If your airsoft shopping list keeps expanding, you are not alone. This is a common phenomenon that most airsoft novices are all too familiar with. And their greatest regret is buying more stuff than they need. One of these things is ear protection, which seems necessary until you weigh the pros and cons.
You do not need ear protection in airsoft. Airsoft guns don’t make enough noise to require ear protection, but airsoft BBs can sting significantly more if they make contact with your ears. That’s why an airsoft ear cover can be a good purchase but not an essential one.
In this article, you will learn about the advantages and disadvantages of airsoft ear protection alongside three recommendations for ear protection, two of which you can use outside of airsoft as well. But first, let’s address the two-fold role of ear protection in tactical games.
Ear Protection In Tactical Games: Why Use It?
People use ear protection when using a BB gun or playing paintball for two reasons. They want to protect their ears from the impact of a direct BB hit, and they want to reduce the noise that reaches their ears, especially when they use noisy weapons.
You won’t need ear protection in airsoft for the latter reason though the former is completely valid. Airsoft guns aren’t noisy, but their pellets can hurt your ears.
The Pros Of Ear Protection In Airsoft
Ear protection isn’t very common in airsoft attires though some helmets extend to the ears. Specific ear-cover is not popular because the main advantage of ear-cover (protection from noise) isn’t really necessary in an average airsoft game. Still, there are several advantages of wearing ear protection in Airsoft.
Your Ears Are Safe From Direct Pellet Impact.
You don’t need ear protection to protect your eardrums from the sound of airsoft guns. But you might want to cover your ears to avoid the pain of getting shot in the ears. If you’ve read my post on how painful airsoft pellets are, you know that the extremities (nose, ears, and fingers) hurt the most from pellet impact. Covering your ears can be helpful in minimizing painful impact.
Your Ears Aren’t Cold If You Play In A Cold Environment
The second advantage is context-specific. If you play airsoft in a cold state, having ear protection is like wearing a scarf over your ears. It keeps the cold air away and traps body heat to keep your ears warm. Where this advantage applies, it makes a difference, but in the hot states where it isn’t valid, ear protection might actually be annoying.
Your Ears Are Protected From Stray Branches In Outdoor Fields
On outdoor fields, there are often branches that scrape the foreheads and shoulders of airsoft players, especially in high-intensity games. Getting hit in the ears is a very unlikely possibility but a possibility nonetheless. Wearing ear protection can minimize the already low odds of a branch scraping your ear.
The Cons Of Ear Protection In Airsoft
Ear protection is the last thing on airsoft players’ minds. Most consider it a bigger burden than an asset because it has significant drawbacks in the field. Here are the cons of wearing ear protection in airsoft.
You Can’t Hear Your Teammates Very Well.
Unless you’re playing the last-man-standing game, which is free for all, you need to coordinate with your fellow airsoft players. Over 90% of the time, this is done visually with hand signals and body language.
But sometimes, your teammates need to call you or even warn you about a blind spot. Ear protection can lower your ability to understand and respond to verbal cues. This is quite a significant drawback in the field.
Your Pay For Protective Equipment You Don’t Really Need
The second drawback is the one that keeps most airsoft players from investing in ear protection. And it is simply that they don’t need ear protection. Buying something you don’t need takes a lot of convincing, even if that something costs very little.
Most players simply do not believe that ear protection is necessary. Its advantages are valid in a very specific set of conditions that are very unlikely.
Your Ears Might Heat Up If You Play In A Warm Environment
Finally, the flipside of the advantage of wearing ear protection when you play in cold weather is the disadvantage of wearing ear protection when you play in a hot region. Ear protection keeps your ear warm, and that’s the last thing you need if you’re playing in Florida in July.
The Best Ear Protection Accessories For Airsoft
If you choose to get ear protection for airsoft, you must look for something that is relatively inexpensive and can be used outside of airsoft as well. From helping you study or work in a noisy environment to keeping your ears warm on a winter outing, ear protection can do wonders if you pick the right product.
I would hesitate to recommend buying ear protection that is specific to Airsoft only because you don’t get the most out of it if it is useless outside the field. With that said, here are my recommendations for ear protection that can be used in airsoft as well.
Best For Weather-Proofing And Field Pellet Protection: Lauzq Winter Fleece Muffs Headband
This headband covers your ears, minimizing the pain of any direct earshot. It also covers your forehead, which can reduce the risk of getting scraped by random branches in an outdoor field.
It isn’t very good at soundproofing, which is a good thing because the soundproofing element of shooting range ear covers can actually lower your ability to coordinate with your airsoft teammates.
It is available in multiple colors, though black is my favorite. You can get one that aligns with the rest of your outfit. This band has the highest versatility among the ear covers listed in this post, as it isn’t even positioned for airsoft use.
With over 4000 reviews and ratings, it has a global collective average of 4.4 stars on a 5-star scale. Its highest specific rating is for its value-for-money proposition, which is a good thing for a purchase that you might not use as often in the airsoft field.
Best For Attire Compatibility: Metog Unisex Foldable Ear Warmers
These ear covers are stylish and don’t cover much besides your ears. They are also available in a wide range of camouflage-compatible colors, so you can match them with your airsoft outfit. Outside the field, these ear warmers are used for, well, warming your ears. That’s also what its main customer base reviews it for.
And out of 5000 reviews, 80% are 4 or 5 stars. That’s why its global average is 4.3 stars on a 5-star scale. I’d recommend getting these if you already have the rest of your Airsoft outfit selected. Avoid getting these if you live in a warm region, though.
Best For Warm Climate: Jffcestore Metal Mesh Ear Cover
This is an ear cover that will help only in tactical games. In other words, if you find ear protection to be unnecessary in airsoft, then this purchase will feel like a waste. That said, it is the perfect airsoft ear protection as it doesn’t hinder your ability to listen to your teammates but can stop BBs from hitting your ears.
It has only 71 reviews as of now, which isn’t a reliable enough sample, but they do collectively average a 4.2-star rating on a 5-star scale.
Final Thoughts
You do not need ear protection in airsoft for noise reduction, but you might want it anyway on the off chance that you get hit in the ear. Good ear protection in airsoft can protect you from BB hits while allowing you to listen to your teammates and the footsteps of your opponents.