Metro journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission \u2013 learn more<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for a headphone upgrade but want a wireless pair that will block out the world on your commute and won\u2019t fall out of your ears or leave them aching, you need to know about Shokz\u2019s latest launch.\u00a0<\/p>\n Loved for its bone-conducting designs and open-ear headphones, it\u2019s just dropped a brand-new model: OpenDots 2<\/a>, a wireless, open-ear pair that it\u2019s calling \u2018the comfiest earbuds you\u2019ll ever wear\u2019.<\/p>\n They have been specifically designed to fit into modern life, whether that\u2019s on your commute, for back-to-back calls, or during your workouts, and come in a stylish black, grey or white.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n As someone who can\u2019t leave the house without her Apple<\/a> AirPods, I was very curious to see how they would compare, especially as they boast a 48-hour battery life, a featherweight design, and promise powerful sound. But for \u00a3179<\/a>, are they worth it?<\/p>\n The OpenDots 2<\/a> seem like a hybrid of an ear cuff jewellery piece and a high-tech pair of headphones. I tested the grey pair, and before I\u2019d even hit play on my music, I loved the design. They can be used interchangeably between your left and right ear, so there\u2019s no fiddling when you first wear them.\u00a0<\/p>\n They\u2019re so lightweight<\/a>, you can\u2019t feel you\u2019re even wearing them, and most importantly, they don\u2019t slide down or slip off, and trust me, I tried.\u00a0<\/p>\n I was pretty sceptical about how secure they\u2019d feel, and they stayed mostly in place whether I was running for the bus, trying to sleep on a plane or lifting weights at the gym.\u00a0<\/p>\n The only downside to their fit is that they can become dislodged if you brush your hair while wearing them, and occasionally when you tuck your hair behind your ears, so just take extra care.\u00a0<\/p>\n The sound quality is excellent, with clear audio on calls, music and podcasts<\/a>, with the perfect amount of bass.\u00a0<\/p>\n Unless you\u2019re listening to something on full volume, they\u2019re surprisingly quiet too, and can\u2019t be heard by other people. You can also use the Shokz app to tweak the vocals, bass and equaliser to your liking.\u00a0<\/p>\n I think they\u2019re also a very safe option, too, if you like to exercise outdoors or simply feel more aware of your surroundings. As they\u2019re not in-ear headphones and aren\u2019t noise-cancelling, they have excellent audio quality but don\u2019t make you feel completely cut off from the world, especially if you\u2019re crossing the road or listening to a train announcement.\u00a0<\/p>\n Just keep in mind that because they\u2019re not noise-cancelling, you can still hear the white noise on an aeroplane, or the shrill of a loud tube train while using them.\u00a0<\/p>\n According to Shokz, the OpenDots 2<\/a> offer up to 40 hours of playback and fast charging. I took them on a 10-day trip to Switzerland and South Korea<\/a>, and only charged them once, so I can definitely attest to that.\u00a0<\/p>\n Even better, just five minutes of charging gives them two hours of juice, so if you\u2019ve forgotten to put them on charge overnight and only remember when you\u2019re heading out the door, it\u2019s a lifesaver.\u00a0<\/p>\n Charging them to full capacity is speedy, too: with wireless charging, it takes three and a half hours, and with a USB-C cable, it takes just two hours.\u00a0<\/p>\n Overall, I\u2019m very impressed. The design is sleek, the headphones are lightweight, the battery life is long, charging is quick and there\u2019s very little dislodging.\u00a0<\/p>\n They\u2019re comfortable, can be worn for hours without leaving your ears sore, and still let you be aware of your surroundings. Despite costing a spenny \u00a3179, I think they\u2019re well worth it.\u00a0<\/p>\n Follow Metro across our social channels, on Facebook<\/a>, Twitter <\/a>and Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Share your views in the comments below<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"Female](\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Shokz-pic-2-5ae8.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646\")
<\/a>\t<\/div>Design and fit<\/h2>\n
![\"Shokz](\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/SHOKZ_OpenDots-2_SR_Rendering_05-4ab8.png?w=646\")
<\/a>\t<\/div>Sound quality\u00a0<\/h2>\n
![\"Female](\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Shokz-pic-3-4493.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646\")
<\/a>\t<\/div>Battery life\u00a0<\/h2>\n
![\"Shokz](\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SHOKZ_OpenDots-Air_PR_Rendering_01-c964.png?w=646\")
<\/a>\t<\/div>My verdict<\/h2>\n