I tested H2O Audio's affordable, no-frills, bone-conduction running
headphones and there's something to be said for simplicity

Date:
Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:42:05 +0000

Description:
Affordable and no-fuss, but only worth it if you love the neckband style and bass isnt your thing.

FULL STORY ======================================================================H2O Audio Tri Run: Two-minute review The H2O Audio Tri Run are bone conduction headphones designed for runners and cyclists who want to listen to music
while staying aware of their surroundings. They undercut rivals on price and strip everything back to the essentials. No app, no frills, just good enough audio and a straightforward experience.

Theyre not for swimming, despite their IPX8 waterproof rating. H2O Audio already makes a range of multi-sport devices, including the H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport . But the Tri Run rely solely on Bluetooth with no onboard storage, so theres no point taking them to the pool because the water will block the signal. What that waterproofing means is you dont need to worry about sweat, rain or cleaning them with water. Bone conduction transmits
sound through your cheekbones, bypassing your ear canal. (To find out more,
we have a handy how bone conduction works guide.)

Theyre cheap, reliable and mostly comfortable. Sound is acceptable for the form factor, the fit is secure, and theyre genuinely easy to use. But battery life is just fine, the neckband design wont suit everyone, and competition is fierce in this space. Lets get into it. (Image credit: Future) The Tri Run have a neckband design with the bone-conduction transducers sitting against your cheeks, between your ear's tragus and your high cheekbone. Its a style youll either get on with or you wont.

Im not entirely sure I get on with them. I can never quite put my finger on what it is with a design like this. Its not uncomfortable exactly, but Im always aware of the transducers sitting against my face in a way that Im not with other styles of bud. I have a lot of hair, which may not help with the fit of the ear hooks, and during colder testing sessions, a high-collared jacket displaced them more than once.

Theres a small rubber accessory in the box that can be used to tighten the
fit for smaller heads, but that didnt resolve things for me. It may just be that Ive tested too many comfortable wireless buds recently and I've been spoiled by them. Either way, its worth flagging because comfort here is
highly subjective, and if you havent tried neckband-style buds before, dont assume theyll feel comfortable. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

The band itself is light at 14g, flexible and sturdy, with a matte rubberized finish. Controls sit on the right side, with three physical buttons for power/playback, and volume up and down.

The buttons are easy to use on the move. I always tend to prefer a physical press to touch controls when Im running, so theres no ambiguity about whether its registered. The middle button, which handles power and play/pause, is responsive.

The volume buttons occasionally took a moment or two to register, but theres
a helpful audio tone when you hit max volume, which I liked although you may reach that much sooner than youd expect.

Theres no app here or companion software, so theres nothing to tweak or change. Just turn them on and they pair seamlessly. Then every time you
switch them on, they tell you whether your battery is high or low. (Image credit: Future) The audio is far from the level of quality youd get from the best headphones , the best earbuds or even the best open earbuds . These are affordable bone-conduction headphones and they sound it. But I think how much that matters depends almost entirely on what you like to listen to.

Tracks with presence in the highs and mids come through well here. I found poppy, energetic tracks, such as New Constellations Hot Blooded sounded
bouncy and enjoyable. Theres clarity in the upper ranges, vocals sit forward in the mix and theres enough going on to make a run feel good. Podcast lovers are also well-served with clear, undistorted voices at most volume levels.

Bass-heavy music is a different story. Something like Hanumankinds Big Dawgs, which is a staple on my workout playlist, simply doesnt hit. Theres no
low-end weight, so if you like listening to bassy tracks, youll notice the absence.

The volume is adequate in most quieter conditions. Running on my own down an off-road path, I could hear everything I needed to, but I could hear just as well running through the city first thing in the morning too.

Things were different in windy and noisy environments I struggled to push
the volume high enough, but thats par for the course with most open designs.

Also, at high volumes you might notice a mild vibrating sensation in your cheeks or jaw. Thats a known side effect of bone conduction. It never reached the point of discomfort for me with the Tri Run, but its worth knowing about.

H2O Audio quotes six hours of battery life, and in testing I got almost exactly that. That said, six hours is on the lower end for bone-conduction headphones. The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 , for example, offer a huge 12 hours of battery, double what you get here. Granted, wed consider them a high-end option, but with weaker audio and fewer features, I might have expected battery life to stay stronger.

Its a similar story with open earbud rivals, like the Shokz OpenFit 2+ ,
which offer 11 hours. That said, the Tri Run do offer an hour more than some other budget bone conduction headphones, such as the Jabees 7Seven , which only offer five hours. (Image credit: Future) Overall, theres nothing wrong with the H2O Audio Tri Run. They fit securely, theyre easy to use, theyre waterproof, and they deliver acceptable sound for the form factor.

For a certain kind of runner or cyclist, someone who wants cheap, reliable, no-fuss awareness of their surroundings and mainly listens to poop and podcasts, theyll get the job done without complaint.

But for everyone else, the value proposition is shakier than the price tag suggests. You wont have to spend much more to get noticeably better performance, which well get to below. The open earbud market in particular
has expanded rapidly enough that there are now strong alternatives at similar prices.

