Shokz OpenDots One review: premium clip-on earbuds that finally get it right

I'm one of those people who just can't get on with in-ear earbuds. They always either fall out, or just sit uncomfortably.

Over-ear buds, with loops that fit over my ear lobe, have been a bit of a saviour for me. But there is another way.

Clip-on earbuds are becoming more and more popular. They "clamp" themselves down either side of your ear lobe, with the earpiece resting gently in your ear, and the other side providing security.

I've tried a few, and they're a great solution, but I've never found a pair I've been happy with. Until now.

Shokz, one of my favourite audio brands, has just launched their OpenDots One clip-on earbuds, and they're priced at a rather alarming £179. This means they're squarely aimed at the premium market, so they'd better be good. And, happily, they are.

It's worth mentioning they're quite a bit cheaper than the uber-premium Bose Ultra Open buds, but having lived with the Opendots for a few weeks, I'm not sure why you'd pay extra.

Straight away, there's a premium feel to them. Even before you've lifted the nicely-weighted lid on the two-tone case, they feel expensive.

And the buds themselves are gorgeous. The silicone layer is soft but tough, and they feel extremely light in the hand - they're actually less than 6g each.

This lightness means they instantly feel comfortable. If you've got any reservations about clip earbuds feeling tight around your ear lobe, don't worry. These walk the tightrope between a secure fit and a comfortable fit beautifully. And you pretty much forget you're wearing them.

Open ear earbuds tend to suffer with a loss of quality compared to a bud that's stuffed tightly into your ear, but Shokz are well-versed in wringing every bit of sound quality out of the technology, and it's all been honed to perfection in this latest launch.

There's plenty of bass, which is the first thing you notice, and the first thing that comes as a surprise if you've worn open ear buds before.

Higher frequencies are crisp and clear, and there's little in the way of sound leakage, thanks to a technology called DirectPitch.

It's fair to say the fussy audiophiles will still find issues with the overall sound quality, but they're easily as good as some high-end in-ear buds, and that's really saying a lot.

Battery life is pretty good at 10 hours playback, with 40 hours available from the wirelessly-charging case, and there's an accompanying app which offers little more than EQ settings.

As you'd probably expect, they have touch controls to cycle through basic functions, and they're customisable in the app. And while they're quite easy to hit by accident, you do need to double-tap, which avoids false inputs.

What you'll like most about the Opendots, though, is how secure they are. I'm not a runner, but I have been late for a train wearing these, and they never even wobbled. I've taken them cycling, too, and they stayed on fine. They also fit well alongside cycling glasses, too. Although the helmet strap did get in the way a bit.

Normally at this point in a review, I'd find something to complain about, but it's very hard to mark them down.

I wish they were a little bit cheaper, because the price might put people off switching to open-ear buds if they've found a pair of in-ear buds they're comfortable with. And that would be a pity, because you really are missing out on a brilliant solution with clip-ons.

And these are surely the best of the bunch.