So, the Skull Candy Headphones have yet another partnership. The last time we saw it was with Budweiser, but this time, the headphone brand has partnered with snowboard and outdoor brand Burton. I only really got to know Burton through my brother who is an avid skier, so I won’t comment too much on them in this review, I don’t know them as a brand. Instead, we’ll be looking at the Skull Candy Push Active headphones as they are, but of course, also commenting on their design being a bit… awesome?
However, on a serious note, the Burton design on these headphones is pretty wild. They have a leopard print overall design with a pink and orange stripe running through it. They are definitely aimed at a female audience and most of their marketing materials on the Skull Candy website feature a female skier. However, the weird thing is that only one of my earbuds here is covered with a leopard print, the other is just plain gray. I do not like it. I know it should be reflective of the front and back of the charging case, but it looks odd as if Skull Candy made a mistake in packing their headphones.
You can get the Burton range in three variants: Skull Candy Mod, Push Active, and Crusher Evo. The latter that we have reviewed and you can see This. But for now, stick with Push Active.
The Skull Candy Push Active Headphones are a set of in-ear headphones that have some pretty sturdy ear tips to wrap around the top of your ears. The arms can also be comfortably worn with glasses, so that’s a big bonus, especially if you’re someone who wears sunglasses to protect your eyes while skiing or snowboarding.
They’re also quite bulky compared to most other earbuds but I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing. They are extremely sturdy and will get you through most weather conditions without being submerged in water. I’m pouring rain even though it’ll be fine. Rated IP55, so no swimming.
There are two buttons for you, with one on each earbud. A single tap on one of them will play and pause your music, or answer and end calls. Double tap will increase or decrease the volume depending on the headset. This is where it gets complicated. Holding for a second on the right headset will power on the headset and activate Spotify Tap while a second on the left will only power the headset. A three-second tap on the left earbud will engage the earpiece while three seconds on the right will Share Audio which requires the Skull Candy app. A double tap resulting in a one-second hold on each earbud turns the headset off. See, I told you it was complicated, and perhaps a little too complicated for their own good.
The case though is huge. It’s definitely the biggest headphone case I’ve seen, but it can still fit in a pocket with no problem. It is smooth and has the same look and color scheme of the leopard. The back ring is a USB Type-C input for charging, and the carrying case gives the Push Active earbuds up to about 32 hours of battery life. Just a quick 10-minute charge in the box and you’ve got 120 minutes of listening, although that’s great. The buds themselves will last up to eight hours, which is more than enough for a day on the slopes.
So do they sound good? Well, it’s not bad, actually. You can’t expect much from a set of headphones that cost around £80, but if you just want something that lets the music sound ‘good’ you really can’t go wrong with them. Has a great combination of bass, mids and highs and will give you a pleasant sound. There’s no real frequency overpower, although the app offers a custom EQ if you want a little more bass or treble in your mix, which I have to say is a nice touch. The Push Active headphones only have the Bluetooth SBC codec, so again, there’s no high-resolution codec for high-quality audio, but it’s good enough. Bluetooth 5.2 is also here for quick pairing and decent battery life.
And downloading the app to your device is actually quite beneficial, only if it’s for an equalizer. However, other features inside the app include voice-controlled toggles, a Note-Aware feature that supports hearing the sounds around you, which is great for those exercising in public or running on a public street or similar. There’s a Capture setting where it can turn the headset into a wireless remote for taking pictures, which is a cool feature to see. This app is quite feature rich which is certainly impressive and yes it is definitely worth installing on your phone.
Skull Candy Push Active headphones are a nice set of headphones that look very fancy. While their design certainly won’t be for everyone, in terms of their performance, there’s a lot to like here. The sound is decent, not game changing or anything but it makes a nice sound. The app is feature-rich, and ultimately, they’re very comfortable to wear, which is a bonus, especially if you’re going to be skiing all day on the slopes. For more information, go to Skull Candy website where you can find more information about Push Active and other models.
