For discreet communications using two way radios, a surveillance earpiece is the way to go. With its small, footprint, light weight and transparent tubing, a surveillance earpiece with a traditional mushroom tip can be worn stealthily inside the ear, drawing little to no attention to the casual observer. It's a popular accessory for security professionals, hunters or anyone else who needs an earpiece that is easy to hear and is very discreet.
For the most part, a surveillance earpiece is a great choice for stealth or low profile applications. However, there are a few drawbacks. The mushroom tip sits down inside the ear canal, blocking the ability to hear ambient sound. Once the mushroom tip has been used in the ear, for hygenic reasons it should be replaced before the earpiece is worn by another user. In addition, some users complain that the mushroom tip can start to be uncomfortable when worn for a long period of time.
Fortunately, there is an alternative to the mushroom tip. It's called an earloop. Like the mushroom tip, the earloop fits inside the ear and is somewhat inconspicuous. It is also removable and replaceable to maintain hygenics. The difference is comfort and audio. Earloops will provide a more comfortable fit, while at the same time offering better sound quality. The earloop is designed to give you the fit of an earpiece similar to what a musician or newscaster would wear.
Earloops come in 3 different sizes; small, medium and large and are packaged in pairs, providing one earloop for the left and one for the right ear. They are formed to fit inside the outer ear, so it is important to choose the correct size for the best fit.
If you need a surveillance earpiece for your radio but find the mushroom tip awkward or uncomfortable during extended wear, give earloops a try. It's an easy and inexpensive alternative to swapping out an entire earpiece and may just be the way to go.
For instructions on how to wear earloops, watch this Radio 101 video tutorial.
