I’m a big fan of noise-canceling earbuds in most situations, but when it comes to running, I’ve always preferred something that doesn’t drown out the sound of approaching cars, dogs, and other obstacles. Luckily, if you’re in the same camp as me, Suunto’s new Sonic headphones are on sale at Amazon and direct from Suunto for $129 ($20 off). You can also pick up the Suunto Wing — which come with a power bank and a few extra features — from Amazon and Suunto for $169 ($30 off).
Although they’re pricier than other pairs of open-ear headphones, namely those from Shokz, both the Suunto Sonic and Wing use the same bone conduction tech to send sound vibrations through your cheekbones instead of your ear canal. They aren’t going to rival the sound you’d get with a dedicated pair of in-ears like the Beats Fit Pro — particularly when it comes to bass or sheer volume — but they offer a comfortable wraparound design, good sound, and an estimated 10 hours of battery life. The more expensive Wing add LED lighting, better IP67 waterproofing, and a power bank that holds an additional 20 hours of charge. They also tout head motion controls, though my colleague Victoria Song found the latter feature to be a bit finicky in her testing. Then again, there’s nothing that says you have to control your music playback or answer calls by shaking your head.
