Everyone should own a pair of open ear headphones – these Black Friday deals will get you some at a great price

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These are the open ear headphones I recommend

The SHOKZ openfit airs next to a sign saying "big savings"
(Image credit: Future / SHOKZ)

I love noise cancelling over ear headphones as much as the next person – as I write this article I’m wearing a pair (the Marshall Monitor III ANC headphones to be precise). They’re perfect for cutting yourself off from outside distractions so you can immerse yourself in the sound of your favorite playlist, podcast, or movie.

I think everyone should own a good pair – ideally bought at a budget price thanks to this year’s Black Friday deals – but as a frequent user I know their faults. The ANC is a double-edged sword as sometimes staying aware of your surroundings is preferable to cutting yourself off, and their typically bulky design means you can’t easily carry them around – if you ever want to take them off you’ll need to bring a bag to pack them into.

That’s why I believe everyone should also own a pair of open ear headphones. I’ve scoured the internet to find the best deals out there and put them in this round up. Yes they’re all from Shokz (apart from one more ‘out there’ pick you’ll see), but with a mix of bone conduction and air conduction choices to choose between, as well as different price points, there’s enough variety for you to hopefully find your new reliables.

Check out the deals in full below. The headline deals are US-only, but I've also included a link for UK shoppers on every open ear headphones deal.

Today's best open ear headphones Black Friday deal

SHOKZ OpenFit Air
SHOKZ OpenFit Air: was $119.95 now $99.95 at Amazon

This would be my favorite of the bunch as the Shokz OpenFit Airs not only deliver excellent audio via air conduction but are supremely comfy. They’re so good in fact, my fiancee has permanently borrowed my pair so I might use this sale to get my own.

UK deal: SHOKZ OpenFit Air: was £119 now £95 at Amazon

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SHOKZ OpenRun
SHOKZ OpenRun: was $129.95 now $89.95 at Amazon

These more budget-friendly bone conduction headphones are ideal fun runners as they leave your ear completely clear – so you can enjoy your headphones while still being able to draw on the energy of your workout tunes of choice.

UK deal: SHOKZ OpenRun: was £129.95 now £89 at Amazon

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Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses
Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses: was $299 now $239 at Meta - Influencer

Here’s your promised “out there” option. I’ll level with you folks, sonically the Ray-Ban Meta glasses leave something to be desired, but they’re far from awful and make up for their audio deficiencies with some useful extra goodies – namely a 12MP camera, and a respectably useful Meta AI. I love mine and wear them plenty, so you might also enjoy them if supreme audio or fitness-focused headphones weren’t at the top of your priority list.

UK deal: Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses: was £299 now £239 at Meta

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SHOKZ OpenSwim Pro
SHOKZ OpenSwim Pro: was $179.95 now $159.95 at Amazon

These bone conduction headphones have Bluetooth capabilities but can also store 32GB of MP3s so you can use them while you swim to enjoy your favorite workout music. You can still use them out of the water, making them perfect for athletes who like to take part in multi-discipline events.

UK deal: SHOKZ OpenSwim Pro: was £169.00 now £135 at Amazon

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Air conduction vs bone conduction

I’ve used the two phrases above to differentiate between the OpenFit and and OpenRun / OpenSwim headphones, but how are the technologies different in practical senses?

Air conduction is a fancy way of saying that the headphones feature mini speakers that sit over your ear and directly blast sound into your ear canal (or near to, in the case of the Ray-Ban Meta glasses). It’s not as violent as I’ve described (unless you turn the volume right up) but the benefit is you get clear and not overly leaky audio while still being able to hear your surroundings easily enough as your ear isn’t isolated by an over ear cup or filled by an earbud.

Bone conduction headphones instead send vibrations through the bones of your head directly to your inner ear – bypassing your ear drum. You can check out our guide on how bone conduction actually works for the science here.

This truly open ear design allows for even more awareness of your surroundings – which is why these types of headphones are approved for use in events organized by bodies like England Athletics – and allow you to use your headphones while you swim as your music won’t be distorted by the water clogging up your ears.

Each option has its pros and cons, so it will come down to your personal preference and how you intend to use your headphones as to which deal will be best for you.

More of today's Black Friday sales in the US

More of today's Black Friday sales in the UK

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Hamish Hector
Hamish Hector
Senior Staff Writer, News

Hamish is a Senior Staff Writer for TechRadar and you’ll see his name appearing on articles across nearly every topic on the site from smart home deals to speaker reviews to graphics card news and everything in between. He uses his broad range of knowledge to help explain the latest gadgets and if they’re a must-buy or a fad fueled by hype. Though his specialty is writing about everything going on in the world of virtual reality and augmented reality.