Review: H2O Audio Tri Run Workout Headphones

Shokz wasn’t the first company to launch bone-conduction headphones, though it has stamped its brand name across the category. Any other company trying to break that stranglehold has a challenge.

H2O Audio is the latest to step up to the plate. It’s best known for making headphones for swimmers. Most of its pool-friendly options are also a good fit for sports like running and cycling. So here are the Tri Run, a sub-$100 set for runners and lovers of two wheels who still want to be in tune with the world around them.

When you drop below the $100 price mark, bone conduction headphones can be pretty hit-and-miss. There's such a dearth of affordable options that I wish I could confidently say you should go out and buy these. H2O Audio does know what it takes to make solid headphones for active folk, but it doesn’t always hit the mark. The Tri Run misses, which is a shame.

Light and Secure

Photograph: Michael Sawh

The headphones have a form factor that's a tried and tested look for the Tri Run, and it's one that is synonymous with bone-conduction headphones. It’s a slim neckband design that sits on top of your ears and runs its flexible frame around the back of the head.

I’ve tested enough open headphones to know that weight distribution is key to achieving a comfortable and secure fit for activities when you’re moving at different paces. Get it wrong and you’ll be regularly reaching a hand up to nudge them back into prime position.

At just 1.3 oz, the Tri Run is just slightly heavier than the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2, and that’s a good thing. The balance in weight and spread of titanium and silicone feels just right to make sure they sit snug and in place. I’ve worn them for longer than an hour on several occasions, and these aren’t headphones I’ve had to readjust on the move.

You will want to reach up to use the controls, which thankfully are physical buttons and are placed on the underside of the headphones. These controls let you adjust volume, play and pause audio, or skip back and forward a track. It’s a control setup that most other bone-conduction headphones adopt because it works so well. It’s no different here.

You won’t want to take them for a swim, simply because water and Bluetooth don’t mix, but the Tri Run has an IPX8 waterproof rating. That’s the same rating attached to the more expensive Tri 2 Pro headphones ($200). That protection is there to guard against heavy sweat and rain. I’ve spent a few hot, sweaty running sessions with them and am happy to report that I didn’t suffer any connection dropouts as the sweat started to pour down from my head and face.

Middle of the Road

Photograph: Michael Sawh

I connected the Tri Run to an iPhone 17, a Samsung Galaxy S23, a Garmin watch, and an Amazfit smartwatch and experienced zero pairing issues. You do miss out on the ability to pair with multiple devices simultaneously like you can on the Tri Pro. This doesn’t feel like a deal-breaker, and I’m sure it won’t be for most either.

What you can hear is delivered through technology that’s been around for some time now. Bone conduction works by firing sound vibrations up your cheekbones and towards your inner ear. There’s no companion app or EQ modes, so what you get out of the box is what you're stuck with. The sound quality is fine. It’s not terrible, but it’s also not going to blow your socks off.

It’s best to accept that with bone conduction you’re not going to get the same sound quality as you would from a similarly-priced set of in-ear or on-ear headphones. Instead, the aim is to let you listen to music or podcasts while letting in ambient noise from the world around you, whether that’s traffic or your boss trying to pull you into a conversation at the office.

The Tri Run is a couple of levels below the best bone-conduction sound. The bass is muddy and underpowered, and the treble performance is grainy. On the other hand, they're well suited for calls and listening to voices on podcasts or audiobooks. If you want more from a pair of open headphones, you’ll need something that uses air conduction instead.

Photograph: Michael Sawh

If you stick to using them indoors, you’ll get the most likable profile. Head outside and the struggles start to show. One day, I was running up and down a path on a long stretch of a busy highway. That meant being hit with wind and a constant stream of speeding cars. My running playlists quickly lost the battle to be heard over the combination of wind and car noise.

I had to turn the Tri Run up to near the maximum volume, which does unfortunately introduce some bone-conduction tickle. That’s when the vibrations that send sound up your cheekbones become more noticeable and tickle the sides of your face. It’s not as fun as it sounds.

Things don’t get much better with battery life. You need to use a proprietary charging cable to charge them, which isn’t ideal if your life is already littered with cables. (The last-gen Shokz OpenRun headphones use USB-C charging cables.) The quoted seven-hour battery life drops when listening at louder volumes. I needed to have the volume high most of the time, so the battery life was closer to five or six hours. There’s no fast-charging mode, which is always a welcome feature if you’re planning to get out running and riding with them regularly.

There is absolutely a need for better, cheaper bone-conduction workout headphones. The Tri Run gets things right with the design, controls, and being a very straightforward pair to get on and out the door.

Sadly, the same cannot be said about how they sound. It will be perfectly adequate for some, but I was hoping for more, especially when you can spend a mere $20 to $30 more and get the Shokz OpenRun ($120). They fit and look better, and have more enjoyable sound, better battery life, and two size options. They're just an all-around more accomplished set of bone conduction headphones. We'll just have to keep waiting for a real competitor to Shokz.