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If you want a wired headset that turns your existing two-way radio into a hands-free, glove-friendly communication tool with an adjustable boom mic, choose Retevis Overhead Walkie Talkie; if you need standalone electronic hearing protection that amplifies quiet sounds while clamping down on gunshot-level noise, choose PROHEAR Electronic Shooting Ear.
• Retevis Overhead Walkie Talkie — biggest strength: a boom mic plus tactile PTT button that lets you talk without touching the radio, on an adjustable headband that fits different head sizes.
• Retevis Overhead Walkie Talkie — biggest trade-off: it's a wired accessory (2-pin K-head jack) that only works with specific radio brands, and it does nothing on its own — you need a compatible walkie talkie.
• PROHEAR Electronic Shooting Ear — biggest strength: a 23dB NRR with a 0.0005-second attack time and 5X sound amplification, so you keep situational awareness while loud noise gets cut fast.
• PROHEAR Electronic Shooting Ear — biggest trade-off: it's a self-contained electronic unit running on 2 AAA batteries (not included), so there's nothing to plug into and no radio to talk through.
• Pick Retevis if you already own a compatible Retevis, Pxton, Baofeng or Kenwood radio and want clear team comms in noisy crowds.
• Pick PROHEAR if you need hearing protection and amplified ambient sound at the range, in the field, or around loud equipment.
The Retevis Overhead is a communication tool first. It's a wired headset with a 2-pin K-head connector, a boom microphone and a pivoting sponge ear pad, and it's built around one job: letting you talk and listen on a two-way radio without holding the radio. The tactile PTT button is the part I keep coming back to — it's designed to be pressed through gloves, which matters if you're refereeing a match, working event security or patrolling outdoors in cold weather.
Physically, it's a light piece of kit — the item weight is listed at 70 g (the description cites 85 g for the headset itself), with an over-ear, silicone-enclosed earpiece and a 32-ohm dynamic driver. The adjustable size design lets you dial the headband in so it isn't too loose or too tight, and the boom mic rotates so you can wear it on the left or right ear. Who should buy it: referees, security and event staff, restaurant and hotel teams, school and venue crews — anyone already running compatible radios in loud, crowded places. Who should skip it: Motorola or Midland owners, anyone who wants wireless audio, and anyone who wants hearing protection rather than a radio link.
PROHEAR Electronic Shooting Ear: Who It's For
The PROHEAR Electronic Shooting Ear is a completely different animal: it's a pair of electronic earmuffs, not a radio accessory. There's no cable, no connector, no radio — just a self-contained unit you wear on your head. The headline numbers are a 23dB noise reduction rating and a 0.0005-second attack (reaction) time, which the manufacturer frames as roughly 250 times faster than typical shooting earmuffs. In plain terms: loud impulses get clamped down almost instantly, which is the whole point at a range.
The other half of the story is the 5X sound amplification. Two directional microphones pick up ambient sound and feed it to you amplified, so you can hear range commands, footsteps or an animal moving while your hearing stays protected above 82 dB. That combination — amplify the quiet, cut the loud — is what separates electronic earmuffs from passive ones, and it's the reason hunters and range shooters gravitate to this style.
Build-wise it uses a durable ABS shell, a slim low-profile cup with cut-outs (useful when you're cheeked up on a stock), and a rubber-paint finish the maker says resists UV fading. Weight is listed at 12.22 ounces. One thing to plan for: it runs on 2 AAA batteries that are not included, and there's an LED indicator to tell you it's working and when the batteries need swapping. Who should buy it: shooters, hunters, and people around genuinely loud environments — woodworking, yard work, machinery. Who should skip it: anyone who actually needs to transmit voice over a radio, because this doesn't do that at all.
• Best for two-way radio communication → Retevis Overhead Walkie Talkie. It's a headset with a boom mic and PTT; the PROHEAR has no mic or radio link.
• Best for hearing protection → PROHEAR Electronic Shooting Ear. A 23dB NRR with a 0.0005-second attack time is the entire purpose of this product.
• Best for hearing quiet sounds while protected → PROHEAR Electronic Shooting Ear. The 5X amplification and dual directional mics are built for that.
• Best for glove-friendly push-to-talk → Retevis Overhead Walkie Talkie. The tactile PTT is designed to be operated without holding the radio.
• Best for left- or right-ear flexibility → Retevis Overhead Walkie Talkie. The boom mic rotates to either side.
• Best for a self-contained, cable-free setup → PROHEAR Electronic Shooting Ear. No radio, no cord — just batteries.
• Best for long wear on an adjustable headband → Retevis Overhead Walkie Talkie. The adjustable headband and pivoting sponge pad are made to fit different head sizes.
• Best if you own a compatible radio already → Retevis Overhead Walkie Talkie. It only makes sense with Retevis, Pxton, Baofeng or Kenwood gear.
In my opinion, these two barely compete — they solve opposite problems, so the real question is what you're missing. If you already run a compatible two-way radio and need hands-free comms in noisy crowds, I'd buy the Retevis Overhead Walkie Talkie; the adjustable headband, rotating boom mic and glove-ready PTT make it the more useful tool for team coordination. If your priority is protecting your ears while staying aware of your surroundings — at the range, in the field, or around loud tools — I'd buy the PROHEAR Electronic Shooting Ear, because the 23dB NRR and 5X amplification are the features you can't fake. Buy the one that matches your actual job, and check the current price on Amazon before you commit.
FAQ
how to fix headband on headphones
Yes. The Retevis Overhead is a wired headset with a 2-pin K-head connector, so it needs a compatible radio to do anything. It works with many Retevis models, plus Pxton, Baofeng and Kenwood radios — but not with Midland or Motorola walkie talkies.
No. It's powered by 2 AAA batteries that are not included, so plan to supply your own. There's an LED indicator to show whether the earmuff is working and when the batteries need replacing.
No. The PROHEAR Electronic Shooting Ear is hearing protection with 5X sound amplification and dual directional microphones — it has no mic or radio connection. For two-way voice, you'd want the Retevis headset instead.
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