If you want longer stated playback and flexible one-ear listening for hiking, choose JBL Vibe 100TWS; if you need Tile tracking and selectable sound modes, choose Skullcandy Sesh Evo in-Ear. For these two models, JBL is the more clearly documented everyday pick, while Skullcandy brings a couple of distinct features for people who value them.
• JBL Vibe 100TWS: Its 20 hours of combined playback and option to use either earbud alone suit long stretches away from a charger; the earbuds themselves are listed for five hours per charge.
• Skullcandy Sesh Evo in-Ear: Tile technology can help locate either earbud, and Music, Movie, and Podcast EQ modes offer listening choices; the provided information does not specify its total playback time.
• JBL’s trade-off: No noise-control feature is listed, and its use of a snug in-ear seal may not suit someone seeking an open-ear design.
• Skullcandy’s trade-off: Its spec information gives less detail about battery capacity and call features than JBL’s, so it is harder to compare those aspects directly.
• Choose JBL for: A stated 20-hour combined playback figure, three included ear-tip sizes, and one-earbud-at-a-time listening.
• Choose Skullcandy for: Earbud tracking through Tile and three EQ modes, provided those features matter more to you than a clearly stated combined battery figure.
The JBL Vibe 100TWS is the more straightforward choice if you want familiar true wireless earbuds with a clear battery-use picture. JBL lists five hours of playback in the earbuds and another 15 hours in the case, for 20 hours combined. That does not mean you get 20 uninterrupted hours before recharging the buds; it means the case adds charging capacity across listening sessions. The stated charging time is two hours.
For hiking, the option to listen with either the left or right earbud alone is useful if you want one ear free while you listen. You can also keep one bud charging in the case while using the other. That flexibility is more relevant on a trail than an advertised bass feature: it lets you choose how much of your attention to give to audio. The JBL is still an in-ear model, not an open-ear design, so I would not treat it as a substitute for headphones designed to leave the ear canal open.
JBL lists 8 mm dynamic drivers and Deep Bass Sound, plus Bluetooth wireless connectivity with a stated range of up to 30 feet. The range can vary with the environment and obstacles, so I would not plan a hike around maintaining that full distance from your phone. The set includes three sizes of silicone ear tips, which gives you some choice in fit; the product information notes that a poor seal can affect sound and calls. JBL also lists hands-free calls and access to a device voice assistant, though its notes say no voice assistant feature is available on this model. That conflicting description makes voice-assistant support less clear than the other listed features.
How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-20 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
Skullcandy Sesh Evo in-Ear: Who It's For
The Skullcandy Sesh Evo is the more feature-specific alternative. Its strongest differentiators in the available product details are Tile technology for finding either earbud and three EQ modes: Music, Movie, and Podcast. Tile is worth considering if misplacing a small earbud is a regular worry. The EQ choices may also appeal if you want separate listening presets for different kinds of content rather than one fixed sound presentation.
Sesh Evo also supports using either bud solo, which overlaps with JBL’s one-ear option. That can be handy when you want to hear more of your surroundings or keep one earbud charging while using the other. The product is described as wireless Bluetooth and in-ear, with passive noise cancellation listed. That wording indicates a passive approach rather than a documented electronic noise-canceling system; the information does not explain how much outside sound it reduces. Its supplied contents include a charging case, eartip, USB-C charging cable, and user manual.
There is less battery detail available for Sesh Evo than for JBL. The product information lists a five-hour average battery life, but it does not clearly explain the relationship between that figure, the earbuds, and the case. It also does not provide a combined playback total or a charging-time figure that is easy to compare with JBL’s stated two-hour earbud charging time. That makes it harder to plan around long days away from a charger, including a full hiking outing.
• Best for a stated combined playback figure → JBL Vibe 100TWS. JBL specifies 20 hours across the earbuds and case, split into five hours in the buds and 15 in the case.
• Best for finding a misplaced earbud → Skullcandy Sesh Evo. Tile technology is listed for tracking either bud.
• Best for choosing between listening modes → Skullcandy Sesh Evo. Its Music, Movie, and Podcast EQ modes give it a feature JBL’s listed information does not include.
• Best for flexible one-ear listening → A tie. Both products say you can use either bud solo, so this need alone does not decide the comparison.
• Best for a clearly described fit option → JBL Vibe 100TWS. Three silicone ear-tip sizes are listed, along with a note that fit affects sound and call performance.
• Best for trail listening with an ear free → JBL Vibe 100TWS, narrowly. Both support solo use, but JBL also describes keeping one earbud charging while the other is in use.
• Best for documented call support → JBL Vibe 100TWS. Hands-free calls are listed, while equivalent call details are not provided for Sesh Evo.
• Best for gaming headphones for hiking? → Neither is specifically described for gaming. Both are wireless in-ear earbuds; the available details do not establish gaming-specific features or performance.
Buying Considerations
Think first about what you need from earbuds outdoors. Both products are in-ear and let you use one bud at a time, but neither product description establishes that either is an open-ear option. If hearing trail sounds is important, using one bud solo may help you keep one ear free; it is not the same as a design that leaves both ears unobstructed.
Be careful with searches for the best volume limiting true wireless earbuds for hiking. Neither product’s listed features describe volume limiting, so I would not choose either on that basis. Likewise, someone searching for the best fast charging open ear headphones for hiking should note that these are in-ear earbuds, and the information supplied does not establish fast charging for either model. JBL’s stated two-hour charging time is a specific figure, not evidence of a fast-charge feature.
Fit and controls can matter as much as headline features. JBL includes three silicone tip sizes and says that a secure fit affects sound and call quality. Sesh Evo lists an eartip but does not provide the same detail about multiple sizes in the supplied information. Skullcandy’s documented EQ modes and Tile support may be more valuable if you want sound presets or help locating a misplaced bud; JBL’s clearer battery breakdown and call details may be more useful if you want predictable everyday planning.
I would choose the JBL Vibe 100TWS for hiking because its 20-hour combined playback is clearly broken down, and solo-earbud use gives me a practical way to listen with one ear free.
The Skullcandy Sesh Evo has the more distinctive extras: Tile tracking and three EQ modes.
But I put more weight on JBL’s explicit battery and call information for this use.
That is my spec-based preference, not a claim that either set is right for every listener.
I would lean toward JBL for hiking because it lists 20 hours of combined playback and allows either earbud to be used alone. Both are in-ear models, and neither is documented as open-ear.
Does Skullcandy Sesh Evo have noise cancellation?
JBL provides the clearest comparison figure: five hours in the earbuds and 15 more in the case, for 20 hours combined. Sesh Evo lists five hours of average battery life, but its case contribution is not clearly specified.
That depends on which features matter to you, and I can’t determine value without current price information. Check the current price on Amazon and weigh it against JBL’s stated battery breakdown or Skullcandy’s Tile tracking and EQ modes.
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