Ear defenders are rarely taken into consideration for airsoft, outside of a comms solution using the earmuff and boom mic setup. Coming from a real steel shooting background, and working around the industry of industrial deafness, I have an acute appreciation for the need of hearing protection, especially given the mutual enthusiasm for pyrotechnics within airsoft. The Jack Pyke electronic ear defenders found their way into my kit bag as an optional spare piece of kit, mainly for if my current setup failed for any reason, but having used them more and more recently, I thought I’d write up a quick review for you all.

 

Although you can attach an audio input, these are primarily used for protection, where the amplified sound you hear will cut out any noise above 82dB. Anyone who’s been in a CQB environment and had anything larger than an Mk5 dropped at their feet can appreciate why these ear defenders would be a blessing in that scenario. During normal movement, any ambient noises around you are amplified through the microphones on each ear cup, and you can pick noises up that you would ordinarily miss; the opposition sneaking up on you from behind, for example, effectively giving you bionic ears. The amplified noise is very clear of these particular defenders, whereas others I have owned have sounded quite ‘tinny’. With regards to protection, it’s a given that flashbangs and grenades are thwarted by the electronic cut-off on the ear defenders, but depending on your surroundings, even the noise of AEG’s can trigger them into cutting out. I suppose this could be slightly annoying when in the midst of a firefight and your trying to communicate to your team, but on the other hand, It’s probably a good thing, as we all take for granted the amount of noise we can be exposed to without realising it.

I wouldn’t say that these ear defenders are particularly low profile, but when shouldering my rifle they don’t interfere with the stock as much as I first thought they would, and they are definitely less noticeable than my regular defenders. In terms of quality and comfort, I’m actually very impressed with them. I’ve found that wearing them for extended periods causes absolutely no discomfort whatsoever, and perhaps the only slight bit of irritation is where the earcups press against my eye protection, but this is extremely minimal. At face value, most ear defenders look the same or at least look like they are built with the same materials and to the same quality, but these are actually very robust and hard-wearing. The outer casing is solid and sturdy, and the head strap mount fixings are very secure. I’ve been using these for a while now, and I tend to wear them when my team and I don’t need to use comms, or when I want to run a very lightweight rig with only the bare essentials. During their use, they have performed flawlessly at each game, and have yet to let me down. Taking into account the function, durability, comfort, and price, I would give these a solid 8.5 out of 10.

Features
Adjustable headband

Foldable

Reduces harmful gunfire noise and any noise above 82dB

NRR 25dB

Takes two 5v AAA batteries (batteries not included)

Price £56.95

Available from all good shooting sports and Airsoft Retailers