How does self-care and truck driving overlap? No, we’re not going to tell you to do some meditating while you’re driving, but we might have a suggestion or two that’ll make long distance rides more enjoyable and connected.
Let's talk trucker headsets.
A trucker headset allows drivers—namely, truckers—to communicate with staff and team members to receive route updates or transmit messages. Also, these headsets let the driver seek help when necessary.
Beyond safety and navigation, trucker headsets also serve an important purpose: safety and health. Trucker headsets provide easy movement, GPS navigation, and even drown out background noise while communicating with teammates.
Another defining feature of trucker headsets? The open ear design is a stand-out feature for noise awareness and sense of environment. This allows the driver to take (and receive) calls while maintaining proper driving safety and awareness.
Now, trucker headsets are different from traditional headsets that you may use for office work. Trucker headsets are made with the express purpose for durability and stability on the road. Furthermore, trucker headsets offer a higher level of noise cancellation (typically in one ear) in comparison to regular earbuds or headsets.
That being said, are trucker headsets actually safe to wear? And, what if you wear hearing aids? Soundly’s lead audiologist, Dr. Amy Sarow, says “ Wearing a headset that reduces background noise can help in two ways: reducing the noise burden and helping to keep headset volume lower to prevent noise damage,” says Dr. Amy. “Keep in mind that most trucker headsets cover only one ear, usually the right ear. While this may make it easier to hear, as this side has less background exposure, the left ear will still be exposed to the road noise.”
What should you look for in a trucker headset?
So, you’re ready to start browsing, but what should you look for in a great trucker headset? Here are some points to keep in mind:
- Comfort
- Mic quality
- Battery life
- Features
- Price
The top two most important points? Comfort and mic quality. First, you’re going to be wearing this headset on long drives and for hours at a time. We kept comfort top of mind as we chose the products below.
Next up, is mic quality. And now the microphone quality is essential to receiving and making calls—the crispness and the clarity supports both ends of the conversation. Mic quality should be clear for the caller and the receiver on the other end of the line. We looked for products that can cut out background noise and deliver a clear signal to the listener on the other side.
Additionally, a good trucker headset should include strong noise cancelation, especially when you’re driving on the road, it’s important that the headset filters out background noise (like, traffic sounds) so that you can hear clearly.
Is it possible that a headset can filter out too much noise? According to Dr. Amy, “Most truck drivers drive long stretches of highway, which is generally safer than city driving. Headsets may reduce background noise, but when listening at the appropriate volume, sounds from an ambulance or emergency vehicle would still be audible.” The audibility challenge is usually solved by leaving one ear open (a defining feature of the products below).
How can I protect my ears while wearing a trucker headset?
Remember, listening safety is important. To start, always listen to calls and music at a safe volume (80 db or less). Dr. Amy also recommends listening at 60%-70% to protect your long term hearing.
Hitting the road soon? Check out these five trucker headsets. 👇
Want your ears to be open and free? Consider this bone conduction headset ($159.99). As with all bone conduction devices, sound is transmitted via vibrations into the user’s bone structure. Many truckers might enjoy the open ear design because it allows anyone to be aware of their surroundings and traffic.
The device fits around the head and squeezes against the temples slightly for a secure fit.
And as for mic quality, the bone conduction headset is equipped with a noise-canceling boom mic that dramatically diminishes background and ambient noise (like, from your vehicle, traffic stops, or other cars).
There’s one multifunction button for easy controls for music, streaming, and phone calls. The headset takes only one hour to charge and holds up to 16 hours of battery life.
Customer review | “Love that this allows you to talk on the phone or listen to music and still hear what's going on around you. Good sound quality. Long battery life. Easily lasts all day and I spend most of it listening to music or talking on the phone. The noise canceling worked pretty well.” - Marie
Fit: Bone conduction
Connection type: Wireless
Mic Noise Cancellation: Unspecified
Battery life: 16 hours
- Open ear fit
- Noise canceling
- Non-adjustable headset
- Short battery life (compared to other headsets)
If mic quality is your top priority, opt for this TECKNET trucker headset ($69.99). This device offers a cancellation of up to 99.6 percent with clear end-to-end calls. The mic also rotates (about 270 degrees), so it can be used on the right or the left side.
