We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-21 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want to restore a pair of tired Bose over-ear headphones with new pads, choose SOULWIT Earpads; if you need music that keeps playing while you swim laps, choose WalkerFit Bone Conduction Swimming. These two products barely live in the same category — one is a replacement part, the other is a standalone audio device — so the right pick depends entirely on the job you're trying to get done.
• SOULWIT Earpads — biggest strength: a targeted, tool-assisted refresh for specific Bose QuietComfort models, with high-density foam, soft protein leather and reinforced seams meant to resist flattening and splitting.
• SOULWIT Earpads — biggest trade-off: it produces no sound on its own. It only works if you already own a compatible Bose headphone, and you have to confirm your exact model before buying.
• WalkerFit Bone Conduction Swimming — biggest strength: true IPX8 sealing plus 32GB of onboard storage, so you can swim phone-free with 8,000+ songs playing through bone conduction while your ears stay open.
• WalkerFit Bone Conduction Swimming — biggest trade-off: Bluetooth doesn't travel through water, so underwater listening is MP3-mode only, and there's no active noise cancellation.
• Pick SOULWIT Earpads if you own a compatible Bose QC45/QC SE/QC Wireless and want to bring the fit and seal back to life.
• Pick WalkerFit Bone Conduction Swimming if you want one wearable for pool laps, runs, cycling and commutes — and you're fine loading your own music onto it.
The SOULWIT Earpads are a maintenance part, not a gadget. They're built for the Bose QuietComfort 45, QuietComfort SC, QuietComfort SE and QuietComfort Wireless over-ear headphones, and the whole point is to replace worn pads that have gone flat, cracked or started leaking sound. The construction is where the thinking shows: high-density foam paired with softer protein leather, plus stitching and stronger glue along the inside seams to keep each pad from splitting apart over time. That's the failure point on most pads, so reinforcing it is the right call.
Installation is clearly designed for a normal person at a kitchen table. Along with the pads and a pair of scrims, you get a plastic stick and a user guide, and SOULWIT estimates the whole job at around five minutes. I like that they include the scrims — it means you're not trying to salvage the old mesh layer. There's also a one-year manufacturer warranty, which is a reasonable safety net for a consumable part.
WalkerFit Bone Conduction Swimming: Who It's For
The WalkerFit T10 Pro is a completely different animal: a self-contained open-ear sport headphone built around one very specific problem — listening to music underwater. The headline spec is IPX8 waterproofing, which means it's rated for full submersion and continuous underwater use, not just sweat and rain resistance. That rating also covers heavy sweat on runs, cycling and gym sessions, so it's genuinely a multi-sport device.
The clever part is the 32GB of onboard storage. Bluetooth signals essentially stop at the water's surface, so WalkerFit sidesteps the problem entirely: you load 8,000+ songs onto the headset, double-press the power button to enter MP3 mode, and playback resumes exactly where you left off. Your phone stays in the locker. On dry land you get Bluetooth 5.3 with a built-in mic and a range of up to 33 feet, so it doubles as a normal workout and call headphone with stable, low-latency audio.
Bone conduction is the other defining trait. Sound travels through your cheekbones and your ear canals stay open, so you can hear traffic, a coach or a poolside conversation. Two sets of earplugs are included if you want deeper bass and fuller immersion — a nice touch, because bone conduction bass is naturally modest and the plugs let you choose between awareness and punch. Battery life is rated at up to 8 hours with roughly a 2-hour charge, and the sealed magnetic charging cable keeps the port watertight. The housing is silicone and TPE in matte black, with button controls and no active noise cancellation.
Who should buy it? Lap swimmers first, then runners, cyclists and commuters who want one wearable that handles wet and dry sessions and doesn't block their ears. Who should skip it? Anyone who wants noise cancellation, anyone who refuses to manage a local music library, and anyone expecting audiophile-grade low end — open-ear bone conduction simply doesn't deliver that, and the earplugs are the workaround, not a fix.
• Best for swimming → WalkerFit Bone Conduction Swimming. IPX8 submersion plus MP3 mode is the entire reason it exists.
• Best for reviving existing gear → SOULWIT Earpads. If your Bose QC45-family headphones still work, new pads are the cheapest-feeling fix in this comparison.
• Best for phone-free workouts → WalkerFit Bone Conduction Swimming. 32GB onboard and double-press mode switching mean no device required.
• Best for sound isolation → SOULWIT Earpads. A fresh, properly sealing pad set is what makes Bose's over-ear isolation work as intended.
• Best for staying aware of your surroundings → WalkerFit Bone Conduction Swimming. Open-ear bone conduction leaves your canals clear for traffic and coaches.
• Best for calls and commuting → WalkerFit Bone Conduction Swimming. Bluetooth 5.3, a built-in mic and 33-foot range cover dry-land use.
• Best for a five-minute DIY job → SOULWIT Earpads. Pads, scrims, plastic stick and a guide, with a one-year manufacturer warranty behind it.
• Best for a single do-everything sport wearable → WalkerFit Bone Conduction Swimming. Pool, road and gym in one device — as long as you don't need ANC.
If you already own a compatible Bose QuietComfort headphone, I'd buy the SOULWIT Earpads — in my opinion they're the sensible, low-drama way to restore comfort and that all-important ear seal, and the reinforced seams suggest they're built to outlast a generic replacement. But if you're shopping for an actual listening device rather than a part, the WalkerFit T10 Pro is the one I'd reach for: IPX8 sealing, 32GB of local storage and bone conduction awareness solve a problem almost nothing else solves. My honest read is that most people searching this comparison want the swimming headphones, and the earpads are for a narrower, very specific Bose owner. Whichever way you lean, check the current price on Amazon before deciding, since these two sit in wildly different budget brackets.
No. Bluetooth signals don't transmit through water, so underwater listening has to run in MP3 mode with your locally stored songs. Double-press the power button to switch modes and you'll hear a voice prompt confirming it.
No — compatibility is limited to the Bose QuietComfort 45, QuietComfort SC, QuietComfort SE and QuietComfort Wireless. SOULWIT specifically asks buyers to confirm their headset model first, so check yours before ordering.
Yes, in my opinion it holds up fine on dry land: Bluetooth 5.3, a built-in mic, up to 33 feet of range and up to 8 hours of playback. You just won't use the MP3 mode or the IPX8 submersion rating much.
They can. Worn pads lose their seal, which weakens bass and isolation. SOULWIT's pads are designed to seal around your ears properly, so restoring that seal tends to bring back the sound you remember.
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