Headphones are getting smarter the latest open-ear buds from Suunto offer head movement controls and monitor your 'neck health'

Date:
Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:41:00 +0000

Description:
The Suunto Spark open-ear buds could be the neck-st generation of performance tech.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member
features. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting
your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter Suunto has released a new set of open-ear headphones, the Suunto Spark They seem similar to the Shokz OpenFit 2+ at first glance, weighing just 9g each However, they also offer head movement controls and neck health monitoring Do you ever wish you had more metrics to worry about on your run? Well, you're
in luck: Suunto, maker of some of the best running watches and best running headphones , has released the Suunto Spark open-ear headphones.

The headphones weigh just 9g each, 1g less than the Shokz OpenFit 2+ , offer 36 hours of listening with the case, have a titanium ear hook and boast
hi-res LHDC 5.0 audio. They're IP55 water- and sweatproof, which means
they'll withstand driving rain and sweat, but you shouldn't submerge them in water. They cost 129.99 / AU$309 (US pricing TBC, but the UK price conversion puts it at around $175). Preset or customizable audio EQ modes are available in the app, but the advantage of open-ear headphones is that you can hear the world around you while you listen, helping you to stay aware of traffic, pedestrians or office conversations. They're ideal for runners, who might
want to stay aware on roads while listening to long tunes. Usually, open-ear headphones are the only kind allowed in official races such as marathons. Article continues below You may like The best open earbuds, all real-world tested by our experts 'If anyone can make open earbuds work, it'd be Skullcandy': these new sports-specific buds could dethrone the Shokz and
cost half as much Presidents' Day Shokz deaks make these already great
earbuds even better

So far, they're very much in line with the other entries in our best open-ear earbuds list in terms of specifications and price. For reference, the Shokz OpenFit 2+ come in at $199.95 / 179 (about AU$370), so it's nice to see the Suunto coming in a little cheaper. (Image credit: Suunto) However, there are also a bunch of extra features we need to talk about, specifically in
relation to running.

For starters, the Suunto Spark headphones offers head movement control. Shake your head from side to side while out on a run, and you'll immediately skip the current song on your playlist. You can also use this feature to answer a call.

In a press release, Suunto said: 'Spark extends beyond audio to become a training companion. Real-time insights help runners monitor cadence, stride, and running mechanics, while voice guidance delivers pace, heart rate, distance, and lap updates directly when connected to a Suunto watch.' Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

While voice guidance based on watch data is nothing new, the prospect of cadence and stride data gleaned just from the headphones' gyroscope is undeniably interesting. I've reached out to Suunto for more details on this, and expect to test it in due course.

Finally the Suunto Spark headphones also track 'neck health', by monitoring 'flexibility, daily neck activity, and fatigue, sending alerts that help
users maintain better posture and avoid overstrain'. That's a new one on me, but given how many of us go through the day with bent necks, peering at our phones, it's probably going to be useful.

Budget smart tech maker Amazfit actually made a pair of headphones with a similar feature way back in 2021 but obviously the idea never caught on. Looks like Suunto is giving the concept another go. Follow TechRadar on
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/health-fitness/fitness-headphones/headphones-are-get ting-smarter-the-latest-open-ear-buds-from-suunto-offer-head-movement-controls -and-monitor-your-neck-health


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