Best Bone Conduction Headphones (2026): Shokz, Suunto, Mojawa

Bone conduction isn’t the only open-ear headphone technology available. We now have air, and even cartilage, conduction, with air the biggest open-ear alternative to bone. Air conduction does not use transducers. Instead, it uses speakers to move sound through air. Sound is channeled into the ear where vibrations make their way toward the cochlea and the same process where the brain interprets audio occurs. This is how traditional headphones deliver sound.

Air conduction speakers sit near the ear, and these will sound like more traditional on- and in-ear headphones. You won’t have to worry about any vibration tickle and usually have a greater scope to adjust the sound profile through EQ settings. However, the level of awareness you can enjoy with air versus bone conduction tends to be more effective with the latter, if that’s something you value most.