I put my Shokz away within seconds of testing these bone conduction headphones

Suunto Wing 2 bone conduction headphones

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The Suunto Wing 2 is available for $179 in black and coral orange.
• The fantastic audio quality, new voice prompts, and long battery life combine to make this a compelling headset.
• The lights are mounted on the top of the headset, so if you have long hair or wear a hat, they could be obscured.

I need music when I work out. Specifically, classic rock. It motivates me to keep going, so having a headset paired with my watch or phone is a must. I’ve found bone conduction headphones to be the most comfortable format for me when I exercise, and the new Suunto Wing 2 is the best pair I’ve tested in years.

I tested their predecessor last year, the Suunto Wing, and they impressed me with LED safety lights, long battery life, and unique head movement controls. The new Suunto Wing 2 launches at $20 less, adds two new safety light modes, and improves the sound quality to be the ultimate in bone conduction technology. 

Also: Best bone conduction headphones: We’ve tested the best models for your next swim, hike, or run

What’s more, when they’re paired with a Suunto watch (like the new Race 2), you can get real-time voice feedback that includes pace, distance, heart rate, and other metrics aimed to keep you focused so you don’t have to keep looking at your watch. 

In addition to keeping my ears open to stay aware of my surroundings, the headset’s behind-the-neck design keeps them securely attached, even if I’m performing an exercise or activity with extreme movements. 

The form factor also lends itself to long battery life, with the Suunto Wing 2 lasting up to 12 hours, and the included battery power bank providing another 24 hours. 10 minutes of charging provides up to three hours of listening.

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

Speaking of charging, Suunto includes the battery bank that was also a part of the original Suunto Wing design. However, on the Wing 2, the buttons have been redesigned so there is now one long button, allowing space for a standard USB-C port. This now gives you the flexibility to quick charge via USB-C or take along the power bank for charging on the go.

A multi-function button positioned on the outer left part of the headset that goes over your ear provides you with control over the head movement controls, LED light activation, voice assistant access, song and call control, and more. The head movement controls and neck assessments from the Wing are also present in the Wing 2.

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

I already loved the safety aspect of the LED lights on the top outer edges of the headset, but with the Wing 2 Suunto added two new modes for enhanced safety. If you wear the headset while biking, you can enable turn and brake mode so the LED light on the side of your head where you turn will light up so it acts like a turn signal. If you slow down or stop while in this mode then both lights will flash to alert people and vehicles behind you.

Also: My favorite bone conduction headphones have 3 invaluable safety features

The other new safety mode is cadence sync, operating similarly to the Garmin’s LED flashlight functions. The lights on both sides of the Wing 2 will pulse in sync with your running cadence. I prefer using this mode while running in the dark as it helps to illuminate me and since I only run outside, I need additional lighting to make sure I’m visible to anyone (pedestrians and cars alike) around me.

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

I don’t make many calls while out running, but sometimes while trail running or hiking I need to answer calls. The Suunto Wing 2 has dual microphones with AI-powered environmental noise cancellation and a metal mesh windscreen to help with clear calls on both sides of the conversation. Suunto states that the Wing 2 noise cancellation will even work at speeds up to 30 kph.

ZDNET’s buying advice

I was already impressed with the performance and safety features of the Wing, but now the Suunto Wing 2 takes things to the next level. The useful LED light controls, improved audio performance, and better charging options when the cradle is not in my gear bag contribute to a well-optimized pair of bone conduction headphones. 

Combine the Suunto Wing 2 with a Suunto watch for the ultimate in training audio support, just note that the watches don’t have native apps for subscription music services like Spotify.