Every headphone that has noise cancelling also gives you the option to turn it off, and also to enable audio pass through.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 at least just allows varying levels of passthrough. You can have noise cancelling or noise cancelling + sound from the outside mike. You cannot have noise-cancelling off for better battery life or to cope with windy conditions

They're awful in several other ways too, which is sad for what should be their flagship model

Yep.

I prefer other technologies over noise cancelling in my ordinary use anyway. And my ears feel healthier. But that’s me, not you.