These bone-conducting headphones deliver the best sound - and a cool trick for swimmers

H20 Tri 2 bone-conducting headphones

ZDNET's key takeaways

• The H20 Tri 2 headphones are available now on Amazon for $179
• With sound superior to other bone-conducting headphones, the Tri 2 make exercising a treat
• The controls of these headphones can be a bit awkward and the Memory mode does have a bit of a learning curve.

If you're looking for one of the best-sounding bone-conducting headphones available, look no further than the H20 Audio Tri 2.

I've used bone-conducting headphones for exercising -- running, rowing, and cycling -- for years. I made the switch primarily because this type of headphone isn't nearly as prone to sweat damage as in-ear types. In fact, in nearly a decade, I've never had a single pair fail because of sweat. 

The one caveat: Bone-conducting headphones simply don't sound as good as their in-ear counterparts. Most bone-conducting headphones -- by design -- sound tinny and lack any sort of bass. The best way to improve the sound of most bone-conducting headphones is to use earplugs at the same time. This makes whatever you're listening to easier to hear and even emphasizes a bit of bass.

Also: The best bone conduction headphones you can buy: Expert tested

Or, you could go with the H20 Audio Tri 2 multi-sport series headphones, which produce a much richer sound than any bone-conducting headphones I've ever used. 

But that's not all. These headphones have a trick up their sleeve that will be of special interest to those who participate in activities where it's not possible to use a phone -- such as swimming. I'll explain this feature in a bit. But first…

The specs

• Waterproof up to 12 ft for an unlimited time
• Bluetooth 5.3
  
• Up to 9 hours of Bluetooth playtime and 6 hours in memory mode (more on this in a bit)
  
• Open ear design
  
• Silicon finish for comfort and prevent slippage
  
• 8GB of local memory with support for M4A, MP3, WMA, FLAC, and APE formats
  
• Price - $179 on Amazon (for the Black/Blue version)
  

The only key specs I'm unable to find are frequency response and driver size but most users aren't going to be concerned about that information.

My experience

First, let's talk about the sound. The H20 Tri 2 bone-conducting headphones produce the best sound of any bone-conducting headphones I've ever tried. With these headphones, you get actual bass!

I know, right? Up until the H2O Tri 2, I just assumed bone-conducting headphones would never be able to deliver anything close to punchy bass. I'm not saying you're going to feel the kick drum in your chest but you'll certainly hear it with more clarity than your other bone-conducting headphones.

Also: Running a race? These 5 tech must-haves got me across the finish line

OK, so what about the aforementioned trick these headphones have up their sleeve? The H20 Tri 2 headphones can load music to memory, so you don't need your phone with you to enjoy the music. That means you can put them on, switch to Memory mode, dive into the water, and enjoy your workout. As I'm not a swimmer, this feature isn't all that important to me. However, I could foresee times when I want to go for a run and would rather not bother carrying my phone with me.

I did find switching to Memory mode a bit challenging at first, as the accompanying H20 app makes the process rather confusing. But there's a much easier way to switch modes: First, make sure the headphones are turned off; then connect them to your computer via the included USB cable. Open your file manager and you should see TRI 2 PRO listed. Copy any music files into either the root folder or create folders for each genre or artist. Once you've copied all the music you want, safely disconnect the headphones from your PC and you're good to go. You can then press the mode button on the headphones (the center button between volume up and down) to switch between Bluetooth and Memory modes.  

After switching to Bluetooth mode, I ran into a one-off glitch. I couldn't get the device back into Memory mode (even after having my Pixel 9 Pro forget the device from the Connected Devices section in Settings or shutting down the device altogether). It took a few tries (double-pressing the Mode button) but I did finally get the headphones switched to Memory mode and everything was groovy.  

Given I wouldn't use Memory mode often, I switched back to Bluetooth mode and all was well. Using Spotify, I cranked through my usual testing playlist and the frustration eased away, to be replaced by a smile, knowing these headphones would serve me well during my runs.

Also: The best sleep headphones: Expert tested

I took the H20 Tri 2 out for a seven-mile run and came away with a few conclusions:

These headphones can be heard -- even in traffic. I had a train come barreling through during my run, which usually means I can't hear anything from the headphones. That was not the case with the H20 Tri 2; I heard everything loud and clear (while still being able to hear my surroundings).

If you're a constant "song skipper" like I am, you'll find the interface to be a bit awkward. Instead of the usual double-press of the volume buttons to either go forward or backward, you have to hold down the button in question -- for approximately 2 seconds -- to skip to the next track. That's fine for when you're walking or sitting but can be challenging when you're running -- especially at a faster pace. 

However, that doesn't detract from the sound produced by the headphones. Although these might not satisfy an audiophile, the H20 Tri 2 certainly will please those who use headphones for runs, cycling, or other outdoor activities -- because we can finally hear the music with a clarity previously unknown in the bone-conducting space.

ZDNET's buying advice

Even with the complications I experienced, if you're a swimmer, the H20 Tri 2 headphones could be perfect for your needs. Not only do they allow you to enjoy your music without having to carry your phone with you (which could be disastrous in a pool) but they produce some of the best sound I've heard from bone-conducting headphones. If you're not a swimmer, you can guarantee these headphones will not have any problems with sweat or even if you get caught out in a downpour.

Also: These mid-range earbuds sound nearly perfect out of the box - and aren't by Beats or JBL

If you prefer bone-conducting headphones, I'd highly recommend you give the H20 Tri 2 a try, simply because of the quality of sound they produce (compared to similar products).