We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-07 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want dedicated hearing protection that folds down small and stays comfortable on a bigger head, choose Howard Leight Honeywell Leightning L0F; if you need a wired everyday headphone with a built-in mic for calls and media, choose FA Frisby Audio FHP-900. That's the short version, and it's the whole decision in one line for anyone shopping for big head comfort. One is a slim folding earmuff built for the range; the other is a foldable on-ear stereo headphone built for your phone. They overlap on exactly one thing — they both fold — and almost nothing else.
• Howard Leight L0F — biggest strength: Real noise reduction (NRR 23) with patented Air Flow Control, an ultraslim earcup that won't bump a gunstock, and a telescopic padded headband that takes pressure off a large head.
• Howard Leight L0F — biggest trade-off: It's a passive safety earmuff, not a music device — no microphone, no volume control, no Bluetooth. It isolates sound, it doesn't play it.
• FA Frisby FHP-900 — biggest strength: A foldable on-ear wired headphone with an in-line mic and volume/media control, 32-ohm impedance, and a flexible adjustable headband — plug-and-play with phones, tablets, laptops and PCs.
• FA Frisby FHP-900 — biggest trade-off: It's wired and 3.5mm-only, and its "active noise cancellation" claim sits alongside passive ambient suppression — don't expect the same lab-style attenuation as a purpose-built NRR 23 muff.
• Pick the Howard Leight L0F if you're protecting your ears at the range and want a compact, big-head-friendly fit.
• Pick the FA Frisby FHP-900 if you want one cheap, foldable pair for calls and music on the go.
The Leightning L0F is a shooting earmuff first and a comfort product second, and it's honest about both. The headline number is a Noise Reduction Rating of 23, achieved through patented Air Flow Control technology that reduces sound across all frequencies without making the earcup bigger or heavier. That last part matters more than it sounds: a slimmer earcup is what keeps the muff from interfering with a gunstock, which is the classic annoyance with bulky hearing protection.
The comfort story is where a big head actually benefits. The headband uses steel wire construction for durability, telescopic adjustment for a custom fit, and padded foam to cut down pressure on top of the skull. The ear cushions are super-soft and snap in, so replacing worn cushions is quick rather than a fight. The whole thing collapses to roughly four inches, which is genuinely pocketable for a range bag.
Who should buy it: shooters, hunters, and anyone who spends time around loud impulsive noise and wants protection that folds flat and doesn't squeeze. If you wear shooting glasses, note that Howard Leight states its shooting glasses and earmuffs are designed to work together. Who should skip it: anyone who wants to take calls, stream audio, or control volume from the earcup. There's no mic and no in-line control here — the only "control" listed is sound isolation. If you were hoping for something like wireless clip on earbuds for big head instead, this isn't that product at all. It's a muff, and it does one job.
The FHP-900 is the opposite kind of product: a wired, foldable, on-ear stereo headphone aimed at everyday listening. It runs on a standard 3.5mm jack, so it works with smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops and anything else with a stereo audio source — plug and play, no pairing, no charging. Impedance is 32 ohm with a 20 Hz – 20 kHz frequency range, which is the standard full-range spec you'd expect from a general-purpose headphone.
The features list is where it earns its keep for a big head and for travel. The headband is flexible and adjustable, the ear cushions are leather, and the pads are described as providing durability plus comfort and passive ambient noise suppression. There's an integrated omni-directional microphone with noise cancelling, plus in-line volume and media controls, so you can take a call or pause a track without touching your phone. The folding design lets it drop into a bag or purse.
Who should buy it: students, commuters, and anyone who wants one inexpensive wired pair for calls, video meetings and music. The mic makes it a reasonable pick if you're after something like with microphone true wireless earbuds for big head but you're fine staying wired. Who should skip it: anyone who needs true wireless freedom, or anyone who needs serious hearing protection. This is a listening device, and its noise control is listed as active noise cancellation alongside passive ambient suppression — useful for dulling a bus engine, not a substitute for an NRR 23 muff at a range.
If you're buying for a child, be aware the age range is listed as adult, so treat it as a grown-up's headphone even though it's a light, compact design. It's not marketed as an extra bass kids headset for big head, and the description frames the tuning as well-balanced bass and treble rather than bass-heavy.
• Best for hearing protection → Howard Leight L0F. NRR 23 with Air Flow Control is the entire point of the product.
• Best for calls and media → FA Frisby FHP-900. Integrated mic plus in-line volume and media control.
• Best for a big head that hates clamping → Howard Leight L0F. Telescopic adjustment, steel wire headband, and padded foam are specifically about reducing pressure.
• Best for plug-and-play with a laptop or PC → FA Frisby FHP-900. Standard 3.5mm jack, 32 ohm, no setup.
• Best for range-bag storage → Howard Leight L0F. It folds to about four inches, and the slim earcup won't fight your gunstock.
• Best for tossing in a purse or backpack → FA Frisby FHP-900. Foldable on-ear design with leather cushions.
• Best if you want zero wires → neither. Both are wired products; the L0F has no audio at all.
• Best if price is the deciding factor → check both on Amazon. The page's button shows current pricing, and these sit in very different product categories, so the number matters more than the spec sheet here.
My Verdict
Yes — that's its strong suit. The headband is steel wire with telescopic adjustment and padded foam to reduce pressure, and the ear cushions are super-soft to avoid that squeezing feeling. Fit is adjustable rather than one-size-fixed.
Yes. It has an integrated omni-directional microphone with noise cancelling, plus in-line volume and media controls, and it connects over a standard 3.5mm jack to phones, tablets, laptops and PCs.
The Howard Leight L0F, clearly. It's rated NRR 23 with patented Air Flow Control across all frequencies. The FHP-900 lists active noise cancellation and passive ambient suppression, which is fine for everyday hushing but isn't the same class of protection.
No. Connectivity is wired via a 3.5mm jack. If you want no cable, neither of these is the right pick — look at true wireless instead.
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