PELTOR ComTac V review: great hearing protection, but know which ComTac you are buying

By the OpticVerdict Editorial Team.
Research-based review · Updated 2026-10-02

How we reviewed it: a research-based review built from four ComTac listings on OpticsPlanet (their specification tables, features and every owner review: 28 for the V Hearing Defender, 14 for the V Single Lead, four for the VI NIB and two for the VIII) and 3M's own product pages for each part number. Where the retailer and 3M disagree or 3M is silent, we say so. Research leads we could not confirm on a page we could open, including military adoption, a discontinuation date and warranty terms, were left out. We have not tested these headsets; the score is our editorial opinion and owner ratings are shown attributed to their source. See how we evaluate.

Which ComTac answers your question

The four ComTac rows OpticsPlanet sells differ less in hearing protection than in how they let you talk. Start here, then read the section for your model. NRR and battery figures are 3M's, from its product page for each part number; the radio row says where each entry comes from.

What the ComTac V Hearing Defender is

3M names this part number the ComTac V Hearing Defender Headset and lists it as a MIL/LE tactical headset, with Armed Forces as the recommended industry. 3M describes omni-directional microphones and high-fidelity speakers optimized to transmit voice communication, a level dependent function, talk-through for face-to-face conversation, an accessory rail connection (ARC) option for helmets, and engineering to prevent cross-talk with dual comms. It lists an attenuation rating of 23 dB and a battery life of 150 hours. 3M's page also carries the note "For industrial/occupational use only. Not for consumer sale or use."

The retailer's specification table for the row we price agrees on the 23 dB NRR and the 150 hours, and adds two AAA batteries, a weight of 1.47 lb, an on/over-ear style and a headset type of Fixed. The listing title calls it foldable. 3M's page we read is the O.D. Green version of the same part number (MT20H682FB-09 GN); the row we price is Coyote Brown (MT20H682FB-09 CY).

What is in the box: the microphone question

This is the one thing to settle before you buy. The retailer's description mentions a microphone, and 3M's page lists microphone features and a NEXUS TP-120 plug type. But the retailer's package-contents line lists only the headset and batteries, an answer in the listing's Q&A says these do not come with a mic or leads, one reviewer says it is not comms enabled, and another needed an extra adapter cable to connect a mic to a PTT. 3M's product page does not list box contents. We cannot resolve it from the sources, so if you need radio comms, confirm with the retailer first or buy a ComTac row whose part name includes the lead and mic.

“They also are not coms enabled so you have to spend hundreds more to make them adapted.”

JG (VA), one-star review, via OpticsPlanet

Plenty of owners bought it for exactly what it is. One reviewer who had owned Walker's and Sordin muffs explains the choice:

“I went with the Hearing Defenders because I don’t need any com capable setup or leads or anything so these were perfect for me personally.”

juicehead2004 (NV), via OpticsPlanet

Why owners rate it: clarity, comfort, helmets

Of the 28 reviews on the retailer's page, all of which we could read, 24 are five stars, two are four stars, one is three stars and one is one star. Sound quality is one of the two praises reviewers repeat: at least eight of the 28 praise the sound, six of them calling it clear or excellent, and two of those compare it with cheaper ear pro they owned before. One reviewer who upgraded from a Howard Leight Impact Sport calls the ComTac V a whole new level.

“incredibly clear audio to the point you'll hear your brass hitting the gravel.”

Dach (TN), via OpticsPlanet

Comfort over long wear is the other, and three reviewers say they wear it under a helmet, two of them naming an ACH. One reviewer replaced a worn-out pair of Sordins and ran these on a crew-served weapons range for a week. Two reviewers mention earplug mode by name and like it.

The honest catches: pads, comms and NRR

Budget for gel cups. At least eight of the 28 reviews bring up the ear pads. Two call the stock foam pads fine or ok, but most of the eight recommend or have bought gel cups, one specifically for all-day use, and several are disappointed that the headset does not come with them. The three-star review is mostly about the pads and the fit.

“the stock pads need to be replaced immediately with nice gel pads.”

Mg, three-star review, via OpticsPlanet

Radio comms cost extra. Beyond the box question above, a four-star reviewer who already owned a mic and PTT found that the mic needed a separate adapter cable before it would work with the PTT, listed “Not good tactically” as a con and did not recommend the headset.

ARC rail mounts. Two reviewers report trouble with the ARC helmet-rail mounts: one says the cups do not stay in the clamped position with the correct ARC adapters, the other that the rail attachment mounts do not keep the cups tight enough to the ears. The first of them is the one-star review.

Doubling up indoors. The most helpful positive review still advises doubling up indoors. Our guide to what NRR means explains why the label figure is a lab rating for steady noise, and doubling up covers plugs under muffs.

“Be aware that the decibel reduction isn't the greatest so if shooting indoors, it is best to double up with in ear protection, especially when shooting rifle or shotgun.”

