[Zack The Ripper]

ComTacs or Sordins headsets are your best bet for ear protection without the cheek to ear mesh. They are good for comms and if you have never used or read any info on them, you'll find them very nifty because they amplify ambient sound while cancelling out loud sharp noises (i.e. gunshots/explosions). The noise cancelling only works on the real ComTac/Sordin though, not the repros. The repro headsets are okay, however they do not last very long and in many situations are a good way to set $80 on fire.

However, IMO unless you want to drop $200-$600 for a MSA Sordin, I really think the cheek to ear face mesh is your best bet. They do get in the way of ADS off the shelf, however this is easily corrected as you can bend the shit out of it and get it to a comfortable form. I have several friends that switched to them and since "MacGyvering" them have no more difficulty with ADS than using a standard face mesh. I myself will be grabbing one.

With relation to your comment regarding burst ear drums, these are extremely rare occurrences. However, the easiest way to rid yourself of that issue is using a standard face mesh and simply use a double ear bud headset for your comms (simply eliminating the ability for a BB to get inside your ear canal). You can buy these from EBay for $10 or less in most cases and are actually decent to use for comms. You can also bum it and simply wear a toque pulled over your ears, but That's if you're really desperate. Lol or you can try a stylish Nike headband. I digress..