Picking the best headset can be a challenging discussion. They are one of the most costly “pilot gear” items a pilot will invest in. You don’t have to buy the most expensive heaset on the market, but I will say there is a reason a few of the most expensive headsets are the post popular. They are durable, have good product support, and are feature-rich.

I will say investing in a good headset for a pilot early in the training process typically saves money in the long run because you will probably do it at some point. Comfort is key, especially for those longer flights. A head clamping headset will increase fatigue and generate headaches. Features like bluetooth are awesome for piping in some music on a long cross-country flight.

With that said, I am going to offer three options here that I currently fly with (just depending on which one I grab each day or which plane I am in) and a couple of other options you might consider that are a little more budget oriented that are also great headsets.

I offer them in no specific order, alphabetically here. If you are choosing from one of these, do a little homework and figure out which one best fits your needs.

Bose A30

A fantastic lightweight proven design headset with great bluetooth features built in to connect a phone or tablet device. The main downside of this headset is the “passive noise cancelling” (when the active noise cancelling is off – or the battery is dead) isn’t the best based on the ear cup. It’s a trade off. When the active noise cancelling is going, it is one of the quietest headsets on the market. It typically runs about $1,299.

You can get more information about it here on the Bose website.

David Clark H20-10

One of the longest standing headset manufacturers on the market, David Clark has offered this particular headset for many years. I have had one for over 20 years and it just keeps taking a beating. It has a really good ear cup that offers great passive noise cancelling. It doesn’t have Bluetooth, but it is one of the toughest headsets on the market with a really comfortable head band with lots of cushioning. I have beat the daylights out of mine dragging it around in flight bags and it just keeps going. A little bigger and heavier than some other options, but a very good option at a slightly cheaper price. It typically runs about $389.

You can get more information about it and order from Sporty’s by clicking here.

David Clark DC One-X

Continuing the David Clark lineage that literally started by providing products to NASA and the space program, this is a fantastic headset that runs about $995. Lightweight, a comfortable head band, and all the Bluetooth features you may want, it is hard to go wrong with this headset.

You can get more information about it and order from Sporty’s by clicking here.

Lightspeed Zulu 3 ANR

A bigger ear cup than others that makes passive noise cancelling decent, great active noise cancelling, and Bluetooth built in this headset is a go-to for many pilots. Me included. Well, close, I have the Zulu2, this is the updated version of the one I have had. Great customer support, a 5 year warranty, and a durable headset it is a great option. It comes in at about $899.

You can get more information and order it here at the Lightspeed website.

Lightspeed Sierra ANR

The little brother to the Zulu 3, the Sierra is a slightly more budget oriented headset shipping at about $699. It is also a great option that saves a little money that includes ANR and Bluetooth options. Many people that fly with them have a hard time telling much of a difference between the Zulu and Sierra lines. It is slightly older technology than the newest of the new from Lightspeed, but a great durable option I have turned many students on to for their headset options going through their training and they haven’t been disappointed.

You can get more information and order it here at the Lightspeed website.

Telex Air 3100

This headset is a no-frills but functional good starter headset. It doesn’t have ANR but it does have a decent ear cup and is generally pretty comfortable. I encourage this headset for folks trying to save a little money but still get into a headset that won’t kill their head. It also becomes a good passenger headset you can offer as you go through training if you do upgrade to something more pricey at a later time that has more features. It is going to be roughly $340 to get one of these.

You can get more information and order it here at the Aircraft Spruce website.

There are a couple other “add-ons” you might consider depending on your headset and what you end up choosing.

If you don’t have a Bluetooth equipped headset, but want to add that function later, you can do that with an inline adaptor.

UFQ BT-Link Aviation Headset Bluetooth Adapter

I have seen people use this adaptor with great success. It doesn’t make the headset “noise cancelling”, but it does offer the ability to bluethooth in music or phone functions to a headset that wasn’t originally equipped with it. It can be a nice addition to a headest’s functionality and runs about $189 on Amazon.

Click here to get the UFQ BT-Link Aviation Headset Bluetooth Adapter on Amazon.

Cloth Ear Covers for Aviation Headset

Hot summer flying days can make headset ear muffs sweaty, slippery, and just kind of gross. Cold flying days make them cold. A simply solution for both is a set of cloth ear covers you put over your headset ear muffs. It makes them soak up the sweat a little bit and it isn’t as cold on your ears in the summer. Every headset I own has a set of these on them. Plus as you use them and they get a little gross over time, you can replace. them At a mer $9.99 on Amazon, you can’t go wrong adding these to your headset. They come in a 4-pack.

Click here to get Cloth Ear Covers for Aviation Headsets on Amazon

I encourage purchasing headsets directly from the manufacturer’s websites. It makes tracking for warranty a little easier and many times if you sign up for their customer notifications, you can take advantage of seasonal discounts. Many also give discounts of some sort for CFI’s purchasing headsets. Check around before you hit the buy button if any are currently available.

The best advice I can give you when selecting a headset is going to be is to try them on ahead of time if you can, and figure out which one fits your head best. It can be a great headset, but each of these has slightly different top-of-the-head pads and pivot points. Each may fit your particular head slightly different. Get the one that is going to feel best for the longest period of time. You are going to have it on for quite a bit of time in a career pilot training process.