Regular readers have seen a significant amount of earbud reviews here on The Mobile Gadgeteer thanks in part to the removal of the 3.5mm headset port and watches offering onboard music support. I enjoy using earbuds when I work out, but after testing out the Trekz Air bone conduction headphones three years ago I prefer to run with my ears open. This is especially true now as we move to a period with darkness falling earlier and my running taking place at night with a headlamp and wildlife in the woods.

For the past few weeks, I have been running and walking with theMojawa Mojo 1 headset and I've been pleased with its performance. They offer longer battery life, a newer version of Bluetooth, and a higher water-resistant rating than the Trekz Air I have been using.

Also: Trekz Air wireless bone conduction headphones: Run safer hearing your environment

AfterShokz now has a newer model, called the Aeropex, that offers the same specs as the Mojo 1 headset with a two-year warranty and a price of$159.95.

Mojo 1

pros and cons

• Good quality audio performance
• Long battery life
• Comfortable fit
• Lightweight design

• Buttons hard to activate
• Proprietary charging cable

Specifications

• Water resistance: IP67 rating
• Battery: 150 mAh with wireless charging cable, rated for 8 hours of playback. 80 minutes needed to charge the headset.
• Wireless connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0
• Materials: Soft touch matte silicone cover over a flexible metal frame
• Headset weight: 34 grams

Hardware

The retail package includes theMojo 1 headset , a USB-A to wireless charging connector cable, foam earplugs to block out ambient sound, and two Alula reflective strips. The charger connects easily thanks in part to magnets that help align and keep the charger connected.

The wraparound headset has an unspecified metal frame and is coated in soft-touch silicone material with a matte finish. The headset is a dark gray/light black color with silver highlight panels on each side. One Alula reflective strip attaches to the back of the headset to help evening safety where car lights will reflect off of this small strip. If you have long hair and the headset is under your hair and along the back of your neck, then this obviously will not help with safety.

Mojo 1 bone conduction headset review: in pictures

The charging cable connects to the inside flat part of the right rectangular section where electronics and likely batteries are positioned. On top of this right side rectangular piece are two large buttons to control power and volume. An LED indicator light is also found on the outside near the silver panel. At the end of the right side where the bone conduction piece touches your skin there are two microphones for calls and your voice assistant.

There is not much going on with the left side, but at the end of the bone conduction piece, the structure on the outside serves as the multi-function button. Single, double, and triple presses of the multi-function button control your music and calls. A press and hold for two seconds with an incoming call also declines that call. When there is no call, a two-second press and hold launches your selected voice assistant.

Also: AfterShokz Xtrainerz swimming headphones: Motivating you to keep going in the pool

Daily usage experiences and conclusion

I found the design to be very similar to my Trekz Air headset, which is a good thing since that headset is comfortable for hours of wear during exercise. The reflective strip is a nice safety feature and I'll be using it soon as I start running in the dark.

The multi-function button is easily accessible, but when you want to perform double and triple presses you have to be diligent and measured with your presses. Although the two top buttons on the right side are large I have found them a bit difficult to activate since they do not stick up far from the structure and there is not much feedback when pressed. I hate the tiny buttons on my Trekz Air so I was hoping these large buttons would be easier to use.

Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised by the level of bass that is offered with this headset and that was quite unexpected. The volume level was also great, which isn't always the case with bone conduction headphones. I understand you will never get the same high fidelity audio experience via bone conduction as you will with a standard set of earbuds, but the Mojo 1 offers a pretty solid audio experience.

Callers said I sounded fine on calls and the voice assistant would flawlessly when activated. People close to me also could not hear the music playing, which is still an interesting thing to experience with bone conduction technology.

After charging up the headset, I used it for a couple of weeks worth of running between charges and the advertised eight hours is about right. You can also use these to run in the rain with the IP67 water-resistant rating so I'm all set for the next 7 months of drizzle and rain in the Pacific Northwest.

The Mojo 1 headset is available onAmazon for$139.99 , a fair price for a long-lasting and good performing pair of bone conduction headphones.