A couple years ago, bone conduction headphones were just a gimmick that never really lived up to the hype. But a company called Aftershokz has continued to evolve the technology and is now developing Trekz Titatnium, which is not just a viable alternative to regular earbuds, but a powerful new way of “listening” that offers several unique advantages.
The two biggest advantages of the Trekz Titanium are comfort and the ability to keep you safe. First, there’s nothing inserted into your ear, which helps to protect your hearing. We are a generation that grew up sticking things into the holes in our heads, but there was a time that this practice was completely unthinkable. These headphones finally pull the plug (pun intended) and allow you to both hear out of your ears and listen to music at whatever volume you like.
This leads to the second advantage; your hearing is unimpeded. Because the technology conducts the audio directly through bones in your head, you can both listen to music and your ears are completely open and receptive to all ambient sounds. This is great news for runners, bicyclists, rollerbladers, unicyclists, and anyone whose safety requires hearing cars, pedestrians, or environmental hazards.
The Trekz Titanium is designed for activity and very durable. The backbone of the headset is a frame built with titanium that is ultra-light and retains shape under extreme torsion. Where it counts, the headset is IP55 certified, which means it is resistant to sweat, moisture, and dust; however, as a surfer, I’m still waiting for a fully-waterproof version.
As for audio, the Trekz Titanium is the evolution of bone conduction sound. In the past, this type of audio has been criticized for its natural sound leakage and weak bass. AfterShokz takes care of this with two trademarked technologies called PremiumPitch+™ and LeakSlayer™. These two developments deliver a high dynamic range and powerful bass, and keep the sound limited to the wearer and not to those around them. In addition, the headset includes dual noise canceling microphones that eliminate external noise and enhance speech.
The Trekz Titanium is not available yet, but you can jump on board their IndieGoGo campaign with the first models set to be released in January of 2016. We’re excited about this new device, and I’m personally looking forward to the first waterproof version for my future surfing sessions.
