Review of Skullcandy Ink'd Earbuds

If we're talking value for money, Skullcandy Ink'd Earbuds are it. Mine were under $20 at Best Buy, and I was surprised when I plugged them into my iPod. I wanted a cheap set of earbuds to use at the gym, so I thought I would settle for what looked like earbuds aimed at teenagers. The buds looked soft and comfortable, so I picked them up and was on my way.

I realized right away that I hadn't "settled" for a low quality set of earbuds. There were three sizes of removable clear silicon gel tips in the package, so I chose the set that fit my ears best, and put them on. They were the most comfortable earbuds I'd ever had. Normally, earbuds start to hurt after wearing them for a while, but these never cause discomfort. They shut out some noise, like the sound of the treadmill, but I can still hear the person next to me talking on the phone.

The sound quality is also the best I've had using earbuds. The bass comes through strong and the sound is clear, so along with the fair noise reduction, listening to my iPod is a real pleasure.

The cord on the Skullcandy Ink'd Earbuds is just over four feet long, lightweight and flexible. It's long enough to put my iPod in the treadmill cup holder without worrying about yanking the earbuds from my ears if I don't stay close to the front of the treadmill. With such a lightweight cord, the earbuds never feel as though they are weighted down and pulling.

The only problem I have with my Skullcandy Ink'd Earbuds is when they fall out after about an hour of strenuous exercise. They loosen their seal in my ears, first reducing the sound quality, and then slipping out of my ear. It could just be my ears perspiring or heating up. I've never heard of anyone else having this problem. When I'm not exercising, they are comfortable enough to wear for hours and never loosen their grip.

Lastly, the durability of Skullcandy Ink'd Earbuds is impressive. I've had the same pair for over a year and the sound quality is as good today as it was the day I bought them. There are some who needed to replace their earbuds after a month or two, but that was caused by cranking the music up full blast. Listening to the music at such high volumns isn't bad news only for the earbuds. Your eardrums can be damaged, too, so no matter what earbuds you choose, don't turn the music so loud that the person across the room can hear it. You'll end up wearing hearing aids instead of cool Skullcandy Ink'd Earbuds.