If you own an airplane, you surely experience the feeling that the expenses never stop. The headsets I'd given my wife to wear in the right seat may have been used during the first V-1 launches. Which anniversary is it you give your headsets? I began my shopping ritual.

I noticed my lip began to curl at the price of those super-glow-in-the-dark-and-too-cool space age headsets that provide 1.5 hours of luxurious active noise cancellation. My attention immediately focused on a bright powder blue-coated headset I hadn't seen before.

The first thing I noticed was the headpad. If you've ever been around when something fragile and valuable was unpacked, you can't help but be impressed at the quantity of soft, delicate padding. My head qualifies as fragile and valuable, and these headsets treated it like something from the Ming Dynasty. I liked that a lot.

Enhancing the experience is the fact that the S-58s weigh 11 ounces. They felt so light on my head, I caught myself bobbing around like Beethoven was playing inside. The salesperson acted like he didn't notice, moving on to the fact that the design of the headsets actually spreads that whole 11 ounces around, so they feel even lighter. Hmm, how impressive!

Another thing I liked right away is what the manufacturer called a perfect flex boom microphone. You put it right where you want it and it stays there, period. Too many times I've flown with headsets that no matter how hard I tried, the microphone was either always in the way or nowhere to be found.

I read all the other literature about the characteristics of the noise-canceling microphone, the hardware and the five-year warranty, but I was already sold. The gel seals around my ears had customized so well that as I stood there at the cash register digging for my wallet, I forgot I was still wearing the headsets. The salesperson was again graceful and suggested I not forget the padded nylon bag that comes with the unit. Oh, yeah!

Now, when my wife takes her turn at the wheel, I don't mind sliding into the right seat. It's pretty quiet over there-with no headings to mind, fuel tanks to switch and with only the Hobbs to scan, I've actually nodded off a few times. After years of buying gifts for others, this reminded me of an old lesson I learned. You should always buy what you like, because more often than not it'll end up being yours. The S-58s retail for $329.

For more information, contact: Sigtronics Crop., (909) 305-9399, www.sigtronics.com.

Reprinted with permission from the January, 1999 issue of PLANE & PILOT Magazine.