Josh Hendrickson
If you’re looking for bone-conducting headphones, we consider the $160 AfterShokz Aeropex among the very best examples available. One of the set’s few problems is the size, thanks to a large band designed to accommodate a wide variety of heads. The new $160 AfterShockz Aeropex Mini promises to offer a better fit, and you can buy them today.
We still like the original AfterShockz Aeropex, and the company isn’t taking them off the market. But for some people, the band is just a little large, and that can be a problem. The new Aeropoex Mini feature a 9.5 mm shorter frame for a snug fit.
Bone Conduction headphones should make running and bicycling a better experience. You get to listen to music and maintain situational awareness. That’s because they have an open style that let sound in so you can hear what’s around you.
But the larger band featured in the original Aeropex can lead to discomfort; instead of a snug fit, you get a pair of headphones that can bounce off your neck and shoulders depending on the size of your head. For some, that’s no big deal—until you wear a shirt with a collar and the band gets trapped in it. The Aeropex Mini shaves a little off headband to provide that missing snug fit.
You can put them on and go for a run without worrying the Aeropex will bounce up and down along the way. The company announced them back at CES 2020 and promised it would release them in Q2 of this year. That time has come and gone, and we never saw that happen. Now the new set is finally ready.
Like the original Aeropex headphones, the Mini set uses Bluetooth 5.0 to connect and are IP67 water resistance rated. That’s good enough for exercise, though you wouldn’t take them for a swim. And since only the band is smaller, AfterShokz promises the same eight hour battery life.
You can buy the $160 Aeropex Mini from the AfterShokz site today or from Amazon, and if you do prefer something a little larger, you can still get the original Aeropex too, which also comes in more colors.
