Suunto’s new headphones finally make me appreciate bone conduction

As an urban runner, I’ve never seriously considered wearing noise-canceling headphones. I’ve tried open earplugs in the past, but mostly for running in well-lit parks where my biggest danger was dodging goose poop. It’s different in the suburbs. Recently, I was nearly knocked to pieces by a Range Rover speeding at least 10 degrees over the speed limit. Even though I had the headphones in ambient mode, I never heard any sound from it.

That’s why I’ve spent the past two months testing the $199 Suunto Wing and the $149 Suunto Sonic.

The Wing and Sonic are both bone conduction headphones, a category that has long been dominated by Shokz (formerly AfterShokz). The Sonic is a more basic entry-level device, while the Wing adds more features, namely LED lighting, a portable power bank, and head motion controls. The Wing’s IP67 water and dust resistance rating is also slightly better compared to the Sonic’s IP55 rating.

Bone conduction works by sending sound vibrations through the cheekbones instead of traveling through the air to the ear canal. Some athletes swear by bone conduction because it keeps your ears open, meaning you’re more aware of your surroundings than with any transparency mode. (As a bonus, it helps people with hearing loss listen to audio.)

I’ve known all this for a long time, but I’ll admit it–I’ve never cared much about bone conduction. My old AfterShokz headphones were not comfortable at all, but the real problem was my reliance on bass-heavy running playlists. And bone conduction? It’s not the best bass. Even so, nearly being crushed by a speeding Range Rover is a good reason to give bone conduction another try.

Regarding the first point, I was surprised to find that both the Sonic and the Wing were comfortable to wear. My old AfterShokz headphones had a wraparound neckband that dug into my skin, hurt my little ears, and never sat properly. The headphones also have a wraparound design, but I didn’t feel any discomfort. The headphones are stable and secure while I’m running and walking. Plus, the part that sits above the ears is thin enough that it doesn’t cause problems when wearing glasses or a headband—an issue I’ve had with other open-back headphones, such as the chunky Bose Sport Open-Back earbuds.

The bass still isn’t great, but I was surprised by how much better it sounded on the Wing and Sonic compared to the first time I tried bone conduction headphones. The rumbling intro to Stray Kids’ “Megaverse” doesn’t sound as cool as it does on my Beats Fit Pro, but it’s enough to get me excited. After a few weeks, I stopped noticing the difference. (It helps that Suunto offers a variety of sound profiles, including an external mode that boosts the bass slightly.)

While the audio was better than I expected, they are still bone conduction headphones, which means they don’t perform well in noisy environments. I wish these could be used as daily commuting headphones, but unfortunately, listening to audiobooks or podcasts on a noisy subway or while walking past a honking taxi isn’t a great experience. I had to turn up the volume, which in turn increased the vibration until the front parts were buzzing in my face. If I were to attend a game in front of a cheering crowd, this wouldn’t be the first headset I use. This is a bit disappointing considering the Suunto headphones are priced on the higher side at $149 and $199 respectively. For reference, Shokz’s headphones range in price from $80 to $180.

Price is also part of the reason why I more often choose the cheaper Sonic of the two. Not only is the sound quality the same, but I’m not interested in the Wing’s extra features. The LED lights are neat, but I find them hard to see against my hair. (Also, I’m not a fan of Wing’s gamer Kylo Ren vibe.) As for Wing’s head motion controls, I could never get them to work reliably. You should be able to answer or hang up calls and skip tracks by nodding or shaking your head. Instead, people looked at me funny as I ran over and shook their heads wildly because I wanted to skip to the next song.

The Wing’s battery life didn’t win me over either. Both devices have an estimated battery life of 10 hours, but the Wing also comes with a power bank that can provide an additional 20 hours of power. Not bad, but how about an extra $50? For me, not so much. I mostly stick to running three to four times a week for 30 to 45 minutes each time. The Sonic lasts about a month before it needs to be recharged. As for waterproofing, the Sonic’s IP55 rating is adequate for sweat and rain, but the Wing’s IP67 rating isn’t good enough for swimming pools. (Another bummer for swimmers—neither has built-in storage, and Bluetooth doesn’t work underwater.)

Ultimately, I personally continue to look for a pair of open-back exercise headphones to replace my Beats Fit Pro. Don’t get me wrong – my time testing the Sonic and Wing gave me a greater appreciation for bone conduction headphones and why so many people support them (so much so that I called the latest Shokz to give me advice ) them You can also go again). I’m just too obsessed with bass drops to say my search ends here.