If you want better Customer support
Choose Shokz OpenRun. It scores 5.0 vs 1.0 for Customer support, with a 4.1 overall score.
H2O Audio Tri Run Review
Bottom Line
Choose it for secure, featherlight open-ear fit, excellent rain and sweat protection, and simple controls. Skip it if you want strong bass, reliable outdoor call quality, long battery life, USB-C charging, or the best performance near $100.
Best for
Runners and cyclists who prioritize awareness, a secure featherlight fit, strong rain and sweat protection, and simple physical controls. It is especially suitable for podcasts and spoken audio when $99 is a firm ceiling.
Not for
Bass-focused listeners, frequent outdoor callers, swimmers, and athletes who need phone-free playback or more than about six hours per charge should look elsewhere. It also lacks USB-C, app controls, and EQ adjustment.
Verdict
The Tri Run gets the athletic fundamentals right: it is exceptionally light, usually comfortable, secure during running and cycling, easy to control, and protected well against sweat and rain. Its open-ear design also preserves the environmental awareness many outdoor athletes want. The compromise is performance. Most reviewers found the sound merely acceptable, with weak or muddy bass, reduced audibility in wind and traffic, and noticeable cheek vibration near maximum volume. Call quality also drew sharp criticism outdoors. Battery life lands around five to six hours, and the proprietary USB-A charging cable feels dated without quick charging. At a strict $99 ceiling, the simple design can make sense, especially for podcasts and spoken audio. Several reviewers, however, felt a modest extra spend buys substantially better sound, battery life, fit options, and overall value.
Feature Scorecards
Summary
37 reviewed features-
Very positive 4.5-5.012 (32%)
-
Positive 3.5-4.47 (19%)
-
Neutral 2.5-3.46 (16%)
-
Negative 1.5-2.48 (22%)
-
Very negative below 1.54 (11%)
Pros highlights
-
Most wearers found the headset extremely light and comfortable for long runs, rides, and hour-plus sessions. The neckband and cheek transducers remain subjective, especially with certain head shapes, hair, collars, or piercings.
-
Stability is excellent for most runners and cyclists, including uneven trails and intense sessions. Head shape and high collars can still affect how securely the neckband sits.
-
Physical buttons are widely preferred for workouts and are often easy to reach without breaking stride. Experiences were not uniform: some volume controls felt finicky or sticky, and one wearer could not find a reliable track-skip command.
-
Open-ear awareness is a standout strength. Traffic, other people, and surrounding activity remain audible, making the headset especially suitable for outdoor running and cycling.
-
IPX8 protection is one of the strongest features, giving broad confidence against heavy sweat, rain, and rinsing. The rating does not make Bluetooth playback usable underwater.
-
The low weight is a major advantage, with several wearers barely noticing the headset once it was on. Evenly distributed weight helps it stay comfortable during extended exercise.
Cons highlights
-
Spoken audio, vocals, and lighter pop can sound clear enough, but most listeners found music quality only average for the price. Bass-heavy and layered tracks often turn muddy or thin, while one assessment was far more positive about clarity.
-
Overall opinion is split between a capable, simple entry-level workout headset and an underperforming alternative to stronger rivals. Secure fit and awareness earn praise, but sound, calls, battery, and charging keep enthusiasm in check.
-
Value depends heavily on a firm $99 budget ceiling. Some see a strong entry point with excellent weather protection, while others argue that spending only a little more brings much better sound, battery life, controls, and fit options.
-
Low-end performance is the clearest audio weakness: bass is usually described as light, muddy, or missing impact. A few tracks retained audible bass lines, but dense music and windy conditions exposed the limitation.
-
Real-world battery life centers on roughly five to six hours, and the product generally meets that rating. Several competitors run substantially longer, though one tester considered six hours reasonable for such a light headset.
-
There is no onboard storage, so playback depends on a phone or connected watch. That prevents underwater listening and true phone-free use, though it matters less for athletes who already carry a connected device.
Compared With Category Average
Compared with other Open-Ear Headphones, this product is above average in Firmware/audio stability, Headband adjustability, Water/sweat resistance rating, near average in Button control usability, Stability, below average in Microphone noise reduction, USB-C, Equalizer customization.
