fine. No extra sweat issues. The open-ear design means zero ear canal buildup, same as before.

OpenRun vs OpenRun Pro 2: What Changed

Feature	OpenRun (my old pair)	OpenRun Pro 2 (new)
Price	EUR 130	EUR 180
Battery	8 hours	12 hours
Weight	26g	29g
Bass	Weak	Good (DualPitch)
Vibration at volume	Yes (tingling above 70%)	None
Charging	Magnetic (corrodes)	USB-C
IP rating	IP67	IP55
Quick charge	10min = 1.5h	5min = 1.5h
Multipoint	No	Yes (2 devices)

The two real upgrades: bass quality and battery life. Everything else is incremental.

One downside: IP55 vs IP67. My old pair was fully dust-tight and could handle submersion. The Pro 2 is splash-resistant but not submersion-proof. For running in rain that’s still fine. But if you regularly run in absolute downpours, the original OpenRun (or OpenRun Mini) might be safer.

What I’ll Miss About My Old Pair

Nothing, honestly. The Pro 2 is better in every way that matters to me. The only thing the old pair had going for it was the higher IP rating, and I never submerged them anyway.

Three years of podcast episodes, hundreds of runs, zero complaints until the day they died. That’s a good product life.

Early Verdict

One run in, I’m happy with the upgrade. The bass improvement alone justifies the EUR 50 difference for me. I listen to a mix of podcasts and music, and the old OpenRun always made music feel thin and tinny. The Pro 2 fixes that without sacrificing the open-ear awareness I love about bone conduction.

I’ll update this after a few months of use. For now: if your Shokz are dying and you’re debating whether to replace like-for-like or upgrade, the Pro 2 is worth the extra money.

Should You Upgrade from OpenRun to Pro 2?

Yes, if: you want better sound (especially music), longer battery, or multipoint Bluetooth (switching between phone and watch/laptop).

No, if: you only listen to podcasts, your current pair still works fine, or you need the higher IP67 water resistance.

Buy the original OpenRun if: budget is tight. It’s still a great headphone at EUR 130. My pair lasted 3 years of hard daily use. No reason to expect less from a new one.

FAQ

How long do Shokz OpenRun headphones last?

Mine lasted exactly 3 years of near-daily use (running 3-4 times per week, plus occasional cycling and calls). That’s roughly 600+ hours of actual use time. For a EUR 130 product, I think that’s reasonable. Some people report 4-5 years with lighter use.

Is the OpenRun Pro 2 worth EUR 50 more than the regular OpenRun?

For me, yes. The bass improvement is genuinely noticeable and makes music enjoyable rather than just tolerable. If you only use them for podcasts and don’t care about sound quality, save the EUR 50. If you want headphones that sound good for both music and speech, the Pro 2 delivers.

Can you run in the rain with OpenRun Pro 2 (IP55)?

Yes. IP55 handles sweat and rain splashes without issues. You just shouldn’t submerge them or run them under a tap to clean them. For normal running in all weather conditions, IP55 is perfectly adequate. I ran in my old IP67 pair for 3 years and never once submerged them.

What colour OpenRun Pro 2 should you get?

Whatever makes you happy. I went with the orange because I wanted something visible for early morning runs and because neutral colours are boring. Shokz offers black, orange, green, and beige depending on region. The colour doesn’t affect performance.

Do Shokz bone conduction headphones stay on during intervals and sprints?

Yes. I’ve worn Shokz through hundreds of interval sessions, hill sprints, and tempo blocks. They don’t move. The titanium band keeps them locked on your head regardless of pace or head movement. This was true of my old OpenRun and equally true of the new Pro 2.

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