Open-ear earbuds are the key to my productivity, and here’s why

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Headphones are a very personal purchase, more so than most people probably even realize. I know that I use my headphones possibly more than any other item daily, with the exception of my smartphone. As an avid runner, I put on my earbuds at least three to four times a week for jogs. In addition to that, I often have them on while doing tasks around the house like cleaning, washing dishes, and organizing. I also use them regularly for phone calls, because I prefer to be hands-free when talking. All of this means that my headphones have to help me multitask and be extremely productive while at the same time delivering high-quality sound. That’s something that I took very seriously when shopping for a pair of earbuds. 

Luckily, I found a pair of headphones that’s able to do all of that and more. Because I use my headphones for so many different tasks, it’s important for me to be able to hear other things besides just what’s playing in my ears. That’s why I prefer open-ear earbuds. Whether I’m running on a busy street, cleaning the house, or talking on a phone call while watching my kid, I need to hear everything around me. 

Benefits of open-ear earbuds

Open-ear earbuds are a relatively recent invention. There are two main types of open-ear headphones. The first is air-conduction-style open-ear earbuds. These have small drivers positioned just outside your ear canals. They direct the sound into your ears without actually covering them. The second type of open-ear earbuds are bone-conduction models. Bone-conduction earbuds send vibrations through the bones in your cheeks, resulting in the sound reaching your inner ears without ever passing through the outer ear. Most people prefer one style over the other, myself favoring the former over the latter.

The two main factors that make open-ear earbuds popular are health- and safety-related. Healthwise, open-ear earbuds are better for your hearing than those that sit inside your ear canal. They reduce your risk of hearing loss due to excessive volume. Additionally, they allow you to be more aware of your surroundings than traditional earbuds. To use my example of being a runner, I can still hear all the cars and other ambient sounds around me even when I’m listening to my music on a run. That’s an invaluable safety upgrade from having my ear canals completely plugged by other headphones.

Nothing open-ear Lightweight Earbuds

After trying a few different options, I found the Nothing Open-Ear Lightweight Earbuds to be the best for my liking. One of my audio pet peeves is deep bass. So many headphones have weak and disappointing bass levels that don’t allow me to enjoy music the way it should truly be enjoyed. A few of the online reviews of these earbuds touted their powerful bass, which is no easy task for open-ear models. The moment I tried them, I knew I had made the right choice. What’s more, the mids and highs were just as impressive as the lower register tones. I’ve been wearing them non-stop for over a year now. I’m even on my second pair because my wife liked them so much, I had to give her my originals.

In addition to the practical benefits that these headphones offer, they’re incredibly comfortable as well. Unlike most earbuds that lead to ear fatigue after a short time, I can barely feel these on my ears. Because they sit just outside of my ear canal, they only come in contact with my skin on the area behind the ears where the soft silicone hooks are.

More open-ear earbuds

While the Nothing Open-Ear Lightweight Earbuds are my favorite, there are plenty of other open-ear earbuds worth trying. When you read the product descriptions, make sure to pay attention to the driver size, overall weight, and ergonomic design. Buying a pair of open-ear earbuds is a task that shouldn’t be rushed, and one that should be undertaken only after you’ve done the requisite research. Otherwise, you might end up with something that you don’t like, and that sounds like a real problem. 

Shokz OpenFit Air Earbuds

Geryst Bone Conduction Earbuds

Jlab Flex Open-ear Earbuds

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