Let me start with an insult; if you’re not using a radio when you play airsoft, you’re doing it wrong. We all know that communication on the field is vital to success and a big part of how well you communicate is the quality of your headset. I have both a cheap solution as well as a quasi-pricey solution, both of which have and still serve me well whenever I take the field. I’m going to preface this by saying that I am a die-hard Motorola Talk-About GMRS fan. I have seen teammates with Midlands, Cobras and even the uber-l33t ICOMs… all with various levels of fail all the while my Motorola’s just keep on trucking. I have probably used 5-7 headsets over the years, but the below two are by far the best bang for your buck as they just plain work and are durable to boot.

Headsets for the Motorola Talk-Abouts use the x63 jack, so be mindful when you are buying online. First up is my cheap solution, the Motorola 53743 headset. This is an extremely basic behind the head setup with no push-to-talk (PTT) button (There are 3rd party add-ons if you require a PTT). I personally never needed a PTT and turned VOX off (common radio etiquette) so to make a call, you need to push the talk button on the radio itself. I know, sounds like a hassle but I promise you it’s not as odd as you think. Calls come in and go out crystal clear and the headset is so comfortable you forget that you’re even wearing it. The best part… the headset is dirt cheap at $20! Mine has been rocking for near 9 years now… but I think I paid $50 for it way back when.

On to the l33t solution.. the Pryme Trooper SPM-2163 handset. This is basically a law-enforcement style handset but has the ability to accept a 3.5mm listen-only ear piece. I was turned-on to this rig by a fellow SoCal Airsofter and was amazed at how simple, sleek and how it just plain worked. I ended up paring the handset with a Pryme EH-1389SC listen-only ear piece and a Pryme P-EMLL large molded ear insert for the left ear. The molded insert replaces the small nub on the ear piece to better secure the ear piece to your ear. Think of it as a hearing aid insert. The best part about this setup is that while the molded insert is in your ear, you really don’t feel it and it doesn’t block outside game noise/conversation. This is by far my most favorite rig to run, but most complicated to setup and manage. Now the down side… when I run this rig, I usually put my radio on my back and rely on teammates to adjust volume and channel selection when needed. On top of that, this rig will set you back around $100 even before you select a radio.

How’s that for a slice of fried gold?