We have written about aviation headsets before (See: Lightspeed Zulu vs Bose X headset and What is the best aviation headset?) but recently a pilot or would-be pilot posted a question on Ask a Flight Instructor about what headset to buy as he had a rather expensive Bose headset in mind:
I’ve recently been looking for a headset to buy and i was referred to the BOSE set. It is a little pricey so i need advice from someone who has tried a pair to see if they are worth it?? or should i get david clarks? if not, why??
Paul Tocknell responded by noting that he has tried countless pairs of aviation headsets with the Bose A20 being (by far) his favorite BUT he has also been content using a good pair of David Clark H10-13.4 that cost a third of what a pair of Bose would costs and that there is a nearly $700 difference between the two – money he would rather spend on an extra endorsement or rating.
Meanwhile, Gary Moore also agreed with Paul and noted that he has been been flying with the same pair of David Clarks for nearly 25 years but he did concede that Bose headsets are great headsets and very comfortable.
Finally, Sam Dawson suggested trying aviation headsets on long flights if possible before making a final purchase decision. He mentioned on one flight where the aircraft had Bose headsets, he let his wife use them but:
After 1 hour her head had a bad hotspot and she made me switch. After 30 minutes wearing the Bose I too had a hotspot.
So for him, he is sticking by his (cheaper) Lightspeeds.
However, no one mentioned having any hearing or ear problems and what the best type of aviation headset might be for someone who has such problems. Hence, we want to ask you our readers what you think: What headsets do you use and if you use a Bose headset, are they worth the price? Moreover and if you have any type of hearing or ear issues to begin with, what aviation headset have you found to work best in your particular instance?
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