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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-30 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• Samudgate Headphones, biggest strength: a single open-ear earbud with an earhook that sits on top of the ear instead of plugging the canal, so your ear stays open to what's around you.
• Samudgate Headphones, biggest trade-off: one earpiece only, so it's a mono listening and calling tool, not a stereo pair for immersive music.
• Skullcandy Smokin Buds, biggest strength: a true-wireless in-ear pair with up to 20 hours of total battery, preset EQ modes and passive noise isolation.
• Skullcandy Smokin Buds, biggest trade-off: in-ear tips physically block your ears, which is the opposite of the open-ear awareness Samudgate is built around.
• Who each pick is for: Samudgate for runners, walkers and anyone who wants one ear free; Skullcandy for commuters, students and listeners who want to disappear into their audio.
The Samudgate Headphones are built around one idea: keep the ear open. The earbud rests gently on top of the ear with an earhook and an ultra-soft silicone cushion, which is the classic air-conduction approach. Nothing goes inside the canal. In my opinion that's the single most important thing about this product, because it changes who it's for far more than any spec sheet number does.
On the practical side, the numbers are reasonable for a sport-focused earbud. Bluetooth 5.2 with a range of up to 10 metres, one-step pairing when you open the unit, and touch controls for answering and hanging up calls, play and pause, track skipping and volume. Battery is quoted at 16 hours of playback with about a 2 hours charge time, plus a quick top-up of 15 minutes for roughly 300 minutes of listening. IPX4 means it shrugs off sweat and light rain, which lines up with the running, walking and workout framing. There's noise reduction on the microphone for calls, and the item itself is listed at 12.8 g with a plastic enclosure.
Who should buy it: runners and walkers who want one ear free, people who find in-ear tips uncomfortable or itchy after an hour, and anyone who takes a lot of calls in noisy places and wants their voice picked up cleanly. It's also a fair pick if you dislike the plugged-up feeling of traditional earbuds. Who should skip it: if you want a full stereo pair for albums, movies or gaming, this isn't that product. It's a single open-ear unit. And if your main goal is blocking out a loud train carriage, an open design works against you by definition. Check the current price on Amazon before deciding, since that's the one variable I can't speak to here.
The Skullcandy Smokin Buds go the opposite direction. These are true-wireless in-ear buds with rounded tips that sit inside the ear and isolate sound passively, meaning the seal itself does the blocking rather than any electronics. The driver is a 6 mm dynamic unit, impedance is 16 ohm, frequency response reaches 20 KHz and sensitivity is listed at 104 dB. Bluetooth is version 5 with the same 10 metre range as the Samudgate. Latency is quoted at 200 milliseconds.
Battery is where Skullcandy clearly pulls ahead in raw hours: up to 20 hours total, split as 8 hours in the buds plus 12 more in the charging case. Rapid Charge gives you 2 hours of listening from a 10-minute top-up. You also get three preset EQ modes, Music, Movie and Podcast, switched with four taps on either earbud, which is a genuinely useful feature if you switch between spoken word and music during a commute. The build leans into sustainability: 50% renewable plastics, fully recyclable packaging, a consolidated part count and a mindful battery capacity. IPX4 covers sweat and rain here too, and there's a microphone for calls on iPhone and Android. A one-year manufacturer warranty is included, and the package brings a charging case, eartips and quick-start guides.
Who should buy it: commuters, students and anyone who wants their audio to themselves. The passive isolation plus the EQ presets make these a natural fit for library study sessions, bus rides and flights where you want the background pushed away. Who should skip it: cyclists and road runners who need to hear cars, and anyone who genuinely can't tolerate in-ear tips. Also skip it if you want the open, airy sensation Samudgate offers, because that's precisely what an in-ear seal removes.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for total battery life → Skullcandy Smokin Buds. Up to 20 hours combined versus 16 hours on the Samudgate.
• Best for quick top-ups → Skullcandy Smokin Buds. A 10-minute charge buys 2 hours of listening, against Samudgate's 15 minutes for roughly 300 minutes.
• Best for stereo music listening → Skullcandy Smokin Buds. It's a true-wireless pair; Samudgate is a single open-ear unit.
• Best for long-wear comfort if you hate in-ear tips → Samudgate Headphones. The earhook and soft silicone cushion avoid canal pressure entirely.
• Best for customising how audio sounds → Skullcandy Smokin Buds. Three preset EQ modes for music, movies and podcasts.
• Best for call clarity in noise → Samudgate Headphones. The microphone has noise reduction to reduce surrounding sound on calls.
• Best for a more sustainable build → Skullcandy Smokin Buds. 50% renewable plastics and fully recyclable packaging.
If I had to pick one for myself, I'd take the Skullcandy Smokin Buds. I commute, I study in noisy places, and I want my music in stereo with as much battery as possible, and the EQ presets are a real convenience. That said, if you run outdoors or you simply can't stand things inside your ears, I'd point you to the Samudgate Headphones instead, because its whole reason for existing is the open-ear fit and the awareness that comes with it. Two different jobs, two different answers. Pick the job first.
FAQ
That's the quoted figure: 8 hours in the earbuds plus 12 hours in the charging case. Rapid Charge adds 2 hours from a 10-minute charge. Samudgate quotes 16 hours of playback with a 2-hour charge time.
Samudgate leans into calls, with microphone noise reduction to cut surrounding noise and touch controls for answering and hanging up. Skullcandy includes a microphone and touch media controls, but its focus is clearly on music with the EQ presets.
Skullcandy Smokin Buds. They use passive noise isolation from the in-ear seal, and the rounded tips are designed to fit comfortably while blocking outside sound. Samudgate goes the other way with an open-ear fit that lets sound in.
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See also: E-filliate DEWALT Heavy Duty vs MLF W7: Wireless Headphones, EPOMAKER X Aula G7 vs MARVO USB Gaming Headset, BLLQ Memory Foam Ear vs BEXILOR Ear Plugs: Noise Isolating, fully wireless earbuds