We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-06 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a lightweight, open-ear headphone that keeps you aware of traffic and traffic-free ears while you run, ride or watch movies on a tablet, choose Bayhanc Bone Conduction Headphones; if you need a featherweight wired on-ear pair with a hard 85dB volume cap for kids, teens or travel, choose Skullcandy Icon 180.
• Bayhanc's biggest strength: Open-ear bone conduction design at just 28g, so your ear canals stay open and the wraparound frame sits stable through workouts — plus Bluetooth 5.4 and 10 hours of playtime.
• Bayhanc's biggest trade-off: No active noise cancelling and no wired fallback — it's wireless-only, and open-ear sound means you'll hear the room around you (which is the point, but not for everyone).
• Skullcandy's biggest strength: A true plug-and-play 3.5mm wired headphone with an 85dB volume limiter — no charging, no pairing, no battery anxiety.
• Skullcandy's biggest trade-off: Wired-only with no Bluetooth, no noise cancelling, and it uses an on-ear fit rather than open-ear, so it physically covers your ears and blocks some outside sound.
• Who Bayhanc is for: Runners, cyclists, commuters and anyone who wants lightweight wireless audio for movies, podcasts and calls while staying aware of their surroundings.
• Who Skullcandy is for: Teens, parents buying a safe-listening gift, travelers who want a cable they never have to charge, and anyone who just wants to plug into a laptop or handheld console.
The Bayhanc is built around one idea: keep your ears open. Bone conduction drivers sit outside the ear canal and vibrate through the bone, so nothing is stuffed into your ear. That's why the frame is a wraparound rather than a band — it hooks over the ears and behind the head. At 28g it's genuinely light, and Bayhanc says it plays nicely with most eyeglasses, which matters if you run or cycle in prescription frames or sunglasses.
Inside are 16mm bone conduction drivers rated at 8 ohm impedance, 90dB sensitivity and a 2000Hz frequency response. I'd read that spec sheet as "clear vocals and balanced everyday sound" rather than bass-heavy listening — good for podcasts, audiobooks, spoken navigation and dialogue-heavy movie scenes, less so if you want thumping low end. Connectivity is Bluetooth 5.4 with a stable range up to 33 feet and a built-in mic for calls. Battery is 10 hours with a 2-hour USB-C charge. It's sweat-resistant for workouts and light rain, though not rated for full submersion. There's no active noise cancelling, and controls are physical push buttons rather than touch.
Buy it if you want a lightweight wireless headphone for running, gym sessions, cycling, hiking and commuting, or if you like the idea of watching a movie on your phone or tablet with one ear still tuned to the room. It's also the better pick for anyone who hates the plugged-up feeling of in-ear buds. Skip it if you want isolation, deep bass or a wired connection — those simply aren't what this design does. It ships with a cable, the headphones and a manual, and carries a 2-year manufacturer warranty.
The Icon 180 is the opposite philosophy: simple, wired, and cheap to live with. It's an on-ear headphone — the earpiece is a circle that rests on your ear rather than around it — made from faux leather, plastic and silicone, in True Black, at 145.5g. That's still light enough to forget about on a short trip, and the adjustable headband helps it sit properly on smaller heads, which is clearly why the age range is listed as teen.
The headline feature is the built-in 85dB volume limiter. That caps how loud the drivers can go, which is the whole reason a parent buys this instead of a random pair of earbuds. Sound comes from a dynamic driver with 109dB sensitivity — plenty loud within the cap. There's an in-line microphone and push-button/touch controls for calls and track skipping, and the 3.5mm AUX plug goes straight into a phone with a headphone jack, a laptop, a tablet, a Switch or a plane's seat-back screen. No pairing screen, no low-battery chime, no charging. There's no noise cancelling here either, and no Bluetooth at all. It ships with the headphones and a manual, and the warranty is 1 year.
Buy it if you want a no-fuss wired headphone for travel, homework, handheld gaming or a teen's first proper pair — especially if safe volume matters. Skip it if you need wireless freedom, sweat resistance for hard training, or open-ear awareness.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for workouts and running → Bayhanc Bone Conduction Headphones. Sweat-resistant, 28g, stable wraparound fit, no ear tips to fall out.
• Best for staying aware of your surroundings → Bayhanc. Open-ear by design; the Icon 180 physically covers your ears.
• Best for travel and plug-in simplicity → Skullcandy Icon 180. A 3.5mm cable works on planes, laptops and consoles with zero setup.
• Best for battery life flexibility → Bayhanc. 10 hours of playback and a 2-hour USB-C charge, versus a wired headphone that never needs charging at all.
• Best for movies and dialogue → Bayhanc for wireless convenience, Skullcandy for a straight cable into a bigger screen. For a lightweight, foldable-style wireless setup for movies, the Bayhanc is the one that travels without a cord.
• Best for teens and gifts → Skullcandy Icon 180. Lighter on the wallet in spirit, adjustable, and volume-capped.
• Best for calls on the move → Bayhanc. Bluetooth 5.4 with a built-in mic beats being tethered to your phone.
If you're weighing this against in-ear earbuds for movies, remember the trade: sealed in-ears and active noise cancelling in-ear earbuds for movies will block more distraction, but the Bayhanc gives you awareness instead. Different jobs.
In my opinion, the Bayhanc Bone Conduction Headphones are the better buy for most people reading this, because the lightweight 28g open-ear design, Bluetooth 5.4, 10-hour battery and workout-ready build cover more everyday situations — running, commuting, calls and casual movie watching — than a wired on-ear can. That said, I'd hand the Skullcandy Icon 180 to a parent, a teen or a frequent flyer in a heartbeat, because the 85dB limiter and the 3.5mm plug solve problems the Bayhanc simply doesn't address. Pick based on whether you value wireless freedom and awareness, or a capped, cable-simple headphone. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit.
how to wear on ear headphones
On-ear models like the Skullcandy Icon 180 rest the circular earpieces against your ears rather than over them. Extend the adjustable headband until the pads sit flat and centered on each ear without pressing hard, and route the 3.5mm cable down the side you prefer.
how to make on ear headphones more comfortable
Start with the headband: too tight causes pressure, too loose causes slipping. Because the Icon 180 uses faux leather and silicone pads, keeping them clean and dry helps them stay soft, and taking short breaks during long sessions reduces clamping fatigue.
how to wear on ear headphones comfortably
Adjust the headband so the pads sit level on both ears, not tilted, and let the cable hang freely so it doesn't tug. If you wear glasses, slide the arms under the pads rather than on top of them — or consider an open-ear design like the Bayhanc, which Bayhanc states pairs easily with most eyeglasses.
how to clean on ear headphones
Wipe the faux leather and plastic surfaces with a soft, slightly damp cloth, and avoid soaking the pads or the 3.5mm plug. Don't use harsh solvents on the silicone or faux leather, and let everything air-dry fully before your next session.
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