There are people who like to use music to immerse themselves in a whole new world, but there are also some who would still love not to be cut-off completely from the outside world. Such are athletes and runners, and a highly recommended product for them would be AfterShokz Trekz Titanium, with an open-ear sport design.

One of the top issues of open-ear headphones is the bass. However, thanks to the bone conduction technology of the AfterShokz Trekz Titanium, the bass is relatively intact thanks to the vibration of low frequency being sent to the wearer’s cheekbones to the cochlea, bypassing the eardrum.

AfterShokz Trekz Titanium: Design

The design of the AfterShokz Trekz Titanium delivers a good impression with two bone conduction transducers engineered to stay on the side of the ear rather than going deep into the ear canal. In some ways, the AfterShokz Trekz Titanium is sharing some similarities with ear-cup style headphones as it sends sound into the ear from the outside. The only difference is that the AfterShokz Trekz Titanium doesn’t have any foam or covering to filter ambient noise out. One of the speakers of the AfterShokz Trekz Titanium has a pause button which is really useful and makes life easier for the listener, who doesn’t need to take the headphones off to pause the device.

Admittedly, the AfterShokz Trekz Titanium may not be as lightweight as other open-ear headphones in the market, but that feature is quite dismissable. If anything, the fit of the AfterShokz Trekz Titanium headband may be a small hiccup because it tends to be too loose for wearers with a small head.  A listener may need to adjust it further up the back of the head to get a secure fit. If you move around too much and the fit is a bit loose on you, expect that it will also move around which is a bit ironic considering that the AfterShokz Trekz Titanium is considered to be a sports-centric headphone.

AfterShokz Trekz Titanium: Performance

The AfterShokz Trekz Titanium bone conduction headphones are primarily designed to be used during jogs, runs, or fitness sessions at the gym. However, how does the AfterShokz Trekz Titanium fair when used on a normal day?

In our experience, there were moments when we delighted in the epiphany-like feeling of situational awareness. It’s like entering a noisy coffee shop and ordering from a barista without needing to take off the headphones to converse properly. If you are looking for a liberating pair of bone conduction headphones that can deliver premium situational awareness, the AfterShokz Trekz Titanium is highly recommended.

The AfterShokz Titanium is also very user-friendly and easy to use. Even if this is your first time to use bone conduction headphones like the AfterShokz Trekz Titanium, it’s surprisingly easy to navigate, because, basically, this item is just a pair of wireless headphones with a special feature. Initial Bluetooth setup with a smartphone and other devices is easy and an automated voice is activated upon successful Bluetooth device pairing.

With its design, it’s quite understandable that the AfterShokz Trekz Titanium works best in quiet environments, but it doesn’t mean that it produces mediocre performance when used in noisy settings. We’ve also noticed that the sound quality that comes from the speaker is not the same with a pair of regular headphones. We can point out that the chief issue of the AfterShokz Trekz Titanium bone conduction headphones is its bass – it is felt more than heard, which is a typical sign and symptom of bone conduction devices. If you are a first time user of bone conduction headphones, expect the first listening experience to be weird. However, you’ll get used to it in the long run and may even prefer the AfterShokz Trekz Titanium over regular, standard headphones.