How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a self-contained open-ear headphone built for cycling after dark, choose HAKII Light 2; if you need a cheap accessory that stops the earbuds you already own from popping out on the bike, choose Trakulon Ear Hooks 2.
These two products get compared a lot because both show up in "cycling earbuds" searches. But they are not the same kind of purchase at all. One is a complete headphone. The other is a two-pair pack of silicone-compatible hooks that clamps onto earbuds you already have. Knowing which one you actually need is 90% of the decision.
• HAKII Light 2 — biggest strength: An integrated 180° Ultra-Bright Beacon String with three lighting modes. That single feature is what separates it from nearly every other open-ear model in this category, and it exists purely for visibility on night rides.
• HAKII Light 2 — biggest trade-off: At 26g with a flexible titanium frame, it is a fixed, dedicated device. You cannot swap it onto another pair of headphones, and if the open-ear fit does not suit your ears, there is no adjustment path.
• Trakulon Ear Hooks 2 — biggest strength: Clip-on, tool-free attachment in seconds, with dedicated left and right hooks shaped to follow the natural ear. Two pairs are included, so you have a spare or a second set for another earbud.
• Trakulon Ear Hooks 2 — biggest trade-off: It is an accessory only. No drivers, no battery, no microphone, no waterproofing claim, no warranty. Earbuds are not included.
• Who HAKII Light 2 is for: Riders who want one complete, safety-focused audio unit they can put on and forget about.
• Who Trakulon Ear Hooks 2 is for: Riders who already like the sound of their JBL Tune Buds and only want to stop them from falling out mid-ride.
The HAKII Light 2 is an open-ear air conduction headphone, and the spec sheet reads like it was designed by someone who actually rides at night. The headline feature is the 180° Ultra-Bright Beacon String with three lighting modes. On a bike, being seen is a bigger problem than hearing, and HAKII attacks that directly instead of bolting a reflector onto the frame.
Audio comes from 16mm BassBoost dynamic drivers with an impedance of 22 ohm and a frequency response up to 20,000 Hz. That is a large diaphragm for this form factor, and the intent is clear: low-end punch to keep you moving. The air conduction approach means no ear insertion and no bone-conduction clamping force against the tragus, so your ear canal stays open and you keep hearing traffic, bells and your riding partners. That is the whole point of open-ear for cycling.
Connectivity is Bluetooth 6.0 with a 10 meter range and low latency, paired with dual AI noise-cancelling microphones for calls. Battery life is quoted at 16 hours with a 1 hour charge time, which covers a full week of short commutes on a single top-up. The IPX5 rating handles sweat and rain splashes, so a wet ride will not end the session. Weight is 26g, the frame is flexible titanium with soft silicone contact points, and the enclosure is ABS. Controls are physical buttons, with app support as well. There is a 1 year warranty. The color is green.
Buy it if you want one device that covers audio, calls, weather resistance and night visibility, you ride in traffic or on unlit roads, or you dislike things sitting inside your ears for long stretches.
Skip it if you already own earbuds you love and just need a fit fix, you want to spend as little as possible on the problem, or you prefer in-ear isolation and sealed bass.
The Trakulon Ear Hooks 2 is a completely different product, and it is important to be honest about that. This is not a headphone. It is a two-pair pack of clip-on ear hooks made of plastic, sold as a third-party accessory compatible with JBL Tune Buds. Trakulon states plainly that earbuds are not included and that the product is not affiliated with or endorsed by any brand owner. That transparency is worth noting.
What it does is narrow and useful: it keeps compatible earbuds from working loose. The hooks are adjustable, lightweight, and shaped with dedicated left and right configurations so the support follows the natural curve of your ear rather than fighting it. Attachment is tool-free and takes seconds, which means you can clip them on for a ride and pull them off for a desk session without any fuss. Trakulon positions them for running, gym work, cycling, commuting, walking and travel.
There is no battery, no driver, no microphone, no IP rating and no warranty listed. The color is black, the material is plastic, and the unit count is two. Those omissions are not flaws so much as the definition of the category. This is a fit-and-stability product.
Skip it if you do not own compatible earbuds, you need audio, calls or lighting from the purchase, or you want a product with a stated warranty behind it.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for night visibility → HAKII Light 2. The 180° Beacon String with three modes is a feature the Trakulon hooks simply do not have, and cannot have.
• Best for riders who already love their earbuds → Trakulon Ear Hooks 2. It fixes fit without changing sound.
• Best for battery life and all-day use → HAKII Light 2. 16 hours of playback with a 1 hour charge, versus no battery at all.
• Best for weather and sweat → HAKII Light 2. IPX5 protection against sweat and splashes. The hooks carry no water-resistance claim.
• Best for calls and meetings → HAKII Light 2. Dual AI noise-cancelling microphones and Bluetooth 6.0 with low latency.
• Best for low-commitment experimenting → Trakulon Ear Hooks 2. Tool-free clip-on, two pairs included, easy to remove if the fit is not right.
• Best for comfort on long rides → HAKII Light 2. 26g, titanium frame, silicone contact points, and zero ear-canal pressure by design.
• Best for owners of JBL Tune Buds with a fit problem → Trakulon Ear Hooks 2. That is exactly the use case it was built for.
In my opinion, if cycling is genuinely your main use and you ride anywhere near traffic or after dark, the HAKII Light 2 is the one I would buy. The beacon lighting, the 16 hour battery, the IPX5 rating and the open-ear awareness are all things you actually feel on a ride, and they are all things the Trakulon hooks cannot deliver because they are not a headphone.
I would only pick the Trakulon Ear Hooks 2 if I already owned compatible earbuds I liked and my problem was purely that they would not stay put. In that specific situation, it is the smarter, more targeted fix. But it solves a fit problem, not a cycling problem. Do check the current price on Amazon before you decide, since the two products sit in very different spending brackets and that gap matters more than any spec here.
Only if you want the extra features. HAKII gives you lighting, a 16 hour battery, Bluetooth 6.0, dual noise-cancelling mics and IPX5 protection in one unit. Ear hooks give you none of that. If you already own compatible earbuds and like them, the hooks are the cheaper path.
No. Trakulon lists them as compatible with JBL Tune Buds specifically, and they are sold as a third-party replacement part with no brand affiliation. Check that your earbuds match before ordering.
HAKII Light 2, clearly. It carries an IPX5 rating for sweat and water splashes. The Trakulon hooks have no water-resistance rating listed, so there is nothing to rely on in wet conditions.
No, and that is intentional. It uses air conduction with an open-ear design, so your ear canal stays open and you keep hearing your surroundings. The environmental noise cancellation is aimed at cleaning up your microphone on calls, not sealing you off from traffic.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.
See also: Blue Logitech vs PROAR USB Condenser Microphone, SYB Shield vs hosabely All-in-One Karaoke Headset, Ttbesmi Mini Invisible Earbuds vs Gentechvvybuy Optical, Audio-Technica AT2005USBPK vs PreSonus AudioBox GO USB-C