The first time I wore earbuds to listen to my MP3 player at work, the day ended with my brother threatening to ban headphones from his job sites. I can’t say I blame him. Not only could I not hear him well, but it also wasn’t safe. The alternative was a step backwards: a repetitive mix of “classics” droning from the radio.

I stumbled upon a solution when my wife, who hated the idea of my riding a road bike in traffic while wearing earbuds, bought me a set of AfterShokz. Rather than playing sound directly into your ear canal, the AfterShokz headset sits just in front of your ears, conducting the sound through the top of your cheekbones. I decided that they’d be perfect for the job site because I could listen to the music I wanted to hear, I could still hear what was going on around me, and I could still use my ear-band hearing protection when necessary.

Several models are available, but the newer choices—the AS320, $45 (shown), and the AS321, $60—feature smaller clip-on power/control modules and other improvements over previous models. AfterShokz aren’t cheap, but for me, they are worth every penny. Although audiophiles may disagree, I find the sound quality of these headphones to be more than adequate—certainly better than a job-site radio parked 50 ft. away.