If you want better Customer support
Choose EarFun Clip 2. It scores 5.0 vs 1.0 for Customer support, with a 4.4 overall score.
H2O Audio Tri Run Review
Bottom Line
Choose it for secure, featherlight open-ear fit, excellent rain and sweat protection, and simple controls. Skip it if you want strong bass, reliable outdoor call quality, long battery life, USB-C charging, or the best performance near $100.
Best for
Runners and cyclists who prioritize awareness, a secure featherlight fit, strong rain and sweat protection, and simple physical controls. It is especially suitable for podcasts and spoken audio when $99 is a firm ceiling.
Not for
Bass-focused listeners, frequent outdoor callers, swimmers, and athletes who need phone-free playback or more than about six hours per charge should look elsewhere. It also lacks USB-C, app controls, and EQ adjustment.
Verdict
The Tri Run gets the athletic fundamentals right: it is exceptionally light, usually comfortable, secure during running and cycling, easy to control, and protected well against sweat and rain. Its open-ear design also preserves the environmental awareness many outdoor athletes want. The compromise is performance. Most reviewers found the sound merely acceptable, with weak or muddy bass, reduced audibility in wind and traffic, and noticeable cheek vibration near maximum volume. Call quality also drew sharp criticism outdoors. Battery life lands around five to six hours, and the proprietary USB-A charging cable feels dated without quick charging. At a strict $99 ceiling, the simple design can make sense, especially for podcasts and spoken audio. Several reviewers, however, felt a modest extra spend buys substantially better sound, battery life, fit options, and overall value.
Feature Scorecards
Summary
37 reviewed features-
Very positive 4.5-5.012 (32%)
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Positive 3.5-4.47 (19%)
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Neutral 2.5-3.46 (16%)
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Negative 1.5-2.48 (22%)
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Very negative below 1.54 (11%)
Pros
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Open-ear awareness is a standout strength. Traffic, other people, and surrounding activity remain audible, making the headset especially suitable for outdoor running and cycling.
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IPX8 protection is one of the strongest features, giving broad confidence against heavy sweat, rain, and rinsing. The rating does not make Bluetooth playback usable underwater.
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The low weight is a major advantage, with several wearers barely noticing the headset once it was on. Evenly distributed weight helps it stay comfortable during extended exercise.
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Stability is excellent for most runners and cyclists, including uneven trails and intense sessions. Head shape and high collars can still affect how securely the neckband sits.
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Most wearers found the headset extremely light and comfortable for long runs, rides, and hour-plus sessions. The neckband and cheek transducers remain subjective, especially with certain head shapes, hair, collars, or piercings.
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The flexible silicone and rubberized construction feels light yet sturdy rather than cheap. Coatings held up during testing, and the frame was repeatedly described as dependable for active use.
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Pairing is usually quick and reliable across everyday devices. One tester found the two-button connection process unintuitive, but the others reported seamless or trouble-free Bluetooth use.
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The slim wraparound form is familiar, flexible, and unobtrusive during exercise. It creates a secure athletic fit, but the neckband style itself remains a matter of personal preference.
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The frame generally rests gently without pinching or excessive pressure. The cheek drivers also avoid pressing hard enough to cause normal-use discomfort.
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The wraparound frame works comfortably with glasses, hats, helmet straps, and eyewear arms. These accessories did not make the fit feel crowded in the tests that covered them.
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Daily use is mostly simple: power on, connect, and start the workout. One reviewer found the initial two-button pairing method confusing, but most considered setup effortless.
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Vocals, podcasts, and other mid-focused content are a consistent strength. Voices sit forward and remain easy to understand even when the rest of the mix sounds clouded.
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Pairing with a Samsung Galaxy phone worked without issues in the available Android test. No broader Android-specific problems were reported.
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One intensive sweat test produced no connection dropouts. Audio stayed stable even as moisture ran down the wearer’s head and face.
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The headset paired successfully with iPhone, Samsung, Garmin, and Amazfit devices. That broad compatibility makes it practical across phones and fitness watches.
