Need some new headphones? Sure, you could go for a bulky over-the-ear pair; or earbuds that can fall out of your ears after you place them. But bone conduction headphones are a great option that you may not have considered. They transmit sound through your cheekbones instead of sitting on or inside of your ears. By sending vibrations to your inner ear through your facial bones, they let you to listen to music and take calls while still being able to hear ambient noises around you. They also look pretty cool, which means you’ll get lots of questions about what you’re wearing.  

If you want headphones that won’t block out the world entirely, bone conduction models are a great hands-free option, whether you’re commuting, exercising, or just tuning in to your favorite playlist. Like ambient mode on noise-canceling headphones, they’re great for helping you stay aware of your surroundings for safety. Of course, they sound great and you can have crystal clear mobile conversations with them by connecting them to your smartphone. 

Want to try a pair of bone conduction headphones, but aren’t quite sure where to start? We’ve curated some of our favorite picks for you. Below, find some of the best bone conduction headphone picks across various price points with features like Bluetooth connectivity, battery life, sound quality and more. 

The best bone conduction headphones in 2024

Shokz OpenRun Bluetooth bone conduction headphones: $125

These bone conduction headphones are our favorite pick, and they’ll work best for most users. With a lightweight, wraparound headband, they offer a a snug and comfortable fit so they stay put, no matter what you’re doing. Though they’re definitely noticeable, they’re some of the most low-key headphones you’ll find in terms of bone conduction models, and they feel like they were made to sit atop your head. 

They offer satisfying bass and great treble, with higher clarity when compared to several other headphones in this class. They also offer eight hours of batter, which means you can get a full workday out of them if you need them to last. Plus, a 10-minute quick charge will give you another 1.5 hours of use, so you have plenty of juice to play with. 

If you’re used to the type of awareness that traditional noise-canceling cans can give you, you’ll enjoy wearing these. Whether you want to stay alert on neighborhood runs or want something lightweight that won’t get ruined during long workouts, this model is an excellent choice. 

H2O Audio Tri Multi-Sport Waterproof bone conduction headphones: $100

These headphones are designed for listening to music during any activity, from running to swimming, but they particularly shine when it comes to water sports or active types who sweat a lot. That’s their best feature, actually – you won’t have to worry about water creeping in, as they’re waterproof and sweatproof with an IPX8 rating. 

That means they can withstand submersion up to 12 feet underwater. If you have challenging workouts, sweat a lot, or spend a lot of time in the water, these are a great choice for you.

With 8GB of onboard storage, you can also load hundreds of songs andd listen without a phone using the built-in MP3 player. You’ll get up to 6 hours of battery life per charge, which is great for long training sessions. 

Looking for musical motivation in the pool? These headphones deliver with crystal clear sound that works as hard as you do. 

Mojawa Run Plus bone conduction headphones: $160

These bone conduction headphones are a premium option that include use a proprietary Maglev-Bass actuator and special anchor system to deliver high audio quality with rich bass and bright treble. They’re waterproof, lightweight, and packed with a wide variety of features you’ll come back to again and again.

You can connect these headphones to your favorite device or phone via Bluetooth 5.2 or use the MP3 storage mode to directly load music and audio. And though they offer up to 8 hours of power on a single charge, you ca get another hour and a half of playtime with just five minutes of charge time.

These headphones feel great to wear; their frames feel hardy and long-lasting; and there’s a lot to love about this particular pair. If you’re wanting to get the Cadillac of bone conduction headphones, these stand as one of the best you can get as they tick all the major boxes you could need. 

Vidonn bone conduction headphones: $46

You can get an affordable pair of bone conduction headphones, and they’ll sound great, at least in the case of this model from Vidonn. They’re stylish and budget-friendly, and you’ll love tossing them on for daily use. 

Built with sweat-proof materials, these lightweight open ear headphones have an IP55 water resistance rating to withstand sweat and light rain during workouts. Plus, their durable ABS plastic titanium frame provide a secure fit that won’t budge or fall out as you exercise. It also looks pretty luxe, too, so others will think you spent more money on them than you did. 

You’ll get approximately 6 hours of continuous music playback out of a single charge with these headphones and a standby time of 10 days. Their fun pop of blue make them a standout among some of their peers’ designs, and these headphones just sound nice for half the price of the others, if a little tinny. Still an excellent buy for the entry fee. 

Shokz OpenComm UC wireless bone conduction headphones: $140

If you do more chatting on your headphones or earbuds than you do listening, you need a pair of bone conduction headphones that can help make it easier. This pair of bone conduction headphones blocks out external sounds during calls, so your voice can come through clearer.

With this pair’s multipoint Bluetooth feature, you can pair two devices simultaneously and seamlessly switch between them, too. If you have to take a work call and then hop on your smartphone for something personal, that’s certainly possible.

They’ll last a long while so you can take all the calls you need to, too. A single charge will get you a whopping 16 hours of talk time or 8 hours of listening. You can get an additional 2 hours of talk time from just 5 minutes of charging if you’re on an important call. 

All this, and these headphones still shine when it comes to listening to music and other media, too – they just shine particularly brightest when you’re talking with them.  

Brittany Vincent

Brittany Vincent has been covering gaming, tech, and all things entertainment for 16 years for a variety of online and print publications. She’s been covering the commerce space for nearly a decade. Follow her on Twitter at @MolotovCupcake.