Disclaimer: I received a free pair of Aftershokz Trekz Titanium Headphones as part of being a BibRave Pro. All opinions are my own. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!
I had the opportunity to try out some new headphones I had never heard of before, called Aftershokz Trekz Titanium. They utilize a different technology than normal headphones, so I was definitely intrigued. Let's start with the product specs from the Aftershokz website:
- Bone conduction technology delivers music through your cheekbones, ensuring ears remain completely open to hear ambient sounds
- Titanium wraparound headband is lightweight and flexible for durability and portability
- OpenFit™ design ensures maximum situational awareness and comfort during long-term wear
PremiumPitch+™ guarantees a premium audio experience, including wide dynamic range and rich bass - Wireless Bluetooth® 4.1 connectivity and convenient multipoint pairing
- LeakSlayer™ technology significantly reduces natural sound leakage
- IP55 certified to repel sweat, dust and moisture, from workouts to wicked weather
- Enjoy six hours of continuous music + calls on a single charge
- EQ presets boost bass and reduce vibration on the go
- Dual noise canceling microphones exclude surrounding noise, effectively enhancing speech
- Audrey Says™ voice prompts guide users through power, pair, play and talk
- Hassle-free 2-year warranty
The first time I tried them on, I'll admit I had to get used to the feeling. They sit in front of your ears instead of inside of them. It's clear they are built to last-- the construction is sturdy and high quality. The buttons for power, volume and calls are all easily accessible while I was wearing them. When I listened to music with them for the first time, I first noticed the vibrations-- they vibrate in order to pass the sound through your bones. The higher the volume, the more vibrations. It's really cool technology and I found myself trying to figure out exactly how it all worked!
Now that I've gotten a bunch of runs in while wearing them, I definitely found a few pros and cons. The pros were mainly the whole idea of them not blocking out the noise around you. In Chicago, our main running trail can get quite crowded, and you need to be able to hear bikes and runners around you as they call out "LEFT" and things of that sort. I feel like my previous headphones were built to cancel noise around me, which is good in lots of situations, like on transit, but NOT while running. The Aftershokx easily solved that issue for me. I also found a big pro of these was their battery life (6 hours). Bluetooth devices can sometimes eat up their batteries quickly, but this was not the case. For such a small and lightweight device, I was amazed by how long the battery lasted!
Now, onto the cons. Perhaps it's by design, but I felt the volume levels on this device just weren't good enough. I'm certainly not someone who likes to listen to my music at excessive volumes, but I still was surprised at how low the highest setting actually was. The other major con for me was the Bluetooth connection. I felt that it was not strong enough. I run with my iPhone in Flip Belt, which I keep on the very front of my body. I noticed as I would swing my arms as I ran, the music would cut for the exact second my arm crossed the invisible path of the Bluetooth connection. It did get a little irritating after a while. I decided that if I had an arm band phone case, this would easily solve this issue. I suppose I was just a little frustrated that the sound repeatedly cut out as I ran with them.
Now that I've gotten a bunch of runs in while wearing them, I definitely found a few pros and cons. The pros were mainly the whole idea of them not blocking out the noise around you. In Chicago, our main running trail can get quite crowded, and you need to be able to hear bikes and runners around you as they call out "LEFT" and things of that sort. I feel like my previous headphones were built to cancel noise around me, which is good in lots of situations, like on transit, but NOT while running. The Aftershokx easily solved that issue for me. I also found a big pro of these was their battery life (6 hours). Bluetooth devices can sometimes eat up their batteries quickly, but this was not the case. For such a small and lightweight device, I was amazed by how long the battery lasted!
Now, onto the cons. Perhaps it's by design, but I felt the volume levels on this device just weren't good enough. I'm certainly not someone who likes to listen to my music at excessive volumes, but I still was surprised at how low the highest setting actually was. The other major con for me was the Bluetooth connection. I felt that it was not strong enough. I run with my iPhone in Flip Belt, which I keep on the very front of my body. I noticed as I would swing my arms as I ran, the music would cut for the exact second my arm crossed the invisible path of the Bluetooth connection. It did get a little irritating after a while. I decided that if I had an arm band phone case, this would easily solve this issue. I suppose I was just a little frustrated that the sound repeatedly cut out as I ran with them.
Considering all of the above, I still would recommend this product. I could see the bone conduction technology becoming the next big thing to be largely marketed to the active community. This is a high quality product that I think a lot of people would enjoy.
Join me and the rest of the @BibRave community as we chat about the Aftershokz on 4/18 @ 8pm Central using #BibChat!
Also, enjoy 20% off any Aftershokz product with code BibRave20!
Join me and the rest of the @BibRave community as we chat about the Aftershokz on 4/18 @ 8pm Central using #BibChat!
Also, enjoy 20% off any Aftershokz product with code BibRave20!