The world of aquatic MP3s has taken a huge leap forward thanks to a technology that has changed the lives of thousands of swimmers: bone conduction. Instead of having to insert an earphone into your ear canal and suffer from it moving or getting water in, these devices They send sound through vibrations directly to your skull, leaving your ear completely free.
In this category, after trying everything, I can say that the Shokz OpenSwim works like silk. It’s the ultimate reference if you spend hours counting tiles in your pool. next to, Their prices are more than reasonable for the quality they provide.: It can now be found for just €134 thanks to the Black Friday sales.
Shockz Open Swim
This water MP3 device does not have Bluetooth technology and is ideal for swimming while listening to music in excellent quality.
134 euros
*Some prices may have changed since the last release
I bought them a couple of years ago for a similar price, and honestly, I can’t recommend them enough. To anyone who swims regularly.
The magic of the OpenSwim – the “basic” model, so to speak – lies in the fact that it is 100% designed for water. They have an IP68 rating which allows them to be submerged without problems up to a depth of two metres.
But be careful, here are the basic details that many people don’t know: This model does not have Bluetooth. This isn’t a bug, it’s pure physics: the Bluetooth signal doesn’t travel well through water.
For this reason, OpenSwim works like an “old” classic MP3 file. These devices have 4GB of internal storage so you can save your favorite songs, podcasts or audiobooks – in MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC and FLAC formats.
This forces you to plug the device into your computer and pull up files, like we did in the 2000s, but Ensures uninterrupted operation underwater. The sound quality is amazing once you immerse yourself in itAnd the physical buttons allow you to easily change songs or increase the volume without having to stand on the edge of the pool.
But if you love it as much as I do, it’s very likely that you’ll consider going one step further with the Pro version. The Shokz OpenSwim Pro is a logical development and covers this minor deficiency of the standard model: these devices have Bluetooth.
Shokz OpenSwim Pro
This MP3 is an advanced version with Bluetooth technology, expanded capacity and excellent sound quality.
159 euros
*Some prices may have changed since the last release
For more money – they stay at €159 in these offers – you get a full hybrid device. In the water, you can continue to use them as MP3s with their internal memory – which is also up to 32GB, which is plenty for audio – but when you leave the pool, you can activate Bluetooth mode and connect them to your phone for running, cycling or just walking around listening to Spotify.
The ergonomics of both models are identical and great. They are light, flexible and fit under a swim cap or goggles without bothering you at all. The battery also matches the Note: about 8 hours of continuous operation in the standard model and up to 9 hours in the Pro modelWhich gives you a full week of training without remembering the charger.