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Physical buttons are widely preferred for workouts and are often easy to reach without breaking stride. Experiences were not uniform: some volume controls felt finicky or sticky, and one wearer could not find a reliable track-skip command.
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High frequencies drew conflicting reactions, ranging from clear and distortion-free to grainy. Simpler pop and spoken content fare better than demanding music.
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The silicone tightening band can transform the fit for a smaller head, but it did not solve the problem for everyone. Fit adjustment is useful yet not universally effective.
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A silicone tightening accessory is included for smaller heads. It produced a perfect fit for one wearer but failed to resolve another wearer’s fit concerns.
Cons
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Low-end performance is the clearest audio weakness: bass is usually described as light, muddy, or missing impact. A few tracks retained audible bass lines, but dense music and windy conditions exposed the limitation.
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Standard USB-C charging is missing. The proprietary cable and USB-A end feel dated and add another accessory to keep track of.
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There is no onboard storage, so playback depends on a phone or connected watch. That prevents underwater listening and true phone-free use, though it matters less for athletes who already carry a connected device.
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Charging works, but the proprietary four-pin cable, USB-A connection, and lack of quick charging are frequent frustrations. Losing the cable can create an inconvenient replacement problem.
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The sound is fixed out of the box because no EQ tools are provided. Listeners who dislike the stock tuning have no way to correct the weak bass or grainy treble.
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Call performance is inconsistent and often poor outdoors. Two callers heard fuzzy, distant, or underwater-sounding speech, although another listener considered the headset suitable for calls and spoken voices.
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High volume can create the characteristic bone-conduction tickle along the cheeks or jaw. For some it stays mild, but others found the vibration distracting or intense enough to stop listening.
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There is no companion app. That keeps operation refreshingly simple, but it also removes control remapping, extra features, and software-based personalization.
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Replacement support can become expensive outside the home market. One UK tester found the shipping cost for a low-priced replacement charging cable unreasonably high.
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Wind handling is weak. Outdoor callers may hear wind and footstep noise more clearly than the wearer’s voice.
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Simultaneous connection to two devices could not be established. One tester viewed the missing multipoint function as a minor limitation rather than a deal-breaker.
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Real-world battery life centers on roughly five to six hours, and the product generally meets that rating. Several competitors run substantially longer, though one tester considered six hours reasonable for such a light headset.
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Spoken audio, vocals, and lighter pop can sound clear enough, but most listeners found music quality only average for the price. Bass-heavy and layered tracks often turn muddy or thin, while one assessment was far more positive about clarity.
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Layered guitars and rhythm sections can collapse into a cloudy mix. The headphones struggle to keep instruments distinct when tracks become dense.
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Overall opinion is split between a capable, simple entry-level workout headset and an underperforming alternative to stronger rivals. Secure fit and awareness earn praise, but sound, calls, battery, and charging keep enthusiasm in check.
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Maximum-volume performance varies sharply. Some upper frequencies stay clear without distortion, while another listener encountered tinny rattling and severe vibration at full output.
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Output is adequate on quiet paths and can sound loud indoors, but wind and traffic often overpower it. One account found it capable of cutting through ambient noise, making this strongly environment-dependent.
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Value depends heavily on a firm $99 budget ceiling. Some see a strong entry point with excellent weather protection, while others argue that spending only a little more brings much better sound, battery life, controls, and fit options.
Compared With Category Average
Compared with other Open-Ear Headphones, this product is above average in Firmware/audio stability, Water/sweat resistance rating, Clamping force comfort, near average in Design and Aesthetics, Comfort during long use, below average in USB-C, Microphone noise reduction, Equalizer customization.
