This past June, I had the opportunity to attend GunCon as a media member, and what a great (and wild) time it was. At the event, I crossed paths with many familiar brands and faces. However, there were also many newcomers and unknowns. And with those came ingenious and innovative ideas. My favorite innovation came from WARDEN Studios, a small company based in Chardon, Ohio.
The WARDEN Studios Retrofit
Comms Are Expensive
Over the past few years, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent shutdown, people have focused on preparedness. This includes a focus on items such as food, water, firearms, ammunition, and logistical gear. During this time, these people also learned about communications and its significance during major world events (such as a national food shortage, blackout, etc.).
For shooters and enthusiasts, being able to communicate with others while wearing hearing protection is highly valued—but it has often been costly. For example, a Peltor ComTac headset—that’s comms-enabled—and widely considered the gold standard for tactical communications, starts at around $800. Otto Communications headsets are twice as much.
That price often doesn’t include necessary cables, nor does it include any radio or push-to-talk functions out of the box. Furthermore, operating the types of radios required for this necessitates a license (HAM radio operator license).
Unfortunately, no one has yet developed a better solution. And yes, Walker did introduce a walkie-talkie attachment for their Razor line of electronic hearing protection. These are simple devices. They operate on FRS frequencies that do not require licensing. However, these frequencies are accessible to anyone, which means someone could be listening to your private conversation.
I’d argue that these provide basic-level functionality but aren’t suitable for serious communication. In addition to the FRS-only frequencies, these clip-on units offer inferior range (<100 yards line of sight), require extra batteries, and can only use “VOX” activation instead of push-to-talk. So, it transmits your voice constantly, along with wind, gunshots, and loud breathing.
These also occupy the 3.5 mm port on your earpro, so you can’t use the attachment to talk on your phone, nor can you listen to music while this module is attached. Again, there must be a better option—and there is.
Who Is WARDEN Studios?
Firstly, WARDEN Studios is a design and engineering company that specializes in solving unique problems. Their background is heavily rooted in the design and manufacturing world, with a focus on communications. So, it makes sense that WARDEN’s featured product is a headset retrofit that converts your existing electronic hearing protection into a capable comms solution. And after using them for the past few months, they are the real deal.
Retrofit
From WARDEN, the Retrofit is “civilian comms from the ground up. Tailor-made specifically for civilians—not just repurposed military headsets. The simplest, cleanest, most durable way to get comms connected with your existing earpro.”
So, how does WARDEN go about this?
“This conversion process was developed to provide an affordable, rugged, civilian-oriented alternative to high-end tactical headsets. The Retrofit replaces your existing 3.5MM jack with an improved 3.5MM connector and allows you to connect to a phone or radio using various detachable cables. Unlike other offerings on the market, our microphone is hard-mounted to your ear protection, ensuring durability and reliability in all conditions.”
Mic Swivels and articulates.
Almost sounds like it’s too good to be true—but I assure you that it’s not. These are a legit solution. The boom mic is adjustable, but doesn’t feel flimsy. The mount itself is sturdy. The system is passive and doesn’t add additional drain to your hearing protection’s battery.
While I could provide you with all the technical specifications here, I’ll direct you to WARDEN Studios for that information. Instead, I’d like to share my experience with them and why you should consider them for your own communications needs.
How I’ve Used Them
To be honest, radio communications are pretty new to me. I have a passing interest in the subject, but no clear direction. It’s something I hope to expand my knowledge and skills in, but I haven’t done so yet. That said, I still found the WARDEN Retrofit incredibly useful.
To this point, I’ve primarily used them with my iPhone 16 Pro, utilizing the USB-C cable (which can be purchased as a kit or separately). And I’ve found a ton of functionality with them.
First, the Walkers perform as they did before, serving as hearing protection—there is no diminishing return when doing the retrofit. Second, I’ve used them when I’m on the lawnmower and my friend Ryan wants to talk about the gun he’d like to purchase (he always calls me for guidance, because, you know, I’m an expert…right?). When talking, I hear him perfectly through the headset, and he never knows that I’m actually doing yardwork.
And the other is listening to music while shooting. Generally, when I’m testing or training, I’m by myself. So, I like to throw on music or a podcast—call it multitasking.
and a TP120 to 3.5mm.
Running the Warden Retrofit with Zello
However, as a communication device, I’ve used them with the app Zello. Zello is a push-to-talk solution that doesn’t require any licensing. And it’s free for the basic version! When I spoke with Andrew from Warden, he described the app as a “mesh” system, where you can communicate with multiple friends or the broader community.
For those interested in radio communications, I recommend this as a starting point. It works well with the retrofit, and I’m easily able to talk with friends. The only downside is that it relies on a cell signal. Not the best in an SHTF scenario. Which is why I plan to continue my education and build up a radio skillset.
After speaking with Andrew, this is the recommended path he suggests:
“I recommend going from Zello to GMRS to Ham Amateur radio. Zello only requires a USB cable and nothing else. GMRS requires a radio, a TP120 cable, a PTT, and an FCC license. The license is valid for 10 years, doesn’t require a test, costs $35, and covers your entire family to use a radio. It provides access to multiple frequencies and significantly higher transmit power compared to FRS.
“If you genuinely enjoy GMRS and wish to advance your communications education, HAM radio is the next logical step. It involves taking classes and passing a rigorous test, but it allows you to use many more frequencies and transmit at higher power. Beyond that, there are private business licenses that let you operate on your own frequencies and enable data transmission, texting, GPS, and encryption.”
As you can tell, Andrew is an expert in this field. For my purposes, I have a basic Baofeng radio from Amazon, but if you’re looking for something with significantly more capabilities at a reasonable price, I recommend checking this out.
shape and function.
Final Thoughts
The WARDEN Retrofit was one of the most exciting products I’ve come across. Andrew and his team offer a solution to a real problem. They make communication systems affordable and approachable for normal shooters, campers, or general preppers. The system is durable and feels as if it came that way from the factory.
Currently, the Retrofit is available for Walker Razors, Sordin Supreme Pro-X, Howard Leight, and the Walker Recon, with additional cable bundles also available. When you make your order, Andrew will send a confirmation email with the shipping address. Then, go to your local UPS or Post Office and send them to Northeast Ohio. Currently, turnarounds are quick—about a week.
Current pricing for everything but the Sordin’s is $125.00. The Sordin Retrofit is $150.00. Currently, there is a sale if you buy the bundle—that’s the option I recommend going with.
