I discovered Shokz headphones just over two years ago, bumping into a couple of trail runners at the Perth Discovery Centre, with Adam surprising enough , who were wearing them. I hadn’t really ever ran with music before as I find it quite intrusive and I like to use my time running to ‘think about stuff’, having something in my ear just didn’t work. The thing with Shokz headphones is they aren’t in your ear, because they are bone conduction sports headphones they sit on the bone infront of your ear. I know it sounds ridiculous right but the first time I tried them on I was blown away, they really work and work very well.  I remember the first time I used them on the trails I was playing Pink Floyd the Wall and when the kids choir chirped in I actually stopped running and looked around, I was convinced they were on the trail !

So other major benefits are they are incredibly light and you really do not notice when you have them on, of course this can also be a curse as only yesterday I dropped a pair of OpenRun Pro’s on my local trail and didn’t notice. I was taking some time out from music and listening to the serenity of my surroundings, at one point I stopped for a rest and took of my cap, sunglasses and  headphones. Unfortunately it seems I  forgot to put the headphones back on, only realising a few kilotmetres down the trail.  Now I know you’re going to ask why I didn’t backtrack,  it was at the end of a three hour run in the scorching West Australian heat and there was no way I was spending another 30 -40 minutes on the trail getting even more cooked, I was done. Fingers crossed someone finds them and hands them in as I’ll be gutted to lose them.

Quality of sound in amazing, reference my last story when I actually stopped convinced there was a school choir on the trail with me, it is that good. Of course they work best without competing noise , as all headphones will. In a busy city setting it’s more important to take advantage of  another benefit , the ability to listen to your environment while running. Having your ear clear allows you to be able to listen for possible issues ahead while still enjoying the sound from your shokz headphones. This cannot be under estimated, the safety side of this product. It could make a big difference, situation dependent of course. Personally for this feature alone it’s enough to invest in bone conductive headphones.

For more detailed information regarding the science go to the Shokz website.. https://shokz.com.au/  There’s lot of images and explanations but believe me they are ace.  Currently in my family I have three pairs (well two at the moment as I have one of the bibbulum track somewhere currently!) , my Wife and eldest daughter are sporting OpenRun Pro’s , we’re a shokz family albeit my other two daughters are Apple worshippers so have air pods, no accounting for taste.

If you want an honest test between the OpenRun Pro and the normal OpenRun watch the video below..

Of course do your own research but I found this site backing up my claims, Shokz are good and probably the best on the market.

https://gearjunkie.com/technology/best-bone-conduction-headphones

Battery life is pretty good as well, ten hours for the OpenRun Pro , with a five minute recharge for ninety minutes listening; or eight hours for the OpenRun and a ten minute recharge to ninety minutes.  I personally recharge mine when I’m driving home from my run in the car, by the time I’m home they’re normally fully recharged ready for the next adventure.

It seems the OpenRun is more waterproof then the OpenRun Pro due to the added bass capabilities , and design changes, on the newer model, both are more than adequate for day to day running albeit if moisture builds up you need to dry then before charging, I’ve used a hairdryer in the past quite successfully. The support is outstanding and you get a two year warranty. I’ve successfully claimed myself and the process was seamless and Shokz were very helpful, which these days was a refreshing change.

So to sum up this post Shokz, for me, are an absolute must if you need to listen to music or pod casts while you run, and do so safely while enjoying top quality sound. They are so light as to be unnoticeable but so well made, of titanium,  you’d be hard pressed to break them. As will all products I recommend they just do what they say they do on the box, simples.

As always I give a shout out to three of my favourite products, will probably make it four now adding Shokz, …  fisiocrem ( https://www.fisiocrem.com.au/ ) is just bloody brilliant and does exactly what it says it does , it just gets the major muscle groups moving again. I use this extensively towards the end of the race when my quads are hammered.  It really makes a difference and allows me to move back through the gears towards the end of an event when most runners are stumbling home.

Bix hydration is just ace, a product brought to life by Vlad Ixel a professional ultra runner who knows a thing or two about hydration. ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ )  The best thing about Bix is it tastes good with many different flavours and you never get sick of drinking it, this is a big plus as Maurten and Tailwind (both great products)  can be difficult to digest later in the event.  From the website :-

As an Australian elite multiple trail running champion, with wins in over 40 ultra-marathon races across Asia, recovery from training and races has always been my top priority. 

In searching for a solid recovery and hydration supplement, I recognized that critical vitamins and minerals – both in diversity and quantity – were missing from almost all supplements on the market. I had the feeling that in an effort to maximize their bottom-lines, companies in the hydration space, failed to deliver a product that could meaningfully assist athlete performance. 

In order to address this, I began the development of a hydration product. After two and a half years of development alongside a leading German sports scientist, BIX Recovery, an advanced, high-quality recovery drink was born. 

BIX boosts 12 active ingredients scientifically balanced to replace lost electrolytes and assist in immune function. It’s designed with quality vitamins and minerals, in quantities that work! 

BIX is a recovery solution for everyone, that will get you to the top of your game!

What can I say about HumanTecar,  ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) it looks great, smells great and is awesome for recovery or even pre-run/workout. Read about the science behind it first and then try the products. The compression bandages are just magical after a long event. Put these on and the next day you are recovered, I have used them on a number of occasions and they never fail to astound me albeit the family poke fun at me as I look like a ‘mummy and smell funny’ !

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