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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want all-day open-ear comfort with ENC call clarity and easy Bluetooth listening, choose Kinglucky i121; if you need true IP68 waterproofing and 32GB of built-in MP3 storage for swimming, choose MARLALL Liquid Silicone Swimming.
• Kinglucky i121 — biggest strength: a featherweight 5.2g open-ear clip-on design with Bluetooth 5.4, ENC noise-cancelling mics and a stated 50-hour total playtime (6H per charge plus case).
• Kinglucky i121 — biggest trade-off: IPX5 is sweat- and rain-resistant, not swim-proof, so it has no place underwater.
• MARLALL Liquid Silicone Swimming — biggest strength: IP68 waterproofing plus 32GB of built-in MP3 memory so you can listen underwater without a Bluetooth signal.
• MARLALL Liquid Silicone Swimming — biggest trade-off: no noise cancellation at all, and the bulkier around-the-head 22.68g build is less subtle for everyday wear.
• Who each pick is for: Kinglucky i121 suits runners, gym-goers, commuters and glasses wearers who want light, everyday earbuds; MARLALL Liquid Silicone Swimming suits swimmers and water-sport users who need audio that survives full submersion.
The Kinglucky i121 is built around one idea: keep the ear canal completely open and the weight almost unnoticeable. At 5.2g with a clip-on hook, it's aimed squarely at people who hate the pressure of in-ear buds — small ears, long workdays, glasses wearers who already have enough going on behind their ears. The open-ear design also keeps you aware of traffic and surroundings, which matters on a run or a bike commute.
On the tech side, Bluetooth 5.4 handles the connection, and the ENC noise-cancelling mic is there to keep your voice clear on calls in loud gyms or crowded streets. Directional audio is meant to limit sound leakage so your music stays yours. Battery is a strong point for this category: 6 hours per charge with a claimed 50-hour total playtime when you count the case, and a 2-hour charge time. The 12mm dynamic driver covers a 20Hz–20,000Hz range at 16 ohm impedance, and controls are simple push buttons rather than touch.
Who should skip it? Anyone who wants to swim. The IPX5 rating handles sweat and rain, but it is not designed for submersion, so lap swimming or shower listening is out. If you want one pair for the pool, this isn't it — that's the MARLALL's territory.
The MARLALL Liquid Silicone Swimming takes a completely different route. It's a bone-conduction headphone, so it vibrates sound through your cheekbones and never enters your ear canal. That keeps your ears open and clean, and it's why the brand positions it for biking, hiking and outdoor activity as much as for the water. The adjustable straps are there to hold it steady during movement so it doesn't slip.
The headline feature is IP68 waterproofing paired with 32GB of built-in MP3 storage. That combination is the whole point: Bluetooth signals don't travel underwater, so you switch to MP3 mode and play the roughly 8,000 songs stored on board while you swim. When you're back on land, Bluetooth 5.4 gives you a stable wireless connection with a stated 10-meter (33-foot) range across iOS and Android, plus hands-free calling.
Where it gives ground is noise control — there simply isn't any, so don't expect the kind of call-clarity processing the Kinglucky offers. It's also the heavier of the two at 22.68g, and the skin-tone finish with head straps reads as sporty rather than discreet. Who should skip it? Someone who mainly wants stylish everyday earbuds for the office, parties or casual listening — the Kinglucky fits that life far better.
• Best for swimming and full submersion → MARLALL Liquid Silicone Swimming (IP68, and MP3 mode for underwater playback).
• Best for sweat, rain and everyday workouts → Kinglucky i121 (IPX5 is plenty for the gym and the road).
• Best for all-day comfort on small ears → Kinglucky i121 (5.2g clip-on, no ear-canal pressure).
• Best for battery life → Kinglucky i121 (6H per charge, 50-hour total with the case).
• Best for calls in noisy places → Kinglucky i121 (ENC noise-cancelling mics and directional audio).
• Best for listening without a phone nearby → MARLALL Liquid Silicone Swimming (32GB of built-in MP3 storage).
• Best for glasses wearers → Kinglucky i121 (the clip-on hook avoids the arms of your frames).
• Best for open-ear safety while cycling or hiking → MARLALL Liquid Silicone Swimming (bone conduction keeps ears fully open, with straps for stability).
If I had to pick one, I'd buy the Kinglucky i121 for general life — running, the gym, commuting and calls — because the 5.2g open-ear clip-on, ENC mics and 50-hour total playtime cover the way most people actually use headphones day to day. In my opinion the MARLALL Liquid Silicone Swimming only wins if swimming is genuinely your priority, because that IP68 rating and 32GB MP3 mode are things the Kinglucky simply cannot do. Buy the Kinglucky for everyday audio; buy the MARLALL if the pool is the point. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since both sit in different budget brackets.
FAQ
can i wear waterproof headphones in the shower
are headphones waterproof
Not all of them. IPX5 on the Kinglucky i121 resists sweat and rain splashes, while IP68 on the MARLALL Liquid Silicone Swimming is rated for continuous immersion, which is why only the MARLALL is designed for underwater use.
do bone conduction headphones work underwater
Sound still travels by vibration through your cheekbones, but Bluetooth signals don't transmit through water. That's why the MARLALL relies on its 32GB MP3 mode when swimming rather than a wireless connection.
which is better for swimming, bone conduction or regular earbuds
For swimming, a bone-conduction design with an IP68 rating like the MARLALL is the sensible choice. A standard open-ear earbud such as the Kinglucky i121, rated IPX5, isn't built to survive being submerged.
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