It’s a big EDC market out there, and tons of awesome gear is released all the time. We made The Drop to help you discover the latest and greatest essentials worth a spot in your EDC.
It’s probably no secret that I’m the biggest Skullcandy fan on the team. While I generally default to AirPod Pros like most iPhone users, I’m also a massive basshead, and for my preference, there’s nothing quite like Skullcandy’s Crusher series for the ultimate bass experience. But besides that, I also like recommending their other wireless earbuds to people from the sheer number of choices and value they provide, from highly affordable options to super fun collaborations.
But it’s their latest release that really got my attention. The Rail series is Skullcandy’s newest pair of flagship true wireless headphones, designed to compete at the highest level of features and sound while offering them at the lowest possible price. And that low price is significant, with the regular Rail model only coming in at $79 and the Rail ANC at $99.
Skullcandy designed both with a rock-solid foundation of features: exceptional battery life, ample water resistance, Skull-iQ voice technology, Personal Sound by Mimi (a company specializing in hearing technologies for sound personalization), multipoint pairing via Bluetooth 5.2 with auto-connect, touch controls, and Tile integration. As its name suggests, the Rail ANC gets noise canceling in exchange for a bit less battery life (38 hours total versus 42 on the regular Rail) and slightly less resistance at IPX4 (IP55 on the Rail), but it also gets wireless charging on the case and two extra microphones that use AI for better voice isolation and environmental noise reduction.
That’s a lot of specs to pack in an attractive package–I particularly like the use of translucent materials on the buds–and the price lets either model compete with some of the best wireless buds out there. We’re spoiled for choice in this category, but I’m glad Skullcandy still manages to surprise me when they do what they do best: giving great sound at a great price.
What I like: Top-tier features at a fraction of the cost of its competition. I also appreciate that Skullcandy doesn’t try to outright go for a too-close-to-AirPods all-white aesthetic that I see in other brands, even on the Bone colorway of the base Rail.
What to watch out for: Take note of the differences between each model; you could be saving a bit more for your budget if you don’t necessarily need ANC or wireless charging, and you get more battery life in return.
Final verdict: Skullcandy could have phoned it in and just stayed on the rails for their newest flagship line, but for everything you get for the price, these are a winner in my book.
