Advice for comms/headset

[Kzwi]

Hello folks,

I am looking to get a Bowman Headset for my radio, and I have been buying/replacing cheapos for some time because i like the idea of one ear only and having the boom mike. I would like advices on brands and experience, there does not seem to be a lot of reviews on comms headset and i dont mind paying a bit more to get quality, but i'd prefer to get your opinion before spending.

So why do you like or hate the brand you are using ?

 

[dykm2]

So most people on my team started with the in ear cheapo things that last 5 mins, then a £15 throat mic because they're cool but found no-one could hear you, then a £25 bowman which are cheap and clear but don't offer any hearing protection and several of our guys have had nasty incidents with excessively loud pyro, then £65 earmore or wosport headsets with talk through which allows you to hear your surroundings and do Comms but the cables are fragile. I must have fixed every earmore and wosport on the team several times. I think most people follow a similar route.

Haven't tried them yet but the tacsky comtacs look like a decent quality clone at £100-£120.

Genuine peltor headsets are £500-600. I use peltor at work, nice kit but £££!

I've since started converting real steel Racal Frontier headsets to work with civvy radios. There's some seriously nice Kevlar reinforced, over braided, double shielded over engineered mil spec cables on these! Mmmm nerdgasm!

They have electronic ambient sound talk through, deliver Comms into your left ear and the Comms microphone actually picks up your voice from inside your right ear, even at a whisper, so no boom mic tangled in your face pro or earmuffs messing up your cheek weld. Fancy!

View attachment 64511

View attachment 64512

 

[paradoxum]

I use this headset: https://www.weekendwarriorsairsoft.co.uk/index.php?_route_=tmc-rac-tactical-headset-dark-earth

With a Earmore PTT on shoulder. Baofang on back.

Headset is great even if nobody is using comms because it does that amplification thing where you can hear stuff louder around you with them on. Forgot the word for that feature.

Edit: "3D hearing Technology (3DHT)" apparently.

 

[MagpieTactical]

View attachment 65389I just got myself a retevis speaker mic, and some Howard Leight Impact sports, seems to do the job

 

[AlphaBear]

Here’s my set up. Earmor M32 Mod3 going into an Earmor PTT with a 2 pin plug. So Kenwood/Baofeng radios. 
 

View attachment 65388

 

[paradoxum]

Here’s my set up. Earmor M32 Mod3 going into an Earmor PTT with a 2 pin plug. So Kenwood/Baofeng radios. 
 

View attachment 65388

I had that exact headset at first but I found that the rail mounts just would not stay on properly - and then I found the TMC RAC ones that can be slung behind the helmet when not in use:

https://imgur.com/a/0tjTu5h

 

[dykm2]

BTW the most durable Comms set IV had so far is a ztactical bowman. 

I took off the elastic and zip tied it to the ear mesh of my fabric / mesh face mask to reduce clutter on my head.

Works a dream and is always my fallback.

(But no hearing protection)

 

[AlphaBear]

I had that exact headset at first but I found that the rail mounts just would not stay on properly - and then I found the TMC RAC ones that can be slung behind the helmet when not in use:

https://imgur.com/a/0tjTu5h

I saw something similar where you can buy rotating rail mounts. I believe FMA do them or another 3rd party.... I'm actually considering getting a set via Aliexpress and see how they work..

In fact Earmor themselves sell the rotating bracket.......

View attachment 65468

 

[paradoxum]

I'm pretty sure I stil have those exact brackets because I remember trying them myself looking for a solution - the problem is they're made of plastic, and so are the rails, so they just don't stay on very well - and if they do, I found the metal ...'prongs'? leading to the headsets themselves would always fall out.