Optishokz Revvez Review

Optishokz Revvez 

(It should be noted, I have never reviewed a tech product before, but there are almost no quality reviews for these glasses, so I thought that I would put my two cents out there.)

I took my daughter to a friend's birthday party about two years ago, and between unicorn themed games I struck up a conversation with a fellow dad. He's the manager of the running shoe section of a local athletic store and he had a pair Aftershokz Bone Conductive headphones around his neck. For those new to the bone conductive sound idea, they are headphones that sit on your temple, instead of in your ears. You can hear the music, while also maintaining an awareness of sound around you. He talked them up relentlessly and I finally gave them a listen. The sound was...fine. "Fine" was surprising though, after all there was nothing in my ears. While I filed the idea away, I stuck with my Powerbeats, maintaining a cursory awareness of the technology. 

Earlier this year, I started getting advertisements the Optishokz Revvez, an Indiegogo project from Aftershokz. The Optishokz are a sunglasses with the same bone conductive technology. The more serious I have taken my running, the more I have reveled in shedding excess gear (my favorite part of my Apple Watch is that I was able to ditch running with a phone). The Optishokz felt like the perfect product, and for the $100 backer price, I was in. 

I have had them now for about three weeks. I have logged a half marathon, several trail runs, about 5-6 bike rides. Here are my impressions. 

Pros:

• Greater awareness of surroundings
• Above-average sports sunglasses
• Lightweight 
• Rock solid connection
• Surprisingly good sound quality 
• Convenient for outdoor exercise

Cons:

• Maximum volume is too quiet to be heard in heavy traffic or speeding downhill
• Transducers sitting behind ears takes some adjustment; comfort may vary
• Not "one size fits all"

In the Box

In the box, you'll receive the Revvez, a very nice hard shell case, a cloth case, a USB cable, a buff (basically a multi-purpose bandanna) and a surprisingly important alternative nose piece. Everything looks professional and well made. Good packaging tends to lend confidence with the company. 

Fit

I have a big head. Notoriously, this can be an issue for both glasses and headphones. I often try on glasses that don't reach behind my ears. Headphones end up crushing my head. I was pleasantly surprised that the Revvez fit comfortably right out of the box. Great for me, less great for others. Forums have revealed that for many the Revvez's are comically large and more importantly, the transducers don't create a tight enough seal on their ears for quality sound. The alternate nose piece is important here, as it can raise the glasses up on the nose a bit, helping the transducers settle in behind the ear. 

Which leads to the other important note on fit: the transducers. The transducers need to sit behind your ear with solid contact. There is noting inherently uncomfortable about this (it is certainly more comfortable than a tight-fitting pair of over the ear cans), but there is never a point where they just disappear. You will always know you are wearing them. Also, crank the volume up and you will feel vibrations. I don't mind the vibrations, but others find it disconcerting. 

Battery

They say 6 hours, but since you are going to be listening close to max volume, be ready to charge about 4-5 hours. 

Style

They look like workout shades. I am more into Wayfarer style glasses personally, but I can wear these without feeling like I am advertising my tech nerdiness to the world.

Connectivity

The Revvez's have always stayed connected for me. One issue though, while they support multi-pairing (up to two devices), my phone and watch often fight over connecting to them. I have to unpair and re-pair them often. I am currently blaming Apple, not Optishokz. 

Sound

The sound is the most complicated part of the Revvez package. They have exceeded my modest expectations for sound quality, while falling sadly short in terms of volume. 

First, the positive. You will be shocked how good bone conductive music can sound. On a smaller scale, these sound a bit like a pair of open-back headphones. There is some decent sound stage. The impact while running or hiking is interesting...imagine running on a treadmill in a coffee shop while a band is performing. That is a bit what running with Revvez's is like. It is profoundly different from jamming a pair of bassy workout headphones in your ear. Both have their place. Overall, I have found the Revvez's a delightful change of pace...

...as long as I am not listening to podcasts or books. Switch from music to spoken word and now it is like trying to listen to a soft-spoken friend in the that same coffee shop; during the busiest part of the day. And coffee is being ground. And the Pandora station is playing too loud. And someone is yelling over you from an adjacent table. You get the idea. 

The max volume is just not very loud. While biking this is particularly bad. Good luck following the thread of an idea if you are biking in traffic. Every truck will drown out the sound completely. Even on a trail adjacent to the road, it will be tough to hear just about anything. The nosepiece needs to be mentioned again. I would estimate that the alternate nosepiece increased my volume by about 25%.  

Inconsistency is the story of the day with Revvez. Music? Breezy and fun. Podcasts? Muffled and hard to hear. Trail running/biking? No problem listening at 3/4 volume. City adventures? Crank them to 100% and don't bother with any spoken word. Gym? If you are confident enough to workout inside with $30 clear lenses (when they become available), you are less vain than me. It is challenging to fully enjoy a product that's usefulness is so variable. 

Who Are These For Anyway?

I have let dozens of people try on my Revvez's. They have an undeniable "neat" factor. Everyone is surprised by the sound and is amazed that these things exist. I was struck this weekend when my friend tried them on though; he was the first person to say: "I am buying these". 

For the vast majority of people, I think the Revvez's are going to be an interesting curiosity, but they will be happy with their current headphones and sunglasses. I don't think I have a compelling argument to make with those people. I suppose the safety argument is the one that Aftershokz would like me to make, and I think it's a good one. It just isn't compelling for most people I talk to. 

But I think about friend who instantly loved them. He's a cyclist. He's trail rider. He's a nerd. For him, the glasses just make sense. I think they do for me too. I have considered bailing on the Revvez several times this month, but I keep grabbing them when I go for a run. 

In the running community there used to be a divide between purists arguing against headphones and younger runners, who couldn't imagine pounding the pavement without music. I have firmly been on the side of those who loathe the idea of running without sound. The Revvez is kinda the best of both worlds: the music joins you in nature, rather than drowning it out. I never knew I wanted awareness, until I got it. My trusty Powerbeats feel like they would take something away from my run, rather than add to it. 

Obviously though, this isn't necessarily a case for the Revvez. At the $100 backer price, they are cheaper than top of the line Aftershokz Air's and a pair of $25 Goodr sunglasses. But, if Revvez go to retail at $200...everything becomes more complicated. Aftershokz seem to have higher volume...is the novelty of an all-in-one solution worth the premium? 

Sadly, I think the answer is "no". I will hold on tightly to my backer pair (albeit, with a ear plug in for bike rides to help with sound), but $200 is simply too much for a device that requires this many compromises. 

6/10