Skullcandy wireless headphones, Icon ANC

If you want headphones for travel and everyday listening, the Skullcandy Icon ANC takes a more portable on-ear approach, with active noise cancelling and a fold-flat design. Its listed battery life reaches up to 60 hours with ANC off, while an included AUX cable gives you a wired option when Bluetooth isn’t suitable.

The main trade-off is that the 60-hour figure applies with noise cancelling switched off, the listing doesn’t specify battery life with ANC on. That distinction matters if you expect to use noise cancelling for most of a long trip.

Best use cases

These headphones are suited to commutes, travel and listening sessions where being able to pack your headphones flat is useful. Picture settling into a seat at the airport, folding them out for a playlist over Bluetooth, then switching to the adjustable Stay-Aware mode when you want to hear more of what’s happening around you. The supplied 3.5 mm AUX cable also lets you plug in when you’d rather not use a wireless connection.

Te conviene si you want noise cancelling, portable storage and the option to choose how much outside sound comes through. Better avoid it if your main requirement is a confirmed long battery runtime with ANC enabled: that figure isn’t given in the product details. The on-ear fit is another practical consideration if you specifically want an over-ear design.

Product specs

• Fit: On-ear
• Connection: Bluetooth, with an included 3.5 mm AUX cable
• Noise features: Active Noise Cancelling and adjustable Stay-Aware mode
• Battery: Up to 60 hours with ANC off, Rapid Charge is listed as providing 4 hours of listening from a 10-minute charge
• Resistance: IPX4 sweat and water resistance
• Design: Flat-folding and collapsible
• Other features: Microphone, app-based sound settings, Personal Sound by Mimi and adjustable EQ

Where it shines

The appeal is the choice between blocking out some surrounding sound and letting more of it in. Stay-Aware levels can be adjusted in the Skullcandy App, and the app also offers hearing modes and EQ adjustments. That gives you more control than a basic pair of wireless headphones with no listed listening modes, though it also means the app is part of the intended setup.

The foldable build and included cable make the travel angle more practical: pack the headphones for a trip, use Bluetooth for everyday listening, then connect by cable when that suits the situation. IPX4 resistance adds a measure of protection against sweat and water, but it doesn’t establish suitability for swimming or heavy water exposure. Active noise cancelling is designed to reduce surrounding noise, it shouldn’t be treated as complete silence. The manufacturer lists up to 60 hours of battery life with ANC off, not as a guaranteed runtime in every mode.

Final decision

Choose the Icon ANC if an on-ear fit, adjustable awareness mode and fold-flat portability match how you listen, and you’re comfortable with the published battery figure applying to ANC-off use. It’s a less compelling fit if you need a stated runtime with ANC enabled or prefer headphones that sit over the ears. For travel and daily use, the included AUX cable and rapid-charge claim add useful flexibility, while the missing ANC-on battery figure is worth weighing before you decide.