Are bone-conducting headsets what middle-aged gamers need to feel alive again?

This article gets a bit personal in terms of my specific use case, so to spare the unbothered from having to sift through that, here’s the gist: The Outlier Free Pro+ bone-conduction headset from Creative Labs is a direct contender to the market leader, the Shokz OpenRun PRO, and it’s a comparison it doesn’t fare too badly in. It doesn’t quite have the full-bodied sound of the Shokz, it’s ever so slightly heavier, and the battery life in general day-to-day usage isn’t as robust in this reviewer’s experience, but its inclusion of a Low Latency Mode gives the Creative set an unassailable advantage for gaming, something which most bone-conductors are completely and utterly useless for. Still here? Cool, thanks. Now, cards on the table: I am definitely not in the usual target market for bone-conducting or “open ear” headphones. They’re specifically aimed at sporty types. Swimmers, who crave a way to listen to music that actually works underwater. Runners, who need a way of listening to their inspirational 90s pop playlists that won’t mask the sound of an EV just before it ploughs into them during the second chorus of Rhythm is a Dancer. And joggers, who go round. And round. And round. Read more