The Kiwi Ears Spark made me a true believer in open-ear headphones for running. They’re crazy comfortable, I can hear my surroundings naturally, and mids/highs are crisp—especially for podcasts. Just know the bass and sound leakage come with the open-ear territory, and the mic isn’t great.
Pros
+Super comfortable open-ear fit that doesn’t irritate my ears during sweaty workouts
+Great awareness of surroundings (natural “passive transparency”)
+Premium-feeling case with solid snap shut and no wobble
+IPX5 water resistance and reliable Bluetooth 5.2 connection
+Crisp mids and highs (excellent for podcasts and voice)
Cons
-Bass is limited due to no ear seal (open-ear physics)
-Sound leakage is noticeable
-Touch controls can be accidentally triggered
-No auto-detection/skin detection when taking them off