TNshot, most helpful positive review, via OpticsPlanet

Trade-offs, plainly

• The stock foam pads are the most common complaint; owners recommend adding gel cups at extra cost.
• The row we price is not sold as a radio kit; the box contents are unclear in the sources, so confirm before you buy.
• The NRR is 23 dB, and the most helpful positive review advises doubling up with in-ear protection indoors, especially with a rifle or shotgun.
• Two reviewers had trouble with the ARC helmet-rail mounts holding the cups in place.
• Two reviewers mention background static: one notices it even on the lowest setting, the other notes minimal static when turned up all the way.
• It is expensive, a point several five-star reviewers make themselves.

Which configuration: Single Lead, VI NIB or VIII

The other three ComTac rows are separate listings with their own part numbers and their own owner records. Each is described only from its own listing and 3M's page for that part number.

ComTac V Single Lead: the V with a radio lead

The Single Lead row (MT20H682FB-47 GN) is the ComTac V for one radio. Its retailer row name reads Single Lead, Standard Dynamic Mic, NATO Wiring, and 3M's page for the Coyote version of the same part lists 23 dB, 150 hours, a wired connection with a NEXUS TP-120 plug and a headband suspension. OpticsPlanet shoppers rate the listing 4.8/5 across 14 reviews. Reviewers like the removable headband for helmet mounting and the sound. Two reviewers say a mic came in the box; the most helpful critical review, three stars, says theirs arrived without one, and another says the gel cup was missing, so check the contents on arrival.

“If you use a Baofeng or other cheap/common radio, you will need a amplified PTT with TP120/U-174 plug receptor for your voice to transmit properly.”

D (WA), via OpticsPlanet

That same reviewer, a hobbyist, rated it five stars but did not recommend it to casual shooters on cost, and added that 3M helmet adapters are not included.

ComTac VI NIB: wireless talk between headsets, no radio

The VI NIB row (MT20H682FB-09N CYS) adds NIB (Natural Interaction Behavior), which 3M describes as peer-to-peer wireless headset communication. 3M's page for this exact part number lists Mission Audio Profiles (MAP), an IP68 water and dust-proof noise-cancelling microphone, a wireless connection, battery life listed as approx. 30 hr (NIB) and approx. 50 hr on disposable or rechargeable AAA, and, the line that matters most, communication via an external two-way radio: No. For the attenuation rating 3M lists both 20 dB and 23 dB without saying which configuration each applies to. The retailer's description says this single-frequency 915 MHz version is FCC approved for the US and Canada.

OpticsPlanet shoppers rate it 3.3/5, but from only four reviews, so read them as individual reports. Two reviewers are positive: one rates the sound canceling very good, the other says it is easy to swap out the headband and mount it on a helmet. Both critical reviews are about radio comms: one bought it thinking it had a downlead and says it is for hearing protection only, and the other could not get audio through a PTT, harness and radio.

“Bought this thinking it had a downlead for Comms and as the title states this headset is for hearing protection only”

Three-star review (SC), via OpticsPlanet

ComTac VIII Single Comm: the VIII series with one radio lead

The VIII Single Comm row (MT14H418A-47 GN, Nexus 4-Con) is the single-lead headset of the ComTac VIII series. 3M's page for this part number lists a 23 dB attenuation rating, approx. 50 hours on disposable or rechargeable AAA, one lead, NATO wiring, a dynamic microphone and communication via an external two-way radio: Yes. 3M also lists Mission Audio Profiles, an earplug mode, soundscaping for radio speech in noise, and mounting on select helmets with an optional attachment accessory (PELTOR part P3ADG47-F SV/2). The retailer publishes no specification table for this listing. Its owner record is two five-star reviews, too few to rate it on; one reviewer praises how it locks down on a high cut helmet, and the other notes a con.

“Only down fall is that there aren’t many compatible products that can work with this headset due to it being so New.”

Tommy Kolokythas (NJ), via OpticsPlanet

Key specifications: ComTac V Hearing Defender

Figures marked retailer are from OpticsPlanet's specification table and package-contents line for the MT20H682FB-09 CY row; figures marked 3M are from 3M's product page for MT20H682FB-09 GN, the green version of the same part number. 3M's page lists microphone features and a plug type but no box contents. On awards: OpticsPlanet's "Best Rated Product in Communication" label is a store rating, not an editorial award, so we claim none.

Should you buy it, and what else to consider

• Buy the ComTac V Hearing Defender if you want ComTac hearing protection and hear-through for the range, hunting or under a helmet, and plan to add gel cups.
• Buy the ComTac V Single Lead if you run one radio, and budget for a PTT that suits your radio.
• Buy the ComTac VI NIB only if everyone you talk to wears NIB headsets; 3M lists no external radio connection for it.
• Buy the ComTac VIII Single Comm if you want a ComTac VIII with one radio lead and can live with a thin owner record and, as one owner notes, few compatible products so far.
• Only need range muffs? Our best hearing protection for shooting guide compares electronic muffs, plugs and earbuds, including the PELTOR Sport Tactical 500.

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