How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-27 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Skullcandy Grom's biggest strength: a genuinely kid-first design — over-ear cups sized for kids 6+, an adjustable headband, volume limited to a kid-safe 85 dB, and a Share Audio Port so two kids can watch the same movie on one device.
• Skullcandy Grom's biggest trade-off: it's wired, so it's tethered to a tablet, phone or seat-back screen, and the 3.5 mm AUX plug means newer phones without a headphone jack need an adapter.
• Perytong Sleep Mask's biggest strength: it merges a 3D contoured blackout eye mask with ultra-thin flat speakers and a Bluetooth 5.4 headband, so side sleepers get darkness and audio with nothing pressing into their ears.
• Perytong Sleep Mask's biggest trade-off: it's a night product. You can't realistically wear a contoured eye mask for a commute, a classroom or a workout, and it's adult-sized rather than kid-sized.
• Who Grom is for: parents buying for a child who needs durable, volume-capped audio for travel, car rides and shared screen time.
• Who Perytong is for: adults who sleep on their side, share a bed with a light sleeper, or want guided meditation, ASMR or white noise without earbuds.
Grom is a wired over-ear headphone built from the playground up. It's sized for kids 6 and up, with an adjustable headband strap and kid-specific ear cups, so the fit is meant to actually sit on a smaller head rather than slide around. Weight is listed at 140 g, which is light for an over-ear design, and the whole thing collapses for travel. The 3.5 mm AUX cable gives a direct connection every time — no pairing, no charging, no "my headphones died" meltdown in the middle of a flight.
The controls are the part I like most on paper. There's a big Main Function Button and a volume wheel, plus a Volume Limit Override for loud environments like an airplane cabin. Out of the box the sound is capped at a kid-safe 85 dB, which is the real reason a parent picks this over a generic pair. There's also a built-in microphone with call and media controls, and voice assistant activation. The Share Audio Port is a genuinely thoughtful touch: two kids, one device, one movie, no arguing.
So who should buy it? Parents of a child roughly 6+, especially for road trips, flights and shared tablet time. The collapsible plastic-and-TPE build and the 1-year USA limited warranty are aimed squarely at family use. Who should skip it? Anyone who wants wireless freedom — despite the Bluetooth 5.2 line in the spec sheet, this model is listed as a wired style with a 3.5 mm jack, so treat it as a plug-in headphone. Also skip it if you're buying for an adult; the fit and the 85 dB cap are tuned for kids, not for you.
Perytong is a two-in-one: a blackout sleep mask and a Bluetooth headband, sold as a set of two pieces. The mask uses a 3D contoured shape that's meant to block light from the bottom and sides without pressing on your lashes. The headband holds ultra-thin flat speakers that lie against your ears, and the control panel sits on your forehead rather than your temples — a deliberate choice, because temples are exactly where a pillow digs in when you roll onto your side.
That side-sleeper detail is the entire point. If you've ever tried to fall asleep with earbuds in, you know the problem: hard plastic against a pillow, wires around your neck, and one bud inevitably popping out. Here the speakers stay flat, the fabric is spandex, and Bluetooth 5.4 handles pairing in seconds. A tap on the forehead changes volume or skips a track without opening your eyes, which sounds trivial until you've fumbled for a phone at 2 a.m.
Battery is listed at 14+ hours of continuous playback, which covers a full night for most people and then some — useful if you fall asleep to an audiobook or white noise and don't want silence at 3 a.m. In the morning you pull the control module out and wash the headband; the eye mask itself wipes clean. The listed color is AshGrayBlack and the target age range is adult.
Who should buy it? Side sleepers, people sharing a bed with someone who reads or watches TV, shift workers sleeping in daylight, and anyone who uses meditation, ASMR or white noise to get down. It's also a natural gift for a frequent flyer or a new parent. Who should skip it? Kids — it's adult-sized and not volume-limited. And anyone who wants to wear their audio gear while walking around, working out or taking calls on the go. This is a bed product.
• Best for kids → Skullcandy Grom. Sized for ages 6+, volume capped at 85 dB, adjustable headband, collapsible for travel.
• Best for sleep → Perytong Sleep Mask. Blackout eye mask plus flat speakers, designed around lying down and rolling over.
• Best for side sleepers → Perytong Sleep Mask. The control panel sits on the forehead, not the temples, so a pillow doesn't press it into your head.
• Best for travel with children → Skullcandy Grom. The 3.5 mm AUX plug works with seat-back entertainment and tablets, and the Share Audio Port handles two kids at once.
• Best for long battery life → Perytong Sleep Mask. 14+ hours of continuous playback on a charge; Grom runs off the device it's plugged into.
• Best for shared screen time → Skullcandy Grom. Two listeners, one source, no extra hardware.
• Best for quiet nights next to a partner → Perytong Sleep Mask. Darkness plus private audio, with nothing poking your ears.
• Best for a wired, zero-setup connection → Skullcandy Grom. Plug in and it works; no pairing, no charging.
In my opinion, these aren't really competitors — they solve different problems, and the right answer depends on when you'll wear them. If I were buying for a child, I'd take the Skullcandy Grom without hesitating: the 85 dB cap, the kid-sized over-ear fit, the collapsible build and the Share Audio Port are exactly what a parent needs, and the wired connection removes an entire category of frustration. If I were buying for myself as an adult who sleeps on my side, I'd take the Perytong Sleep Mask, because the forehead control panel and ultra-thin flat speakers are designed for the one position earbuds fail at. Buy Grom for daytime, kids and travel. Buy Perytong for nighttime, adults and side sleeping. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since the page's button will have the live figure.
are on ear headphones good
For kids and casual listening, yes — an over-ear or on-ear fit spreads pressure around the ear instead of inside the canal, which is why Skullcandy Grom uses kid-specific over-ear cups with an adjustable headband. For sleeping on your side, no — that's the case Perytong is built for, with flat speakers instead of cups.
are on ear headphones comfortable
Comfort comes down to fit and weight. Grom is listed at 140 g with an adjustable headband strap, which keeps the load light on a smaller head. Perytong takes a different route entirely: no cups at all, just a spandex headband with ultra-thin speakers that lie flat, so nothing presses into your ear when you turn onto your side.
what are the best open ear headphones
That depends on the job. For a child who needs volume-limited, travel-ready audio, the Skullcandy Grom's over-ear design with a 3.5 mm jack and Share Audio Port is the stronger pick. For an adult who wants audio in bed without anything in or over the ear canal, the Perytong Sleep Mask's flat-speaker headband is the better fit.
are headphones less harmful than earphones
The main lever is volume and duration, not the shape alone. Grom caps output at a kid-safe 85 dB with a Volume Limit Override for loud places like airplanes, which directly addresses the hearing-risk concern. Perytong doesn't list a volume cap, so if hearing protection is your priority, the Grom is the more protective design.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.
See also: Blue Air Neckband vs acer OHR703, Seulliya MFi Certified iPhone vs wamaxlink 2, Cubitt Tracking Technologies Power Buds vs Micool Ear, portable headphones