Introduction
Shokz makes headphones for all kinds of fitness enthusiasts, whether you’re chasing gold at the Olympics or just chasing your own personal record at home. We want to provide all our users with a comfortable, durable, high-quality audio experience that can withstand any type of workout, from a casual bike ride along the beach to an ultramarathon through the green peaks of Mont Blanc.
The new OpenRun Pro 2 delivers on all fronts. Sound, comfort, battery level, safety. But don’t just take it from us! We asked some of the top-performing athletes in their field to tell us what they thought of our latest flagship headphones. Athletes like Hellen Obiri, a middle- and long-distance runner; Jan Frodeno, an Ironman triathlete; and Marianne Hogan, an ultrarunner. Could the OpenRun Pro 2 keep up with their training? This is what they said:
Hellen Obiri
Hellen Obiri is a two-time Olympic silver medalist in the 5,000 meters (2016 and 2020), as well as a two-time world champion at the same distance (2017 and 2019). She started running marathons in 2022 and won her second race, the 2023 Boston Marathon. She followed it up with wins at the 2023 New York City Marathon and the 2024 Boston Marathon.
When asked about the OpenRun Pro 2, she called it her running partner. “It has an extraordinary sound when I run,” she said. “I get more energy from the beats.” Hellen also praised the comfort and safety of the open-ear design, and the way it encourages social engagement. “When I run with my training mates I can hear them talking, and when a car is coming from behind, I can hear that too.”
Overall, if Hellen had to describe the OpenRun Pro 2 in one word, it’d be amazing. “I can wear them the whole day because it’s so comfortable and it’s amazing.”
Jan Frodeno
Jan Frodeno is often considered to be the greatest triathlete of all time. A gold medalist at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, he’s also a three-time Ironman World Champion (2015, 2016, and 2019) and a two-time Ironman 70.3 World Champion (2015 and 2018).
Jan was honest about how the OpenRun Pro 2 compared to its predecessor. “The sound quality is much improved, “ he said. “It's super clear and enjoyable.” He also praised some of the other upgrades. “There’s a better fit. And then of course there’s the new microphone, which is more wind-resistant so that you can have a clear conversation.” That’s coming from a world-record holder who reaches speeds of up to 27 miles per hour while biking.
Overall, Jan called the OpenRun Pro 2 a great pair of headphones, ideal for “every day enjoying the outdoors while enjoying some music as well with the extended battery life.”
Marianne Hogan
Marianne Hogan is a trailrunner who knows a thing or two about distance. She finished second in the 2022 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, which traverses more than 106 miles and has an elevation gain of almost 33,000 feet. She also finished third in the 2022 Western States Endurance Run, a 100-mile race in which runners must ford the American River.
Marianne echoed what Hellen and Jan said about the OpenRun Pro 2 and sound quality, particularly highlighting the way it handles bass frequencies. “When you listen to the bass,” she said, “it sounds much better on the headphones. They are really comfortable. You almost forget that you have them sometimes.”
Another thing that was important to Marianne was battery life, since she trains for miles and miles at a time. This is what she had to say: “I’m always very enthusiastic to see that the battery life that they predict for these headphones lasts actually longer than what is prescribed.” For reference, her second-place time for the 2022 UTMB was 24 hours, 31 minutes, and 22 seconds. So every minute matters!
But most of all, Marianne valued the versatility of the OpenRun Pro 2. “I love having them on runs, even when I’m with friends,” she said. “Because I can listen to music and hear what they say, but not at the detriment of my safety, because I can hear what’s going on around me.”
As a bonus, she even finds the OpenRun Pro 2 stylish. “It’s really nice to see that they have different colors, so you can kinda match them with your outfits, your caps, or anything like that.” What color does Marianne like? “I’m happy to see that they have these orange ones,” she said. “I took out the orange shorts today for that exact reason, and I’m excited to see the new colors that will come out as well.”
Conclusion
So there you have it. A marathon runner, an Ironman triathlete, and an ultramarathon runner all agree that the new OpenRun Pro 2 is the real deal. It’s comfortable, long-lasting, versatile, clear, energizing, and stylish. And best of all, it doesn’t just complement their workouts – it enhances them.