Once the Shokz OpenSwim swimming headphones were launched, they became an indispensable new equipment for many swimming lovers. Shokz OpenSwim Pro has once again upgraded our experience – Bluetooth & MP3 dual mode, 32GB storage capacity, and longer battery life, all of which have brought us surprises.
Shokz OpenSwim Pro specs and features:
- Bluetooth connection mode & MP3 mode
- 32GB storage & magnetic charging
- Standard sound + vocal mode + swimming mode
- IP68 waterproof rating & 2 meters underwater
- 10 hours playback of per charge
Appearance Design: Lightweight and easy to use
Shokz OpenSwim Pro adopts a lightweight body and ergonomic design, and its weight is lighter than the previous model, only about 27g. Plus, it also uses skin-friendly silicone material, and has an ergonomic earhook and back-hanging design with a neck strap – it is flexible enough to use and will not easily cause ear fatigue or discomfort.
With such a lightweight and slender design, some may worry that it will break easily. In fact, there is no need to worry at all – it uses a titanium alloy frame that combines flexibility and sturdiness, so there is no need to worry about strength. The headphones also adopt an integrated non-porous design, are fully sealed and waterproof, and have an IP68 waterproof rating, making them better able to adapt to rain and sweat penetration during water sports and daily sports.
I tested the water resistance by soaking and flushing it – whether it was a splash, a rinse, or a one-hour soak, the Shokz OpenSwim Pro handled it with ease. The physical buttons are very convenient to operate underwater – the control logic is simple and can be operated blindly once you are familiar with it. In actual experience, no matter whether it was breaststroke, freestyle or backstroke, the headphones did not fall off – the stability and comfort were very good.
Shokz APP and Battery Life
On the Shokz APP, you can also intuitively see the headset battery level, connection status, etc. You can also switch between dual device connections, headphone mode, sound effect mode, customized button control schemes, and more. It is worth mentioning that in MP3 mode, Shokz OpenSwim Pro will not disconnect from the mobile phone, but the content of the music played will be changed from bluetooth to local storage.
The OpenSwim Pro provides up to 8 hours of playback time on a single charge. However, in actual experience, different modes and volumes will have an impact on battery life. The OpenSwim Pro also supports voice calls, and with the support of call noise cancelling and voice enhancement, the voice call also has good sound quality.
In fact, OpenSwim Pro’s use scenarios are not limited to swimming. For example, long-distance running, cross-country running and daily training, it can store more local music with its 32GB storage capacity, giving us a longer music experience.
Sound Quality and Leakage: A new immersive experience
Bone conduction headphones have always been a very unique existence in the headphone market – they are hugely different from traditional headphones in appearance, sound generation principle, and sound quality. Shokz OpenSwim Pro provides us with another idea, using a new generation of bone conduction technology to achieve transparent and clear midrange and treble – users can flexibly choose according to audio content and usage scenarios, bringing a targeted audio experience.
Among them, the standard mode is suitable for daily use, and the tri-frequency is relatively balanced. The vocal mode enhances the midrange, making it ideal for listening to e-books and online courses. In MP3 mode, in addition to the standard sound effect mode, there is also a swimming mode specially designed for swimming scenes.
When used underwater, the OpenSwim Pro still sounds better than most air conduction headphones. Since the density and resistance of water are different from those of air, general air conduction headphones will have extremely obvious sound distortion and high-frequency loss on underwater, but the OpenSwim Pro does not have these problems. In the actual experience, the water surface isolated the noise of other people, improving the sense of immersion.
Also, the OpenSwim Pro uses PremiumPitch 2.0 Plus technology, which reduces sound leakage and improves sound transmission efficiency and sound quality. In my testing, even with the volume turned up to maximum, the sound from the headphones was not audible from a distance of half a meter.
Conclusion: Focus on sports, not only swimming
Compared with the previous model, Shokz OpenSwim Pro not only adds Bluetooth & MP3 dual mode, but the addition of a microphone also makes it closer to TWS earbuds. The bone conduction design also allows us to better perceive external sounds while enjoying music, providing additional safety. Obviously, compared to the OpenSwim, the OpenSwim Pro has become more comprehensive.
