Skullcandy Lowrider > Reviews (20)

I was lucky enough to claim a pair of these headphones for free last summer as part of the Coke Zone Rewards scheme run by Coca Cola. Skullcandy are a very popular brand among my friends and I have heard numerous recommendations about how good they are, so I was very happy with my freebie! The Skullcandy Lowrider headphones are available to buy through many electronics retailers, including Amazon where they are available for varying prices depending on colour etc. The RRP for this item is £39.99.

Firstly, Skullcandy headphones are primarily about the looks. They have a distinctive style and the big over ear headphones are very popular right now. The Lowriders are are bold but not too chunky and they have a proportiante size for the pads and the band (sorry I don't know the actual technical terms!). They come in a range of colour to choose from, inlcuding green, pink, blue, purple, red, or classic black. I have the black version with chrome detailing. The Skullcandy logo is particularly attractive in this design, with the skull logo being positioned in the centre of an eagle image. This is quite a striking image and allows you to easily identify the brand.

One thing that I was very pleased with is that the headphones are very lightweight considering their size. They hardly weigh down at all and there is no pressure from having the band sit on top of my head. The band is adjustable at both sides to allow you to reduce or increase the size for an optimum fit, and this means that one pair can suit most people.

The ear pads where the actual sound plays through are about 2.5"-3" in diameter. They have a thick padded cushion which rests against your ear. No matter what I have tried I cannot get the perfect fit so that these pads sit flush against my ears, there is always a little gap which I believe leads to noise leaking. I only use my headphones when I'm out walking or during my train commute. I am very conscious that my music may be audible to others in my vicinity and these headphones do not completely seal in the sound. I usually play my music at a low level anyway so I don't damage my hearing, but when I'm battling against the sounds of traffic, conversations, etc I need to turn it up a little and there is always a worry that I will be annoying some other poor commuter by blasting out ridiculous music early in the morning (I hate it when this happens to me!).

One of the most exciting things about these headphones is the way that they can be stored. I was unaware of the folding feature until my boyfriend showed me how they work. each ear pad is labelled L and R, and is mobile within the frame that holds it in position. The small arm connecting the pads to the band is hinged and you can fold it back against itself. This only requires a gentle movement you do not need to apply a lot of force. Once the arms have been folded back you can then swivel the ear pad up and they sit neatly inside the band and form a much more compact shape. I would say this reduces the overall size by about 50% which is wonderful when you are travelling and trying to save space.

I think it also helps to protect the headphones from damage as they are a less awkward shape and create a more solid area.

The sounds quality from these Skullcandy headphones is very good, I am able to hear everything very clearly and they pick up on each aspect of the track without putting particular focus on any one element so the sound seems very balanced. The only problem I have is that any quiet notes seem to just fade away. They are good enough for my needs and fit my requirements of occasional use with my iPod when out and about.

The worst problem from my point of view is a matter of comfort. I wear glasses and the way that the ear pads of these headphones sit when being worn tends to become uncomfortable and sometimes painful after long uses. The pads press down onto my ears and seem to add pressure against the arms of my glasses, which in turn are pressed up against the backs of my ears and my head. This doesn't cause too much of an issue if I'm using them for a short while, but sometimes I do end up with a dull ache in that area which continues for a while after I've taken the headphones off.

Overall, there are both good and bad points to this item but I would recommend Skullcandy Lowrider headphones as a good product for occasional use. I am glad I got my pair for free as I wouldn't have wanted to pay ~£40 for them in the first place, and after the few issues that I have experienced I don't think they are quite right for me so I would look elsewhere when these need replacing.