Running with Music, Safely
Open-Ear Headphones
Listening to music or podcasts can give your run a rhythm, help you push through tough intervals, or just make the miles pass faster. However, for athletes running out in the streets, traditional earbuds or headphones pose a safety risk by greatly reducing awareness. For this reason athletes are only allowed to use open-ear headphones during practice.
​
What Are Open-Ear Headphones?
Open-ear headphones are designed so your ears stay open to your environment while you listen. They do not block your ear canal like traditional earbuds, open-ear designs either rest just outside the ear or use bone conduction to send sound through your cheekbones. Allowing you to hear both your music and the world around you.
​
Open-Ear Designs Allow You To:
-
Stay aware of your surroundings (most importantly motorized vehicles)
-
Hear your fellow team mates during group runs
-
Hear your breathing, and/or your foot strike
-
Still have motiviating audio during your run​​
Headphone Types Not Allowed​
Transparency mode does not suffice since it is suceptible to wind noise.
-
Headphones
-
Over-ear​
-
On-ear
-
-
Airpods or similar
-
In-ear​
-
Ear buds​
-
Types of Open-Ear Headphones
There are 3 main types of open-ear headphones currently availaible on the market.
Please keep in mind this is a new product category which is still developing.
The models and pricing shown here will become outdated.
​
