H2O Audio Tri Run Workout Headphones Review: A Little Underwhelming

I’ve tested enough open headphones to know that weight distribution is key to achieving a comfortable and secure fit for activities when you’re moving at different paces. Get it wrong and you’ll be regularly reaching a hand up to nudge them back into prime position.

At just 1.3 oz, the Tri Run is just slightly heavier than the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2, and that’s a good thing. The balance in weight and spread of titanium and silicone feels just right to make sure they sit snug and in place. I’ve worn them for longer than an hour on several occasions, and these aren’t headphones I’ve had to readjust on the move.

You will want to reach up to use the controls, which thankfully are physical buttons and are placed on the underside of the headphones. These controls let you adjust volume, play and pause audio, or skip back and forward a track. It’s a control setup that most other bone-conduction headphones adopt because it works so well. It’s no different here.

You won’t want to take them for a swim, simply because water and Bluetooth don’t mix, but the Tri Run has an IPX8 waterproof rating. That’s the same rating attached to the more expensive Tri 2 Pro headphones ($200). That protection is there to guard against heavy sweat and rain. I’ve spent a few hot, sweaty running sessions with them and am happy to report that I didn’t suffer any connection dropouts as the sweat started to pour down from my head and face.

Middle of the Road

I connected the Tri Run to an iPhone 17, a Samsung Galaxy S23, a Garmin watch, and an Amazfit smartwatch and experienced zero pairing issues. You do miss out on the ability to pair with multiple devices simultaneously like you can on the Tri Pro. This doesn’t feel like a deal-breaker, and I’m sure it won’t be for most either.