The H2O SnowPro bone conduction headphones aim to deliver audio freedom for winter sports and watersports. With a fully waterproof design and unique features like onboard storage, do these niche headphones provide quality sound?
Overview of Bone Conduction Technology
Bone conduction headphones work differently than traditional headphones. Rather than directing sound through your ear canal, bone conduction uses vibrations to transmit audio through facial bones directly to your inner ear.
This enables an “open ear” listening experience – you can hear both your music and ambient sounds around you. Bone conduction originated in hearing aid research before making its way to consumer electronics.
Early bone conduction headphones placed transducers behind the ear. Most models today position the drivers to rest on your cheekbones against the bone.
Benefits of bone conduction include:
- Open-ear listening while maintaining awareness
- Hearing protection at lower volumes
- Doesn't obstruct or put pressure on ear canals
Drawbacks compared to regular headphones:
- Weaker bass performance
- Less sound isolation from ambient noise
- Can cause tickling or vibration sensations on the skin
The H2O Snow Pro aims to deliver bone conduction capabilities in a fully waterproof package for swimming, surfing, and snow sports.
Snow Pro Design, Controls and Features
The Snow Pro has an IPX8 rating up to 12 feet (3.6 meters) meaning it can be submerged underwater without damage. The waterproof design includes:
- Hard plastic earpieces to house electronics
- Neoprene headband that wraps behind the head
- Silicone ear hooks to hold drivers against cheekbones
- Physical buttons to control power, volume, playback, and even recording
A unique feature is 4GB of onboard memory storage that lets you load and play MP3 tracks without needing a Bluetooth connection to your phone. The headphones even allow you to record and store audio from streaming apps over Bluetooth for offline listening later – a handy capability for watersports, though clunky compared to modern wireless listening.
My review units survived a minor 4-foot drop onto the floor. However, the audio cut out temporarily, raising minor concerns about potential long-term durability with rugged use.
Audio Performance
With an open-ear design that doesn't obstruct your ear canal, the SnowPro provides zero sound isolation. You'll hear ambient sounds around you along with your audio.
Since bone conduction transmits vibrations through your facial bones, the Snow Pro's sound profile favours mids over booming bass or sparkling treble. Podcasts and vocal-centric music come through clearer than bass-heavy EDM.
Crashing cymbals and songs with more high-frequency content can cause the earpieces to tickle your skin. Lower-frequency radio voices didn't vibrate nearly as much in my testing. The lack of isolation makes voices intelligible in moderate ambient noise, but loud environments can overwhelm your music.
Battery life is rated for 6-8 hours of continuous playback, aligning with my real-world testing. However, the low battery warning only provides a couple of minutes of notice before forced shutdown.
Who Should Buy the H2O Snow Pro?
The Snow Pro is purpose-built for watersports like swimming, and surfing, along with snow sports like skiing and snowboarding. It succeeds as a rugged bone conduction headset for aquatic audiophiles not demanding premium fidelity.
At $159 (CAD 218), it's overpriced for the waterproof capabilities and onboard memory player. While audio quality falls short of normal Bluetooth earbuds costing half as much, the bone conduction design enables sports and activities that aren't possible with traditional headphones.
Ultimately, bone conduction headphones excel for specific outdoor pursuits where hearing your surroundings remains important. If you need tunes around water or for biking safety, the Snow Pro brings underwater sound.
The Bottom Line
The H2O SnowPro bone conduction headphones supply underwater audio freedom for adventures. Just temper expectations for fidelity and on-ear comfort. For aquatic listening where awareness is key, they deliver a unique experience.
