The open-ear design means I can hear my surroundings, but the audio quality leaves something to be desired.

I rarely go for a run or walk without listening to something. But for safety reasons, I try to avoid headphones that block out surrounding noise and make me less aware of my surroundings. There are a few different styles of headphones that allow you to stay alert and aware, including open-ear headphones, bone-conduction headphones, and open-back headphones.

The Soundcore AeroFit headphones fall into the open-ear category, keeping your ear canal open so you can hear what’s going on around you. I’ve been using them for a few weeks on my runs and walks, and while they have some good things about them, they also fall short in some key areas.

Price, availability, and specs

What I liked about the Soundcore AeroFit Open-ear headphones

Better awareness with plenty of volume

The Soundcore AeroFit headphones offer an open-ear experience, leaving my ears open to surrounding noise. That means I can hear traffic as it approaches or people coming up behind me. Despite the open-ear design, they provide a lot of volume, so I can still easily hear my music or podcasts without coming near the maximum level. In fact, I typically only have the volume level set to about a third of what’s possible, even when outside on a busy road with wind noise.

On top of the big sound, you’ll also get big battery life. Anker promises 11 hours of life with the included charging case. I’ve been using them nearly daily for a few weeks, though for only 30 minutes at a time on most occasions, and have yet to charge the case. The case itself is only just running low on battery, though the headphones themselves are still totally full. You definitely won’t have to charge them very often, which is very appreciated.

One thing I love to have access to with my headphones is an app, and the Soundcore AeroFit provide just that. The Soundcore app provides firmware updates for the headphones, so you can take advantage of new software features without having to buy a new pair of headphones. The app lets you keep an eye on battery life and customize touch controls.

The app also offers EQ settings, including Treble Booster, Podcast, Volume Booster, and Soundcore signature presets. There’s also a 3D Surround Sound option for movies and games, or you can create custom EQ settings.

What I didn’t like about the Soundcore AeroFit Open-ear headphones

Sound quality lags behind the price

Unfortunately, I was not impressed with the sound from the Soundcore AeroFit headphones. Open-ear headphones will never match the sound quality of in-ear or over-ear headphones, but these lagged behind other open-ear and even bone-conduction headphones I’ve tested. The sound overall is kind of mushy, with very little detail. The bass is there but sounds hollow instead of deep and full, and the individual sounds blend together. That’s okay for podcasts, but it is disappointing listening to some of my favorite songs and missing out on the nuanced details.

While I like having access to the EQ settings, they are quite lacking.

The presets aren’t very impressive, and the custom EQ doesn’t significantly change sound quality. While $100 for open-ear headphones is fairly mid-range, especially with app connectivity, I still would hope for better sound and more powerful EQ settings for that price.

Finally, it may just be my ears, but the over-ear style always feels like a balancing game, and that remains true with the Soundcore AeroFits. They take some maneuvering to get on, especially since my short, always-down hair seems to be in the way at all times. It’s also a bit finicky to get them in just the right spot over my ears to get the best sound. Plus, while I’ve never had them fall off, it feels like they are just resting there and that if I move my head too much or in the wrong way, down they will go.

Should you buy the Soundcore AeroFit Open-ear headphones?

The Soundcore AeroFit Open-ear headphones make sense for a very niche group of people, but broadly speaking, I have a hard time completely recommending them. Yes, they are durable and able to withstand plenty of sweat, which is good for those who want a pair of workout headphones. But the hook-style design means they aren’t great for anything other than basic movement. The app connectivity is useful, but the sound quality and disappointing EQ settings take away from that. All that said, if you need situational awareness and want a step above the budget options, this would be the pair to buy.