How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a familiar true-wireless running earbud with a secure over-ear hanger, noise isolation, and a charging case that keeps you going for days, choose Skullcandy Push Play Active; if you need an open-ear bone conduction headset that leaves your ears completely free and adds a built-in camera for hands-free capture, choose BEARTAIN E12.
• Skullcandy Push Play Active — biggest strength: A sealed in-ear design with flexible over-ear hangers, IP55 sweat and water resistance, and up to 34 hours of total battery life with Rapid Charge.
• Skullcandy Push Play Active — biggest trade-off: It seals your ears, so you'll want the Stay-Aware mode whenever you're near traffic, and the isolation cuts both ways.
• BEARTAIN E12 — biggest strength: An open-ear bone conduction frame that weighs just 28g and keeps your ears free, plus a built-in camera for POV photos and clips without pulling out your phone.
• BEARTAIN E12 — biggest trade-off: Only up to 12 hours per charge, no active noise control, and its IP54 rating resists sweat and splashes but not swimming or prolonged immersion.
• Who the Skullcandy is for: Runners and gym-goers who want immersive sound, isolation, and long battery life in a traditional earbud.
• Who the BEARTAIN is for: Runners, cyclists, and hikers who prioritize situational awareness and hands-free camera capture over deep, sealed-in audio.
The Push Play Active is a true-wireless in-ear earbud built around movement. The flexible over-ear hangers are the headline design choice here — instead of relying on the ear canal alone to hold the bud in place, the hanger hooks over the ear so the earbud stays put at the gym, on the trail, or mid-motion. If you've ever had a bud pop loose halfway through a run, that's the problem this design solves.
Battery is where it pulls ahead on paper. Skullcandy rates it at up to 34 hours total — 10 hours in the earbuds plus 24 more in the charging case. Rapid Charge tops that up fast: about 10 minutes in the case gets you roughly 2 hours of listening. A full charge takes about 1.5 hours. For a runner who logs several short sessions a week, that case means you're rarely thinking about charging at all. It's also rated IP55, so sweat, rain, and dusty trails are within scope.
Who should buy it: runners and exercisers who want an isolated, immersive listen, a very long total battery budget, and a fit that survives hard movement. Who should skip it: anyone who hates the feeling of sealed ears or wants to hear their surroundings by default — the open-ear approach of the BEARTAIN suits that person better.
BEARTAIN E12: Who It's For
The BEARTAIN E12 takes the opposite philosophy. It's a bone conduction open-ear headset, meaning the drivers send sound through your cheekbones and your ear canals stay completely open. Nothing is inserted, nothing is sealed. That's the whole point: you stay aware of traffic, conversations, and ambient noise on every run, ride, or hike. For road runners and cyclists who share space with cars, that awareness isn't a nice-to-have — it's the reason to pick this category at all.
The fit is built for motion and long wear. It weighs just 28g with a flexible wraparound frame that's designed to hold firm through intense activity while the breathable open structure reduces the ear pressure and fatigue that sealed buds can cause over hours. The audio architecture is tuned for richer bass and reduced sound leakage compared with older bone conduction designs, so it's a more private listen than the category's reputation suggests.
The genuinely unusual feature is the built-in camera. It lets you snap a photo or record a short clip without reaching for your phone — a scenic trail, a workout milestone, a quick moment on the commute. It also supports video calls and real-time sharing, which turns the headset into something closer to a wearable capture device than a plain pair of headphones. An accompanying app handles the smart functions.
Battery is the clear compromise: up to 12 hours of playback on a charge, with about 2 hours to refill over USB-C. That's a full long day, but it's not a multi-day case situation. Protection is IP54 — sweat, dust, and light rain are fine, but it's explicitly not for swimming or prolonged immersion. There's no active noise control, and control is via touch.
Who should buy it: runners, cyclists, and hikers who want ears-free awareness, a featherweight fit, and hands-free camera capture. Who should skip it: anyone who wants deep isolation, active noise cancellation, or a charging case that stretches battery across a week.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for total battery life → Skullcandy Push Play Active. Up to 34 hours combined (10 in the buds, 24 in the case) versus up to 12 hours on the BEARTAIN.
• Best for quick top-ups → Skullcandy Push Play Active. Rapid Charge gives roughly 2 hours of listening from a 10-minute charge; the BEARTAIN needs about 2 hours for a full refill.
• Best for water and sweat exposure → Skullcandy Push Play Active. IP55 outranks the BEARTAIN's IP54, though neither is meant for swimming.
• Best for immersive, isolated sound → Skullcandy Push Play Active. Sealed in-ear fit with sound isolation, three EQ presets, and a 6mm dynamic driver.
• Best for all-day comfort with zero ear pressure → BEARTAIN E12. At 28g with a breathable open frame, it's built to be worn for hours without the fatigue sealed buds can cause.
• Best for hands-free photos and clips → BEARTAIN E12. The integrated camera is a feature the Skullcandy simply doesn't have.
• Best for switching between two devices → Skullcandy Push Play Active. Multipoint pairing lets it hold two connections at once with seamless transitions.
In my opinion, the Skullcandy Push Play Active is the better pick for most runners. The combination of a secure over-ear hanger, IP55 protection, up to 34 hours of total battery with Rapid Charge, multipoint pairing, and EQ presets covers the everyday training case more completely, and the Stay-Aware mode handles the safety concern that isolation creates. I'd only steer you to the BEARTAIN E12 if ears-free awareness is non-negotiable for you — road running, cycling, or trail work where hearing your environment matters most — or if the built-in camera is a feature you'd actually use. If that's you, the trade-offs in battery and water resistance are worth accepting. Before deciding, check the current price on Amazon for both, since that's the one variable I can't weigh in for you.
FAQ
what are the best bluetooth headphones for running
There's no single answer, because the right design depends on your priorities. If you want isolation, a secure hanger, and long battery, the Skullcandy Push Play Active fits that brief with IP55 protection and up to 34 hours total. If you want your ears open for traffic, the BEARTAIN E12's bone conduction frame is the safer fit for road running.
what are the best bluetooth earbuds for running
Neither one has active noise cancellation. The Skullcandy Push Play Active relies on sound isolation from its sealed in-ear fit, and it offers a Stay-Aware mode to let ambient sound in when you want it. The BEARTAIN E12 lists no noise control at all, and its open-ear design intentionally lets outside sound through.
The Skullcandy Push Play Active leads on both. It's rated at up to 34 hours total (10 in the earbuds, 24 in the case) versus up to 12 hours for the BEARTAIN E12, and its IP55 rating edges out the BEARTAIN's IP54. Neither is designed for swimming or prolonged immersion.
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: Skullcandy Push Play Active vs JLab: Multipoint Pairing, Skullcandy SLYR Pro Multi-Platform vs RoadWarrior RW3, Skullcandy Dime 2 vs Bhvrtls 2026: Headphones for Android