The Ultimate 3M Peltor ComTac II Tactical Headset Review

The Peltor ComTac II By 3M

A high quality military grade hearing protector should do an excellent job at halting harmful noise from reaching your ear, be very comfortable to wear, and lastly, able to be used in different shooting or noisy work environments. The Peltor ComTac II headset delivers in all of these areas and more. The Com-Tac II not only is military grade, but also provides active noise amplification.

The unit was specifically designed to protect the user’s hearing while at the same time preserving the awareness to the things around them. It offers 20d db of hearing protection and certainly built to last.

The Peltor ComTac II Tactical Headsets are definitely a great piece of hardware for any gun enthusiast or anyone that values hearing protection highly. Click the Review Tab above to read a more detailed review of this headset.

The 3M Peltor MT15H69FB-09 Com-Tac II Headset is a military grade set of hearing protection with active noise amplification. Designed to protect the wearer’s hearing while preserving their situational awareness, they’re a great piece of hardware for gun enthusiasts everywhere.

Packaging

The headsets come in a box nicely folded in a green carrying case specifically designed for the unit. themselves in a blister package. It is recommended that you keep them in this carrying case when not in use to help them stay protected as much as possible from accidental damages to them.

The set also comes with a microphone mounting post but not the microphone itself which is a major drawback. Batteries are not included which you will need 2 AA batteries altogether.

Weight, Feel and External Features

The Com-Tac II features fat cups in military green, a drab olive color that’s quite serious indeed. It features a headphone mounting post, two input jacks on each cup (which can be used for an iPod with a standard converter) and volume control.

The ear cups are connected by a standard overhead band. It offers 20 dB of hearing protection — enough for casual range shooting and most household / industrial applications. It’s water resistant, making it perfect to take on long treks outdoors.

The cups on the Com-Tac feature slightly tapered bottoms in order to allow the shouldering of a rifle. These low-profile cups allow the user to easily move a rifle very close to their cheek in order to sight without the headset getting in the way — a major annoyance for shooters who use less specialized hearing protection.

The headset fits snugly and comfortably. Weighing in at just over one pound, this headset is easy and comfortable to wear for long periods of time.

The primary feature of the Peltor Comtac II is the removable com kit. Designed to allow communication with other wearers, this kit wires the headset into a microphone and radio system. Without it, it’s still a nice piece of hearing protection, but much of the cost of this headset stems from the ability for it to be upgraded into a complete field communications package while still offering 20 dB of hearing protection.

Hearing Protection and Battery Life

The Com-Tac II offers 20 dB of protection. This translates into a sharp and noticeable decrease in the volume of gunfire, but it’s about four times less protection than any of the sets offering 32 dB. For casual or occasional shooting, 20 dB is more than enough — you’ll be able to comfortably spend a day on the range with a Com-Tac and not suffer any adverse effects.

If you find yourself frequenting an indoor range several times a week, however, you may want to get a set of protection that offers more sound dampening.

The Com-Tac II uses two AA batteries (one in each cup). They last an amazingly long time — often months — despite frequent use and occasional forgetfulness in turning the headset off.

According to Peltor the total battery time that you can get from a set of batteries is around 270 hours. The batteries are not included with the unit.

Sound Amplification

The Peltor Com-Tac II offers excellent — nearly transparent — amplification of ‘quiet’ sounds. Like other sets of active hearing protection, it also has a volume control. You can turn this up to the point where you can hear sounds better wearing your hearing protection than without.

This makes talking or reacting to your surroundings easier than ever, whether you’re doing construction, housework, target practice or searching for prey.

The Com-Tac II’s amplification profile does not distinguish between frequencies as well as some of its competition. This means that noise like rustling and wind can be amplified to an annoying level while important sounds like speech may not come through as clearly.

Still, the boost to situational awareness they provide over pure passive protection cannot be overstated. Some users simply wear earplugs under their Com-Tac’s or cover the microphones in order to reduce wind noise. The Com-Tac II does NOT offer active noise cancellation.

Price

The Com-Tac II is between $350 and $500 at the time of this writing. If you need a set of hearing protection to mount a microphone on, they may be a good buy. If you’re looking for the other features, however (about 20 dB of hearing protection with active noise amplification), comparable headsets can be found in the $50 to $100 range.

Make sure you’ve considered your alternatives before purchasing the Com-Tac II for home or hobby use. Click here if you would like to purchase the unit now.

Overall

The 3M Peltor Com-Tac II Headset is an excellent, military grade piece of equipment. For very serious shooters and those in need of a communications package, this headset is an excellent buy.

For hobby shooters, hunters, and those looking for hearing protection for industrial use, the Com-Tac II offers very few features that can’t be found in much less expensive models.

Pros and Cons of the Peltor ComTac II Headset

Pros:

– Water-resistant design

– Lightweight (1.1 lbs)

– 20 dB of hearing protection

– Great sound amplification

– Optional microphone attachment and line-in jack

– Low profile cups for rifle shooting

– Volume control

– Long battery life

Cons:

– Very expensive compared to competitors running from $350.00 to $500.00

– The Com-Tac II does NOT offer active noise cancellation

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Manufacturer’s Specs

– Military approved Peltor Com-Tac II Headset

– Water resistant for outdoor usage

– Military green ear cups with 2 input jacks on backside of either ear cup

– Protects against hearing loss with a passive attenuation of 20dB

– Includes microphone mounting post (A44) (microphone not included)

– 1.1-pounds

– Requires 2 AA batteries

– Allows for ease of use and storage and comes with a convenient carrying case

– MICH, PASGT and ACH helmet compatible

– Military & police radio patch cords available

– SwatTac II version, covert black ear cups

– Volume control

Click here to download specifications in PDF format.

Warranty Policy

Below is the Warranty Policy according to Peltor.com:

3M™ warrants this product to be free of defects in material and workmanship for a period of one (1) Year from the date of original purchase (the “Warranty Period”). Dated proof of purchase such as a bill of sale is required to establish warranty eligibility.

If the product fails to perform due to a defect in materials or workmanship during the Warranty Period, 3M will repair or, at 3M’s option, replace the merchandise with the same or comparable item at no charge to you for parts or labor.

In the event that the product cannot be repaired and a suitable replacement item is not available, 3M will refund the original purchase price shown on your proof of purchase. All repairs are warranted for 90 days against the same material defect.

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