Skullcandy Push 720 Open review

I used to have a pair of hot pink Skullcandy headphones that would come everywhere with me. They even paired perfectly with my fuchsia iPod Nano (quite the throwback, eh?). So when I knew I would be testing the Skullcandy Push 720 Open earbuds, I was pretty excited to welcome a bit of nostalgia in my life. Unfortunately for me, I don’t think they take the top spot for best wireless earbuds.

They have their perks. A pouch-shaped case with a secure magnet to charge the buds makes them easy to carry everywhere with you, while a secure fit and IP67 waterproofing makes them a good option for working out. There’s also a whole lot of customization on offer via the companion app, and alterations to the EQ settings and personal sound profile can make the audio decent.

But you can absolutely get better sound quality for a cheaper price. Since they’re so chunky, they grip your ears super tightly, making them uncomfortable to wear for prolonged periods of time.

You can find out more about my experience with the buds by reading this full Skullcandy Push 720 Open review.

Skullcandy Push 720 Open review: Specs

Skullcandy Push 720 Open review: Price & availability

The Skullcandy push 720 Open earbuds are available at Amazon U.S. for $144 and at Amazon U.K. for £99. The earbuds are only available in a black colorway with silver accents.

To be honest, these buds are expensive for what they are. There are open-earbuds out there, such as the EarFun Clip ($69) or the JLab Epic Open Sport ($114), which are a lot cheaper and have a far better sound profile.

After testing my fair share of open-earbuds, I have noticed that the color choices are often lacking in variety. But the JLab Go Air Sport earbuds are available in six different colors, so it’s worth looking at them if you care more about the look of your buds.

Skullcandy Push 720 Open review: Design & controls

• Unique charging case
• Secure fit
• Can cause some pressure with long-term wear

The design of the Skullcandy Push 720 Open earbuds is certainly unique upon first glance. I’ll start by talking about the charging case (or bag), because I’ve never seen anything quite like this.

The case of the buds looks like a little pouch with a magnetic closure at the top. There is a carabiner hook at the top to clip the buds onto belt buckles or your bag, which is pretty convenient. I never hook my AirPods Gen 3 onto my bag because I don’t trust the lid to keep the buds secure, but the magnetic closure on the Skullcandy buds feels far more secure.

The buds sit at the bottom of the case in a charging dock, so you need to reach your hand in a little to grab them. They’re far chunkier than other clip-style open-earbuds I have used in the past, which are usually very lightweight and soft to wear, like the Soundcore Aeroclips.

The Push 720’s clip-style stays in the ear with a little pressure, but they are a lot bigger than other models I have tried. As a result, they caused some extra pressure on my ears, which became uncomfortable quite quickly.

That being said, when I was out walking and moving around the house, the buds stayed put and didn’t budge at all. They’re great for running and jogging, but do be wary that if you are using them for running long distances or going for a long session at the gym, you’ll likely notice some discomfort since they pinch the sides of your ears so tightly.

The buds can certainly withstand working out with a resistance rating of IP67, making them sweatproof and waterproof. This means they can withstand running in the rain, but I would recommend wiping them before they go back into the case if they are wet.

Skullcandy Push 720 Open review: Controls & connectivity

• Fully customizable controls
• Bluetooth 5.3
• Multipoint connection

The Skullcandy Push 720 Open uses button controls, which is my preference for workout buds. This gives me more tactile control over the commands, which is needed when moving. They’re much better than the touch controls of the Soundcore Aeroclips, which proved tricky to actuate when running.

You can customize the button controls with four different commands for each of the left and right ears. This gives you a total of eight onboard commands, which is pretty useful. I was even able to set up one of the commands to act as a hands-free shutter button for my phone’s camera.

The Skullcandy Push 720 Open earbuds use Bluetooth 5.3 and have multipoint connection capabilities for up to two devices. To enable this, I simply pressed the command button for three seconds and selected the device I wanted to pair the earbuds with. You can manage the devices in the Skullcandy app.

I found this especially useful when switching between my phone for music testing and my laptop for work calls.

Skullcandy Push 720 Open review: Ambient awareness & mic

• Blocks out a lot of ambient noise
• Minimal sound leakage
• Tinny microphone performance

I struggled with ambient awareness while testing the Skullcandy Push 720 Open earbuds, as they blocked out all ambient noise. The reason for this is that the tips of the earbuds sat further into my ears than other open-earbuds I have tested.

It felt like I was using in-ear buds without ANC, as only some office chatter was coming through. This isn’t the best for using the buds when out and about because ambient awareness adds a level of security by helping you remain vigilant. I used them when I was out on a walk, and the noise of the traffic wasn’t at all. For a pair of buds that let in a good amount of ambient sound, I would look to the Soundcore Aeroclips.

