AfterShokz Trekz Air
Immersive sound without intrusive earbuds
£149.99 FROM AfterShokz, aftershokz.co.uk features Bluetooth 4.2, IP55 water resistance, sound leak reduction technology
The open-ear headphones work by bone conduction, so you still hear external noise
Blocking out ambient noise is fine in the gym, but can be dangerous elsewhere. If you’re out on a run in an urban environment or commuting through busy streets and stations, you need to hear what’s going on around you. Cue open-ear sport headphones like the Trekz Air.
These wireless open-ear headphones work by bone conduction, AfterShokz calls this ‘OpenFit’, and it allows you to hear external noises. One of the bone conduction transducers is equipped with a mute button; located on the left-hand side, it’s easy to find when, say, you’re crossing a busy road.
With a titanium wrap-around band covered in soft silicone, Trekz Air is light (a mere 30g), strong and flexible, and stayed in place whatever we did. It sits comfortably within a small dimple area at the top of the jawbone.
It’s a really subtle, careful and clever design. Trekz Air can also be worn around your neck, shoved into a pocket or balanced on a hook, which is all useful stuff for a pair of headphones designed to be used when exercising. The same goes for the IP55-rated waterproof build.
On each side of the device there’s a small fingertip-sized housing that contains batteries and controls. The controls are simple: on the right-hand side are volume buttons, which send a tone to the speakers with every press (and a higher-pitched tone when the maximum volume is reached). That’s important because, as open-ear headphones, there is always a risk of sound leakage.
We didn’t actually think sound leakage was a major problem; people close to you can definitely hear what you’re listening to if your music is at full volume, but only if you’re in a very quiet environment. In that respect, the headphones work well in office environments, where you can listen to music without worrying that you’ll miss a barked order from the boss.
So-so sound
Although intended for use during sports, we found Trekz Air fine for general use, and the noise-canceling microphones enable clear voice calls. Bluetooth pairing with our phone was easy and the signal reliable.
The sound is good enough for the gym or office (and much fuller than cheaper open-ear headphones), but not as good as a pair of regular earphones. In a busy city centre or in blustery wind, we found that volume and bass levels weren’t high enough – and at full volume you start to feel the vibrations in your jawbone, with the odd sensation of a slight tickle in your ears.
More of an issue is the short battery life, which lasts just six hours. However, a quickcharge mode gives you enough juice in 15 minutes for an hour in the gym. That middling battery life really is the trade-off for the clever lightweight design.