We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-24 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want to keep a pair of Bose on-ear headphones alive with fresh, comfortable cushions, choose G GVOEARS Pads Replacement; if you need a complete wireless on-ear headphone for workouts, travel and long listening sessions, choose Skullcandy Icon 180.
• G GVOEARS Pads Replacement — biggest strength: replacement cushions built for Bose OE2 / OE2i / SoundTrue On-Ear / SoundLink On-Ear headphones, with protein leather, breathable mesh cloth and high-density memory foam.
• G GVOEARS Pads Replacement — biggest trade-off: it is not a headphone. It is a single pad set that only fits that specific Bose on-ear family, and installation means taking the old pads off first.
• Skullcandy Icon 180 — biggest strength: a full wireless on-ear headphone with up to 50 hours of battery, Rapid Charge, multipoint pairing, a 3.5mm AUX cable and a foldable travel design.
• Skullcandy Icon 180 — biggest trade-off: no active noise cancelling and no noise control at all, so isolation comes only from the on-ear fit itself.
• Who each pick is for: G GVOEARS for someone who already owns compatible Bose on-ear headphones and wants to restore comfort; Skullcandy Icon 180 for someone who wants one ready-to-go wireless on-ear headphone for commuting, training and travel.
The G GVOEARS Pads Replacement is a maintenance part, not a gadget. It is designed to slot onto Bose OE2, OE2i, SoundTrue On-Ear and SoundLink On-Ear headphones, matching the original shape. The outer layer is protein leather, and between that leather and the inner ring sits a breathable mesh cloth bonded with a strong glue so the mesh does not peel away from the pad over time. Inside, high-density memory foam gives that soft, slow-bounce feel. The point of all this is simple: your ears stay comfortable through a long listening day instead of getting sore after an hour.
That combination also matters for sound. A pad that seals properly around the ear helps minimize leakage and supports noise isolation, which is exactly what you want on an on-ear design where the cushion is doing most of the acoustic work. If your existing Bose pads have gone flat, cracked or started flaking, replacing them is usually the cheapest way to make an old pair feel new again.
Who should buy it? Anyone with one of those compatible Bose on-ear models whose cushions have worn out, and who wants the same fit and feel as the original without hunting for a different headphone. The package includes a user manual, and the brand suggests the job is doable in about 10 minutes, so it is a reasonable DIY task rather than a repair-shop visit. It comes as a single count, and there is a 180-day warranty description on the listing.
Who should skip it? Anyone who does not own a compatible Bose on-ear headphone — this pad will not fit other brands or other Bose lines. And anyone who actually wants new wireless headphones should not buy a pad at all. This is a fix for something you already own.
The Skullcandy Icon 180 is a self-contained wireless on-ear headphone. The headline number is battery: up to 50 hours of average life on a single charge, with a full charge taking about an hour. Rapid Charge is the practical part — 10 minutes of charging gets you roughly 4 hours of listening, which is the kind of thing that saves you on the way out the door. Multipoint pairing lets it hold two devices at once and switch between them, so a laptop call and a phone can share the same headphone without constant re-pairing.
It is built to leave the house. A protective nano-coating keeps moisture out, so sweat, rain and spills are less of a problem than they would be on a bare fabric-and-foam headphone. The design is flat-folding and collapsible, and Skullcandy includes a 3.5mm AUX cable so you can plug in when wireless is not an option. The oval earcups use faux leather with metal, plastic and silicone in the build, the driver is a 30mm dynamic type, and it runs Bluetooth 5.3 with button controls. There is also an app for EQ presets, custom EQ and low-latency audio.
Comfort leans on plush on-ear cushions and a softly padded headband, which is the right call for a headphone meant to be worn for hours. On the trade-off side, there is no active noise cancelling and no noise control of any kind, so how much outside sound you block depends entirely on how well the on-ear cushions seal. Also worth knowing: controls are physical buttons, not touch, which many people actually prefer for gloved or hurried use. It is aimed at adults and carries a 1-year manufacturer warranty.
Who should buy it? Commuters, gym-goers, students and travelers who want one durable, long-lasting wireless on-ear headphone with a wired backup. Who should skip it? Anyone who needs active noise cancelling for flights or loud open offices — this is not that headphone.
• Best for reviving headphones you already own → G GVOEARS Pads Replacement, provided they are Bose OE2, OE2i, SoundTrue On-Ear or SoundLink On-Ear.
• Best for battery life → Skullcandy Icon 180, with up to 50 hours and a 10-minute charge that yields about 4 hours.
• Best for comfort on a long listening day → G GVOEARS Pads Replacement, thanks to memory foam and breathable mesh cloth, assuming the rest of your Bose headphone is still healthy.
• Best for workouts and wet weather → Skullcandy Icon 180, because of the sweat and water resistant nano-coating.
• Best for travel → Skullcandy Icon 180, with its flat-folding, collapsible frame and included 3.5mm AUX cable.
• Best for two-device switching → Skullcandy Icon 180, via multipoint pairing.
• Best for tuning the sound to your taste → Skullcandy Icon 180, using the app's EQ presets and low-latency mode.
• Best for noise isolation → Skullcandy Icon 180 by fit alone, but note it has no active noise cancelling, so neither option is a true ANC pick.
• Best for a simple DIY fix under 10 minutes → G GVOEARS Pads Replacement, which ships with a user manual and a 180-day warranty description.
In my opinion, these two products only compete on paper because both touch "on-ear" listening, but they solve different problems. If you already own compatible Bose on-ear headphones with worn cushions, I would buy the G GVOEARS Pads Replacement — it is the targeted, low-effort way to restore comfort and seal without replacing the whole headphone. If you need an actual headphone to wear out of the house, I would buy the Skullcandy Icon 180 instead: 50 hours of battery, moisture protection, multipoint pairing, a foldable frame and a wired fallback make it the more complete everyday tool. Buy the pad to fix what you have; buy the Icon 180 to replace it.
FAQ
how to clean on ear headphones
how to wear over the ear headphones
On-ear models like the Skullcandy Icon 180 rest against the outer ear rather than around it, so center each oval cup over your ear and adjust the headband until the padding sits lightly on your head. A snug but not tight fit is what gives you the seal that helps with isolation. If your ears ache after a while, the cushion is usually the culprit — which is where fresh foam pads come in.
how to ear headphones
If you mean how to get a proper fit, start with the headband: extend both sides evenly so the cups sit level, then settle each cup flat against your ear. On the Icon 180, the plush cushions and padded headband are meant for all-day wear, so small adjustments matter more than force. For Bose on-ear models, a worn, flattened pad is often why the fit feels loose.
how to clean over the ear headphones
Remove the pads if the design allows, then wipe the cushions and headband with a damp cloth and let everything dry completely before reassembling. Check the pads for cracks or flaking — once the surface breaks down, cleaning will not bring the comfort back. That is the point where a replacement set like the G GVOEARS pads makes more sense than scrubbing.
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See also: Skullcandy Icon 180 vs TOZO T6, HoneTeek Replacement Major IV vs HAOMUK Replacement Ear Pads, Joghaw Replacement Ear Pads vs LTYIVABHTTW Earpads Replacement