I had no issues with sound leakage though, and I expect that’s because if sound can’t get in, sound can’t get out either. My colleague, who was sitting two meters away from me, could only hear my music when I turned it up to 80% volume, but 30% was a comfortable listening level for me.

The microphone on the earbuds is decent enough for taking calls. However, when I recorded a short clip of myself speaking and listened back, I was surprised by how tinny my voice sounded.

Skullcandy Push 720 Open review: Sound quality

• Disappointing default sound profile
• Changing EQ settings can save the audio quality
• Personal hearing test

The Skullcandy Push 720 Open earbuds have frankly disappointing sound quality for their price point. Some context before we get started, though: It's important to remember that open-ear buds like these effectively play their audio near your ear as opposed to directly in it, which comes with sonic challenges that even the largest audio brands have struggled with.

I initially tested the buds on the default EQ setting with my usual testing playlists, and each song I cycled through was horribly tinny. I focused on Just Like Heaven by The Cure, as it has a driving bassline, melodic guitar riff, and clear vocals, and I noticed that the drums in the music, which are usually very prominent, were getting lost.

Thankfully, the app offers a lot of EQ customization for the sound. I did what I could to make it better, and I was successful (if I do say so myself). I quickly moved to the custom EQ section and increased the bass by lowering the mids and highs. This immediately redacted the tinniness and vastly improved the audio quality. They were actually enjoyable!

There is also a personal sound test that you can take on the app to get the most out of the buds, and I recommend doing this as soon as you get your hands on them. The test includes listening out for a beep and letting the app know when you can and can’t hear it. Once you get your result, you can select whether you want to listen to the default custom profile or a softer or richer version. I stuck with the default and used it for the duration of my testing.

I listened to Love Lost; by Mac Miller and The Temper Trap with the custom EQ, and then again with the personalized EQ too. I was listening specifically for the clarity of the voices here, but the song also has a strong beat, and I loved how rich the song sounded with the personalized setting. The personalization brought forward more of the instrumental track and completely elevated the music.

To test the bass boost EQ preset, I listened to Teddy Picker by the Arctic Monkeys as I wanted to see how the buds cope with its prominent and heavy bassline. As I shifted from the Custom EQ to the Bass boost, I was immediately disappointed as the tinniness was back with a vengeance. This confirmed to me that the main issue with the buds is the mids, as they were higher on this preset than on my custom settings. I again switched to my personal sound setting, and the sound improved, but not by much. The bass line was lost behind the tinny mids.

But using open-earbuds doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice bass performance, as the JLab Epic Open Sport have a well-balanced bass that isn’t lost behind the mids. And when the base is boosted on these buds, it just gets better.

To test the Podcast mode on the Skullcandys, I listened to the audiobook Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green. The book is narrated by John Green, who is a podcaster and YouTuber whose voice I know well, and it was recognizable to me. However, it did sound like he was on a Skype call back in 2010.

They definitely do the job as a set of workout earbuds, but it takes a lot of effort and changes to the EQ settings to get decent sound. For the average user, it’s going to be time-consuming to make all of these alterations, and a lot of people don’t even look at the companion apps that come with earbuds. If you want buds with a sound profile that you have to make very minimal alterations to, I’d recommend the Soundcore Aeroclip open-earbuds.

Listen along to the Skullcandy Push 720 Open testing playlist on Qobuz:

Skullcandy Push 720 Open review: Battery life

• Battery life could be longer for the price
• 30 hours total battery life
• 10-minute rapid charge for 2 hours play time

The Skullcandy Push 720 Open earbuds have a total rated battery life of 30 hours. That consists of six hours from the buds and an extra 24 hours from the charging case. However, for this price, I would expect a better battery life, like the 40 hours that come with the EarFun Clip.

After three hours of continuously playing music at around 30% volume, the buds had 50% battery remaining. And while this was plenty loud enough for me, if you like listening louder, you will find the battery drains a lot quicker.

The case has rapid charge, so 10 minutes of charge will give 2 hours of battery life, which is great if you are in a rush and need some extra juice for your buds. The case can be charged wirelessly or with a USB-C cable.

Skullcandy Push 720 Open review: Verdict

The Skullcandy Push 720 Open earbuds are a decent option for anyone who needs a secure-fitting option for working out. Although the default sound profile is questionable at best, altering the EQ settings and taking the personal sound test can salvage the performance of the buds.

The case design is my favorite thing about these buds, as, in addition to being unique, the closure is very secure. Combine that with the attached carabiner, and these are incredibly easy earbuds to have with you at all times.

However, even though the buds fit securely and won’t budge, they are uncomfortable to wear for prolonged periods of time, given the force with which they grip your ears. They also look a little chunky when being worn, as they are a lot bigger than other open-earbuds I have tested.

They’re also a little on the expensive side at $144 — you can get better for cheaper. The EarFun Clips, for example, are a much cheaper and better-sounding alternative.

So while the Skullcandys have their perks, it’s really hard to recommend them outright.