And, there’s a mute key so you can toggle this feature on and off during calls. Beyond that, there are also volume and music controls, a call hang up feature (FYI: This only works on phone calls, and additional software needs to be set up for Zoom and Microsoft Teams.)
Customer review | “As a commercial driver, I love this little guy! But over all I LOVE this device. Noise cancellation CHECK, volume CHECK, battery lasts…. FOREVER!?! lol I think I charge it once a week.. I do turn it off when I don’t use it. I travel from Los Angeles to AZ AND I have it connected to my company phone as well as my personal phone. JUST REMEMBER to disconnect the Bluetooth option on the settings to connect to your other device.” - Mary
Fit: On-ear
Connection type: Wireless
Mic Noise Cancellation: Very Strong
Battery life: 32 hours
- Battery life
- Noise canceling
- Needs software setup for Zoom
- Some users remark the set is heavy
If battery life is a priority, then Blue Tiger Elite Ultra is just the thing ($119.99). This trucker headset has an impressive battery life of 60 hours (and it only takes two hours to fully charge).
As for the mic quality, the noise canceling technology eliminates up to 96 percent of noise. There is also mute functionality for phone calls only (not supported on laptops).
The skinny mic swivels, so you can adjust it for added speaking ease and comfort. The padded ear cushion and microphone add more cushy support.
Customer review | “This is the second set of this brand I have purchased for my husband. He is a Long haul truck driver and we chat two to three times a day. Great quality, no background noise unless it's something really loud like a horn. We haven't had issues with any calls getting disconnected while we're chatting and it has a great range when he has to get out of the truck to walk to the back of the trailer and check on things.” - Ruben
Fit: Over-ear
Connection type: Wireless
Mic Noise Cancellation: Very StrongBattery life: 60 hours
- Battery life
- Noise canceling
- Mute is for phone calls only
If you’re seeking an all-star trucker headset, say hello to BlueParrott B550-XT ($169.99). This highly rated headset has many notable features (including voice-controls and on-ear buttons) and has an IP54 rating which means the headset has a buffer between water, spills, and even dust.
But, how’s the mic quality? To put it simply, the microphone is quite robust and wipes out up to 96 percent of outside noise. In fact, this headset was designed with noisy environments in mind (like, the open road). The superior noise suppression technology makes it so the speaker’s voice is clear and fine-tuned during phone calls.
Customer review | “My husband is an over the road trucker and we have bought several of this model through the years. They do wear out over time of course with everyday use. In his opinion, this is the best. They really are noise canceling, easy to connect, and less expensive than others that don’t work nearly as well.” - Danjo
Fit: Over-ear
Connection type: Wireless
Mic Noise Cancellation: Very Strong
Battery life: 24 hours
- IP54 rating
- Noise canceling
- Mixed reviews on sound streaming quality
If you need a budget trucker headset—or simply want an inexpensive back-up—tap the Anteela BM-9 for just $49.99. Decrease noise around you with noise-canceling technology that works to isolate your voice on a call.
To note, there isn’t a specific noise isolation range mentioned on the product page. However, many reviews remarked that car and traffic noise was successfully suppressed and speaking on a call was clear and crisp without any disturbances. The mic can also rotate 270 degrees.
The headset comes with typical on-ear controls, mute functionality, and voice controls so you can tap Siri for some extra assistance. However, the battery life is the shortest in this round-up, clocking in at 15 hours and the headset takes about two hours to fully charge.
Customer review | “My husband is an over the road trucker and we have bought several of this model through the years. They do wear out over time of course with everyday use. In his opinion, this is the best. They really are noise canceling, easy to connect, and less expensive than others that don’t work nearly as well.” - Danjo
Fit: On-ear
Connection type: Wireless
Mic Noise Cancellation: Unspecified
Battery life: 15 hours
- Price
- Noise canceling
- Battery life
- Some users experienced discomfort while wearing the headset