Comparison summary
37 compared features-
Above average 0.4+ pts higher7 (19%)
-
Same as average within 0.3 pts14 (38%)
-
Below average 0.4+ pts lower16 (43%)
Largest category differences
| Attribute | This product | Category average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microphone noise reduction | 1.0 | 4.1 | -3.1 |
| USB-C | 1.2 | 4.1 | -3.0 |
| Equalizer customization | 1.0 | 3.9 | -2.9 |
| Customer support | 1.0 | 3.9 | -2.9 |
| Firmware/audio stability | 5.0 | 2.5 | +2.5 |
| Charging | 2.0 | 4.3 | -2.3 |
| Multipoint connectivity reliability | 2.3 | 4.4 | -2.2 |
| Instrument separation | 2.0 | 4.2 | -2.2 |
Consider This Instead
If you want better Charging
Choose H2O Audio TRI 2 PRO Headphones. It scores 4.2 vs 2.0 for Charging, with a 3.6 overall score.
If you want better Equalizer customization
Choose EarFun Clip 2. It scores 4.6 vs 1.0 for Equalizer customization, with a 4.4 overall score.
If you want better USB-C
Choose Shokz OpenRun Pro 2. It scores 5.0 vs 1.2 for USB-C, with a 4.4 overall score.
Compared in Reviews
Products reviewers directly compared with this model, grouped into quick takeaways.
- Better: swimming playback The Tri 2 Pro is the recommended same-brand option for swimming.
- More expensive: onboard playback Spending more adds onboard Bluetooth memory for phone-free use.
Shokz OpenRun Pro 2
- Better: overall running experience The reviewer considers the pricier Pro model worth the extra spend for serious runners.
- Compared: weight The Tri Run is only slightly heavier, which the reviewer still considers a good result.
- Better: sound and battery life The Shokz option reaches a higher level of sound and battery performance.
Shokz OpenRun
- Compared: battery life and water resistance Shokz runs longer, while the Tri Run carries the stronger waterproof rating.
- Better: fit, sound, and battery life A modestly higher price buys a more complete fit, sound, and battery experience.
- Better: battery life The Shokz model adds two hours of rated runtime.
FAQ
Can I swim with the H2O Audio Tri Run?
No. IPX8 protection handles sweat, rain, and water exposure, but Bluetooth does not work underwater and the headset has no onboard storage.
Is the fit secure and comfortable for running?
Usually yes. Most testers found it light, comfortable, and stable even on uneven trails, though head shape, hair, high collars, and the neckband style can affect fit.
How does the sound quality compare with other workout headphones?
Voices, podcasts, and lighter pop are generally clear, but bass is weak and layered music can sound muddy. Wind and traffic also make the limited output more noticeable.
Is it good for phone calls?
Call quality is inconsistent. Two outdoor tests produced fuzzy, distant, or underwater-sounding speech with poor wind handling, while one reviewer found calls acceptable.
How long does the battery last?
Expect roughly five to six hours in typical use, especially when volume is high. Charging uses a proprietary four-pin cable with USB-A, and there is no quick-charge mode.
Does it have an app, EQ, storage, or multipoint?
It has no companion app, EQ adjustment, or onboard storage. Multipoint pairing was unavailable or could not be established in testing.
Is it worth $99?
It can be a sensible choice when $99 is a hard limit and weather protection matters most. Several testers felt that spending a little more brings noticeably better sound, battery life, and overall refinement.
Sample Expert Reviews We Analyzed
These are a few of the reviews included in our analysis.
road.cc
The H2O Audio TRI Run open-ear bone conduction headphones are the entry point in the American headphone manufacturer’s bone conduction line...
- Review score
- 2.2
tomsguide.com
H2O Audio TRI Run are secure, lightweight, and comfortable bone conduction headphones, perfect for those who take exercise more seriously...
- Review score
- 3.3
wired.com
H2O Audio’s stab at a sub-$100 pair of bone conduction workout headphones just misses the mark.
- Review score
- 3.5
active.com
Discover the features, benefits, and safety of the H2O Audio Tri Run headphones. Learn how they compare to the TRI Pro 2 for runners and...
- Review score
- 4.8
theruntesters.com
Disclaimer: The Run Testers sometimes use affiliate links. This means that we may receive payment if you buy products on our website or...
- Review score
- 4.0
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