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If you want to keep a pair of AirPods Pro 2 locked in your ears during runs and workouts, choose Proof Labs 4; if you need a standalone open-ear Bluetooth headphone you can wear with glasses for hours at a time, choose Xmenha Open Ear Headphones.
• Proof Labs 4 — biggest strength: silicone over-ear hooks that add grip to earbuds you already own, in two sizes, with a storage pouch and carabiner to keep it all together.
• Proof Labs 4 — biggest trade-off: it isn't a headphone at all. It only works with AirPods Pro 2nd Generation, and you have to pull the hooks off before charging.
• Xmenha Open Ear Headphones — biggest strength: a complete wireless headphone with 5–7 hours per charge, a charging case that adds around 35 hours, and soft hooks designed to sit comfortably alongside glasses.
• Xmenha Open Ear Headphones — biggest trade-off: open-ear sound leaks in outside noise by design, and the two-in-one open/semi-in-ear fit asks you to pick between volume and comfort.
• Pick Proof Labs 4 if you already own AirPods Pro 2 and just want them to stop falling out.
• Pick Xmenha if you want an all-in-one open-ear headphone for running, cycling and long wear with glasses.
Proof Labs 4 is an accessory, not a headphone, and that single fact decides everything about who should buy it. It's a set of soft silicone hooks that wrap over the top of your ear and hold AirPods Pro 2nd Generation in place. If your AirPods fit fine when you're sitting still but start creeping out the moment you jog, tilt your head or sweat, this is the exact problem it's built to solve. The hooks are flexible rather than rigid, so they add grip without turning your earbuds into something bulky.
The kit is thoughtfully put together for people who lose small things. You get two pairs in Small and two pairs in Large, so you can size each ear independently — useful if one ear has always been fussier than the other. There's also a storage pouch, a carabiner and a quick-start guide, which means the whole setup can live on a gym bag or belt loop instead of rattling around loose in a pocket. Proof Labs backs it with a one-year manufacturer warranty and its own fit guarantee, which tells you the brand expects sizing to be the main question buyers have.
Xmenha Open Ear Headphones: Who It's For
Xmenha Open Ear Headphones are for a different shopper entirely: someone who wants one device that does the whole job. These are wireless Bluetooth earbuds with over-ear hooks, and the hooks are the headline. Xmenha describes them as ultra-fine soft silicone over thin metal wires, flexible in the way premium memory-metal glasses frames are flexible. That matters because it's the reason glasses wearers can put these on without a fight — the hook sits lightly and, in Xmenha's words, is almost undetectable to the touch. If you've ever given up on ear hooks because they pressed your frames into the side of your head, this is the design detail to care about.
The second thing to understand is the two-in-one fit. Xmenha built these to work either as open-ear headphones, where the sound sits outside your ear canal, or as semi-in-ear headphones for louder volume. That's a genuine trade-off you control: open-ear mode for comfort and awareness, semi-in-ear mode when you want more output. Xmenha also leans hard into safety, positioning the open design as a way to hear traffic and surroundings while you run or ride. That's the honest appeal of open-ear audio, and it's also its honest limitation — you will hear the world around you, which is great on a bike path and less great on a noisy train.
Battery is where these pull clearly ahead of a passive accessory. Xmenha rates 5–7 hours of playtime per charge, with the charging case adding about 35 more hours, and a full case recharge in roughly an hour. The build is featherweight plastic with a skin-tone finish, and Xmenha lists a waterproof, sweat-proof design so rain and workouts aren't a worry. The controls handle noise via sound isolation and a noise control setting. Who should skip these? Buyers who want maximum isolation or deep bass slam — open-ear designs physically can't deliver that. Also skip if you already love your AirPods and only need them to stay put.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for keeping existing AirPods Pro 2 in place → Proof Labs 4. It adds grip to earbuds you already own instead of replacing them.
• Best for glasses wearers → Xmenha. The ultra-fine silicone hooks over thin metal wires are specifically designed to coexist with frames.
• Best for battery life → Xmenha. 5–7 hours per charge plus roughly 35 hours from the case, with a one-hour case recharge.
• Best for sweat and rain → Xmenha. Xmenha lists a waterproof, sweat-proof design; Proof Labs 4 is silicone and makes no such claim.
• Best for staying aware of traffic → Xmenha. The open-ear fit leaves your ear canal uncovered on purpose.
• Best for a low-effort fix with no charging routine → Proof Labs 4. No battery to manage — just remember to remove the hooks before charging your AirPods.
• Best for sizing flexibility → Proof Labs 4. Two pairs of Small and two pairs of Large let you fit each ear on its own terms.
• Best for loudness when you want it → Xmenha. Switch to semi-in-ear mode for more volume, open-ear mode for more comfort.
In my opinion, most people reading this should buy the Xmenha Open Ear Headphones. It's a finished product rather than an add-on: Bluetooth, 5–7 hours per charge, a case that adds around 35 hours, sweat-proofing and hooks built for glasses wearers. I'd only steer you to Proof Labs 4 if you already own AirPods Pro 2 and genuinely love their sound — in that case, spending a little on silicone hooks is a smarter move than replacing hardware you're happy with. The deciding question is simple: are you fixing earbuds you own, or buying a headphone? Fixing, go Proof Labs. Buying, go Xmenha.
how to wear earbuds with ear hooks
Slide the hook over the top of your ear first so the curve rests behind it, then seat the earbud or speaker portion at your ear opening. With the Xmenha pair, the ultra-fine silicone hook sits lightly over thin metal wire, so you position the hook, then choose open-ear or semi-in-ear placement. With Proof Labs 4, you stretch the silicone hook onto your AirPods Pro 2 and then tuck the whole assembly into your ear as usual.
are ear hook earbuds good
They're good at one specific job: staying put. Xmenha's hooks are soft silicone over flexible metal wire, which is why they work alongside glasses, and the open-ear design keeps you aware of your surroundings. The trade-off is that an open fit lets outside noise in, so they're better for running and cycling than for blocking out a noisy commute. Proof Labs 4 applies the same hook logic to AirPods Pro 2 as a grip aid.
how to put on ear clip earbuds
Clip-style and hook-style are different, and both products here use hooks rather than clips. For Proof Labs 4, you stretch the silicone hook over your AirPods Pro 2 and then insert the earbud normally. For Xmenha, you drape the over-ear hook over your ear and settle the earpiece at the opening of your ear canal — no clipping required, and no pressure on your glasses.
how to wear ear hook earbuds
Put the hook on before the earpiece. Rest the curved section over the top of your ear, let it drop behind, then bring the audio portion to your ear opening. Xmenha's hooks are designed to feel almost undetectable, so a light placement is enough — don't force them. On Proof Labs 4, fit the hook to your AirPods Pro 2 first, then insert as you normally would, and remove the hooks before charging.
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