If the neckband style suits you and simplicity is genuinely what youre after, the H2O Audio Tri Run make sense. Otherwise, its worth shopping around if
you can get the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 on sale for this kind of price, we'd recommend those. And if you'll switch from neckband bone-conduction buds to wireless open earbuds, the Huawei FreeArc are an excellent option at around the same price. H2O Audio Tri Run review: Specifications Swipe to scroll horizontally

Drivers

Bone conduction

Active noise cancellation

No

Battery life

Up to 6 hours

Weight

14g

Connectivity

Bluetooth

Frequency range

Not specified

Waterproofing

IPX8 H2O Audio Tri Run review: Price and release date (Image credit: Future) How much does it cost? $99.99 / 76 / AU$145 When did it first come out? Released in February 2026 Where can you get it? Available globally At $99.99
/ 76 / AU$145, the Tri Run headphones sit at the more affordable end of the bone conduction market. That price makes sense when you think about the trade-off here. Youre paying for situational awareness rather than audio quality, and thats a reasonable exchange if open-ear listening is a priority for you.

That said, affordable here is relative. The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 , our top
pick for running in our best workout headphones guide, costs $179.95 / 169.00 / AU$319.00, which is a lot more. But it also offers significantly better performance.

And if you want some excellent bone conduction headphones that can handle swimming too from this same brand, the H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport , our top pick in our best bone conduction headphones guide, comes in at 152 / $199.99 / AU$289.

There are also other budget bone conduction headphones on the market now too. Like the Jabees 7Seven bone conduction headphones for swimming and running, which are significantly cheaper at $59.99 / 47.99 / AU$99. Theyre not perfect or topping any of our guides, but for the price, theyre terrific.

Its also worth mentioning here that if open listening is your priority, there are now so many excellent buds to choose from as well. Yes, theyre a bit different to what the Tri Run headphones offer. But, for example, the Huawei FreeArc open buds are only 99.99 (roughly $130, AU$200). Yes thats a little more, but youre getting a great fit and much better sound quality.

So yes, the Tri Run might be cheaper than some rivals, but with no standout features theyre not automatically good value. It makes sense if youre on a tight budget or simplicity is genuinely your priority. Otherwise, spending a little more gets you more. H2O Audio Tri Run: Scorecard Swipe to scroll horizontally

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Bone conduction, IPX8 and physical buttons are welcome. But there's almost nothing else, and battery life isn't great.

2.5 / 5

Performance

Clear and enjoyable for pop and podcasts, lacking in low-end and struggles to compete in noisy environments.

3.5 / 5

Design

Light, secure and waterproof with simple controls that work well on the move. Comfort will be subjective.

4.5 / 5

Value

Theyre affordable but not exactly a bargain. Some rivals offer a far better experience for a small increase in price.

3.5 / 5 Should I buy the H2O Audio Tri Run? (Image credit: Future) Buy them if... You like to keep things simple No app, no touch gestures, no features. You turn them on and they work. If thats all you want, they deliver. You know you like the neckband design If youve tried this style before and youre a convert, theyre a reliable and affordable choice. Youre on a budget At $99.99 / 76 / AU$145, theyre an affordable bone-conduction option, and youre getting a solid and dependable package here. Don't buy them if... You could spare
more You dont have to spend much more to get a boost in performance. If your budget has flexibility, shop around. You want the best sound from an open design There are other open-ear headphones at a similar or high price that offer more low-end presence and overall audio quality. You like an app and extra features Theres nothing beyond the basics here. No EQ, no customization and no companion app. If that matters to you, look elsewhere. H2O Audio Tri Run: Also consider Huawei FreeArc

If you're not wedded to the neckband-style but still want to hear your surroundings, check out these open buds from Huawei. Sound is excellent for the form factor, they're comfortable and they're only $20/20 more than the
Tri Run.

Read our full Huawei FreeArc review H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport

The H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport are much more expensive, but they have a strong battery life, complete waterproofing, and onboard storage as well as a special Playlist+ feature that untethers you from your phone during a run or swim.

Read our full H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport review How I tested the H2O Audio Tri Run (Image credit: Future) Tested for two weeks Used with an iPhone 16 Pro Ran with them in all sorts of environments I tested the H2O Audio Tri Run over two weeks, taking them out running across a range of environments. Busy streets, a canal path and open countryside. I also kept wearing them after runs, grabbing a coffee and working in a cafe, to get a sense of how versatile they are beyond their stated purpose.

I paired them with an iPhone 16 Pro, using Spotify for music during runs and YouTube for video content. Testing took place in typical UK weather
conditions (think wind, sun, rain all within the space of a day) and I made a point of trying them with different layers and necklines. From a light spring fitted running jacket to a high collared running coat, as I know this can
make a real different to the way neckband-style headphones fit.

Ive been reviewing consumer tech for more than 15 years now with a particular interest in how we use technology beyond the marketing claims. What fits into your life, what youll still reach for long after the novelty has worn off,
and whats reliable and comfortable enough to become a genuine daily staple. First reviewed March 2026 Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee



======================================================================
Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/health-fitness/fitness-headphones/h2o-audio-tri-run- review


--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 (Linux/64)
* Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100)