Summary
33 compared features-
Above average 0.4+ pts higher9 (27%)
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Same as average within 0.3 pts9 (27%)
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Below average 0.4+ pts lower15 (45%)
Largest category differences
| Attribute | This product | Category average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| USB-C | 1.2 | 4.3 | -3.1 |
| Microphone noise reduction | 1.0 | 4.2 | -3.2 |
| Equalizer customization | 1.0 | 4.1 | -3.1 |
| Firmware/audio stability | 5.0 | 2.5 | +2.5 |
| Charging | 2.0 | 4.1 | -2.1 |
| Microphone quality for calls | 2.0 | 4.1 | -2.1 |
| Multipoint connectivity reliability | 2.3 | 4.3 | -2.1 |
| Instrument separation | 2.0 | 4.0 | -2.0 |
Consider This Instead
If you want better Equalizer customization
Choose Shokz OpenFit Pro. It scores 4.7 vs 1.0 for Equalizer customization, with a 4.0 overall score.
If you want better Microphone noise reduction
Choose Cleer ARC 5. It scores 4.6 vs 1.0 for Microphone noise reduction, with a 4.5 overall score.
If you want better Bass performance
Choose Shokz OpenDots 2. It scores 4.3 vs 1.9 for Bass performance, with a 3.9 overall score.
Compared in Reviews
Products reviewers directly compared with this model, grouped into quick takeaways.
- Better: swimming playback The Tri 2 Pro is the recommended same-brand option for swimming.
- More expensive: onboard playback Spending more adds onboard Bluetooth memory for phone-free use.
Shokz OpenRun Pro 2
- Better: overall running experience The reviewer considers the pricier Pro model worth the extra spend for serious runners.
- Compared: weight The Tri Run is only slightly heavier, which the reviewer still considers a good result.
- Better: sound and battery life The Shokz option reaches a higher level of sound and battery performance.
Shokz OpenRun
- Compared: battery life and water resistance Shokz runs longer, while the Tri Run carries the stronger waterproof rating.
- Better: fit, sound, and battery life A modestly higher price buys a more complete fit, sound, and battery experience.
- Better: battery life The Shokz model adds two hours of rated runtime.
FAQ
Can I swim with the H2O Audio Tri Run?
No. IPX8 protection handles sweat, rain, and water exposure, but Bluetooth does not work underwater and the headset has no onboard storage.
Is the fit secure and comfortable for running?
Usually yes. Most testers found it light, comfortable, and stable even on uneven trails, though head shape, hair, high collars, and the neckband style can affect fit.
How does the sound quality compare with other workout headphones?
Voices, podcasts, and lighter pop are generally clear, but bass is weak and layered music can sound muddy. Wind and traffic also make the limited output more noticeable.
Is it good for phone calls?
Call quality is inconsistent. Two outdoor tests produced fuzzy, distant, or underwater-sounding speech with poor wind handling, while one reviewer found calls acceptable.
How long does the battery last?
Expect roughly five to six hours in typical use, especially when volume is high. Charging uses a proprietary four-pin cable with USB-A, and there is no quick-charge mode.
Does it have an app, EQ, storage, or multipoint?
It has no companion app, EQ adjustment, or onboard storage. Multipoint pairing was unavailable or could not be established in testing.
Is it worth $99?
It can be a sensible choice when $99 is a hard limit and weather protection matters most. Several testers felt that spending a little more brings noticeably better sound, battery life, and overall refinement.
Sample Expert Reviews We Analyzed
These are a few of the reviews included in our analysis.
road.cc
The H2O Audio TRI Run open-ear bone conduction headphones are the entry point in the American headphone manufacturer’s bone conduction line...
- Review score
- 2.2
tomsguide.com
H2O Audio TRI Run are secure, lightweight, and comfortable bone conduction headphones, perfect for those who take exercise more seriously...
- Review score
- 3.3
wired.com
H2O Audio’s stab at a sub-$100 pair of bone conduction workout headphones just misses the mark.
- Review score
- 3.5
active.com
Discover the features, benefits, and safety of the H2O Audio Tri Run headphones. Learn how they compare to the TRI Pro 2 for runners and...
- Review score
- 4.8
theruntesters.com
Disclaimer: The Run Testers sometimes use affiliate links. This means that we may receive payment if you buy products on our website or...
- Review score
- 4.0
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