Short answer: the Skullcandy Terrain, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #163 of 172 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 2.1/5, at $49.49; the Altec Lansing Lifejacket 3 ranks #170, rated 2.0/5, and costs $72.76, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 172 medium speakers; for better sound, the EarFun Uboom L ranks #2 at $49.79.
The Skullcandy Terrain is the lighter choice. IPX7 rated with a nylon wrist wrap for carrying. At 1 lbs (458 g) it weighs much less than the Altec Lansing Lifejacket 3 at 2.7 lbs (1.22 kg). It charges over USB-C rather than Micro USB. The catch: No bass, very rolled off treble.
The Altec Lansing Lifejacket 3 is the longer-running pick. Tank-like build quality: reviewers have frozen it, dropped it, and buried it in sand with no issues. It is rated for 30 hours of battery against 14 for the Skullcandy Terrain. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Skullcandy Terrain lacks. The tradeoff: Barely any bass, “pathetic sounding” said Jay’s Reviews.
Buy the Skullcandy Terrain. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Altec Lansing Lifejacket 3 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Tank-like build quality: reviewers have frozen it, dropped it, and buried it in sand with no issues.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Skullcandy Terrain | Altec Lansing Lifejacket 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $49.49 | $72.76 |
| Ranked | #163 of 172 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #170 of 172 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (SKDY Multi-Link, up to 99 speakers) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| App | Yes | No |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 48mm drivers + passive radiators | 4.5” (114mm) woofer |
| Weight | 1 lbs (458 g) | 2.7 lbs (1.22 kg) |
| Dimensions | 6.3” x 3.1” x 3.1” (160 x 79 x 79 mm) | 8” x 3.8” x 4.2” (203.2 x 96.5 x 106.7 mm) |
| Maximum SPL | 90dB SPL (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| EQ | No | No |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 2 x 6W | 80W |
| Strap | Yes (wrist strap) | Yes (mounting clip) |
| Power Bank | - | Yes |
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