Product review: Shokz Trekz Titanium Mini

The Trekz Titanium Mini from Shokz (formerly Aftershokz) are bone conduction headphones that use vibrations to send sound through the cheekbones into the inner ear and leave the outer ear open.

Available to buy from sportrewards.co.uk
Ages: 11 to 25

Reviewed by Susie, mum to Leo (11) who is severely deaf in one ear.

Leo

"Leo was diagnosed with cholesteatoma aged four. This destroyed the small bones of hearing in his right ear and therefore he has very limited hearing in it. His ear can hear but with no hearing bones the sound can’t get to the cochlea. If Leo uses regular headphones he tends to have the volume quite loud and is oblivious to anything going on around him. It’s like he’s in a little soundproof bubble.

We borrowed the Trekz Titanium Mini bone conduction headphones from the Technology Test Drive. These clever headphones rely on vibrations; the sound is passed to Leo’s cochlea through his cheek bones and other bones in his skull, bypassing his missing ear bones. This is fantastic for Leo as it means he can hear in both ears while using the headphones, whereas most of his world of sound is just through one ear.

The headphones are light, robust and easy-to-use which makes them a great piece of kit. While he’s listening to music or watching his tablet, he’s also still aware of things going on around him as his ears aren’t covered. Leo loved them so he was very happy to receive a pair of his own last Christmas!"