OpenRock S2 Earbuds Review: Built for Wild Adventures

OpenRock S2 Earbuds Review: Hear the trail, not just the track. Open sound for open spaces. Because the best adventures don’t need to block out the world to sound incredible.

{Tech} for Travel

Air conduction and open-ear earbuds have become more common, especially in sports and outdoor gear, but many people still aren’t sure how they actually work.

Instead of going inside your ears, these sit just outside the ear canal and use air to transmit sound directly into the ear. Your ears stay open to ambient noise, which, while not always the most travellers’ first choice for in-flight earbuds, they are ideal for outdoor activities where awareness matters, such as running, hiking, and exploring the great outdoors.

The new OpenRock S2 Earbuds are a lightweight open-ear sport earbud that offer a new take on portable audio for travellers and adventurers. They promise to blend all-day comfort with premium audio features, including Hi-Res Audio certification and LDAC support.

If your aim is to use these open-ear earbuds for outdoor pursuits, you’re in for a treat, as they’re feather-light thanks to a 7g hook-clip design made from flexible titanium wire and soft-touch silicone.

The design includes a 3-point support system that anchors on the ear rim, ear clip, and ear wheel, creating a stable triangular grip without clamping.

They’re shaped with an adjustable 20–30° tilt angle, which helps align the speaker with your ear canal while letting sweat naturally slide off. This is part of OpenRock’s triple-sweatproof system, which has given the S2 earbuds an IPX5 rating.

When it comes to audio, the S2 features uncompromising performance driven by BassDirect technology, which utilises acoustic air channels to enhance bass without compromising the design. Add in a carefully angled sound port, and you get clean, directional audio with minimal sound leakage.

Certified for Hi-Res Audio and supporting LDAC Bluetooth streaming, the S2 offers deeper lows and crisp detail.

OpenRock says the S2 Earbuds offer up to 32 hours of combined playtime (8 hours for the earbuds alone) between the earbuds and the charging case, which is ideal for multi-day trips or long weekends off the grid. And, if you’re someone who likes to share their adventures on social media, the built-in camera control is a handy extra, and easy to use thanks to the built-in physical controls.

As a frequent traveller, there is likely only one reason you would look elsewhere, and that’s if you’re only searching for some in-flight earbuds. Otherwise, there’s plenty to get excited about the S2 Earbuds and understanding the type of travel these open-ear buds are perfect for… the great outdoors.

They are marketed on the OpenRock website as Sports Earbuds, and since outdoor adventure is a sport, the S2 are built for the elements and boast numerous features.

But let’s start with what matters most, how they sound.

Open-ear designs usually struggle with bass, but I was surprised by how well the S2 delivered. The BassDirect technology delivered, and the bass felt directional and contained, not bloated.

Even at mid volume, the clarity in vocals and podcasts stood out to me, despite the presence of noisy ambient sounds around me. While at a higher volume, they held definition without getting harsh or leaky.

These aren’t trying to match in-ear ANC buds, but what they do, they do cleanly. You’re not getting booming bass or sealed-in isolation, but the audio is well balanced and surprisingly refined.

The open-ear design naturally limits depth, but LDAC support helps recover some of that texture.

Getting the fit right took some trial and error. The speaker doesn’t sit in your ear; it sort of hovers just outside it, something my ears weren’t entirely sure about at first. I spent the first day fiddling with the angle and clip until it clicked (figuratively, not literally).

But once I got used to it, they became one of the most comfortable earbuds I’ve worn for long stretches. They’re so light that I occasionally forget I had them on, and even after several hours. There was zero ear fatigue!

It’s a clever design, secure without clamping, and stable enough to trust on the move. I even took them out for a run, and they didn’t budge. No slipping, no need to readjust. For something so lightweight, the grip is impressively secure without being noticeable.

I used the OpenRock S2 throughout a full day of work, which is often a mix of calls, music, and testing settings in the app, and the S2 buds just kept going.

I wasn’t checking the clock every five minutes, but I came close to the quoted 8-hour mark on a single charge. That’s more than enough for most journeys or long days out. And if you do run low, a five-minute case charge gives you another hour of listening, which is a real win if you forget to top them up before heading out.

Charging from empty took a full 90 minutes, which feels about right. The one thing I missed was wireless charging on the case, which would have made them nearly perfect in the convenience department. However, I mainly use wireless charging at home or in the office, rarely when I’m on the road.

If any other brands are reading this, then please pay attention to the design of the OpenRock app and how capable it is.

It gives you complete control over the earbuds, without feeling complicated or overly technical. A relatively powerful app that is simple to use for all ages!

One of the most useful features is the sound profile selector, which offers three preset modes, each tuned for a different listening style. I found myself mostly sticking with the Rock setting. It felt like the most balanced option. There’s also a punchier setting that adds extra low-end for workouts (Boom), and a more laid-back mode that softens everything down for quieter moments. It’s the kind of flexibility I didn’t expect from a budget-friendly pair.

Beyond sound tweaks, the app lets you remap the controls. However, it only allows for the single long press to be customised; all others are fixed, including the four-tap photo shortcut.

I set mine up for volume control on either side, as I found the long press to be easiest to apply to the physical button, which is housed on the tip of the stem.

You also get toggles for additional features, such as spatial audio and high-resolution mode. Just a heads-up: enabling high-resolution audio turns off multi-device pairing and slightly reduces battery life. Still, the audio gain is noticeable if you’re listening on a good Android phone. Overall, it’s one of the better earbud apps I’ve used, not flashy, but solid and focused.

I’ll be honest, going into the OpenRock S2 Earbuds review, I was sceptical about how well they could perform. Yes, for in-flight use, they’ll do if that’s all you have available, but there are many other options.

But everywhere else, they are an exceptional pair of earbuds, and they’re under $100/£100!

It’s all about having the right tools for the job, the saying goes, and the S2 Earbuds are just that for anyone who wants a soundtrack to their hike, with the bonus of fast and very clear hands-free calling.

In an emergency, they can be a lifeline, especially with on-device controls that allow you to take a photo from your smartphone.

For travellers, the OpenRock S2 offers a rare combination of comfort, awareness, and endurance, while staying alert to your surroundings when it matters. With 32 hours of battery life, there’s no need to worry about running out of juice mid-journey. And thanks to Bluetooth 6, they stay reliably connected even in crowded areas with competing signals.

Features	OpenRock S2 Earbuds
Dimensions	Buds: 50 × 40 × 10 mm Case: 75 × 64 × 19 mm
Weight	7g per earbud
Colour Options	Black White
Connectivity	Bluetooth 6.0 USB‑C
Audio Certification	Hi-Res Audio Certified
Sweat Resistance	Triple system + IPX5 rating
Battery Life	Up to 32 hours (with case)
Remote Camera Control	4-tap photo capture
Features	Open-ear hook-clip with titanium wire 3-point support + semi-in structure 2–30° acoustic alignment BassDirect™ acoustic air channel
In the Box	S2 Earbuds Manuals
Website	openrock.com

The OpenRock S2 Earbuds are priced at $98/£79 direct from openrock.com and travellers can use code TRAVEL at checkout for 20% off.