Ear protection. Which one?

[gun'sRgood]

My Wife wants me to look at the GS extreme 3:1 tactical. There seems to be a lot of choices out there. A little help please. Who would you choose?

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I got some like Hickok 45 uses. I can hardly hear what some says with them. Got them at walmart. Since then they changed the plug design. The newer ones are not very good.

 

[25-5]

I use Peltor.

 

[AzShooter1]

Walkers are real good. I just picked up a set of Flexible Neck Worn Electronic Ear Bud Headset form Brownell's. I bought these to be a backup for my other set.

You can charge them up and they last 15 hours, so if I go to a major match I carry both sets and don't have to worry about charging a set.

I've been using them for about a year now with no problems. They are very light weight and you don't even notice them when wearing them all day.

I think they run about $60.

I also like Pro Ears. Their expensive but well worth the bucks. I just don't like bunny ears when I want to wear my cowboy hat in the summer do to the sun.

 

[kidneyboy]

My Wife wants me to look at the GS extreme 3:1 tactical. There seems to be a lot of choices out there. A little help please. Who would you choose?

I just started using the Axil GS Extreme. Very pleased with them.

 

[.38 Special]

I have no experience with the GS Extremes.

I will note that they express their protective ability in SNR rather than the more common (at least in the U.S.) NRR, which makes comparing them to other devices difficult - there is no exact method of "translating" between SNR and NRR so far as I am aware.

Another issue is that neither SNR nor NRR really tell the truth. They are primarily useful for comparing one product to another, but you can just about guarantee that the number on the package will not correlate to your actual experience.

My very general advice (I run a hearing clinic and have been involved with hearing protection for the last few decades) is that well-fitted in-ear protection is borderline effective for most outdoor shooting. It probably isn't quite enough if the guy next to you is firing a braked rifle, or a .357 revolver, and it certainly is not enough for indoor ranges. In those situations, muffs with plugs* is a bare minimum and probably still not enough - I have been indoors with a braked .338 Lapua and I don't think anything short of a full-face motorcycle helmet with a neck gaiter would really do the job.

Beyond that, of course, anything is better than nothing - but an awful lot of us (myself included) are compromising to the degree that we may pay for it down the road.

*Electronic plugs under muffs may work and may not. Some plugs will lose their little electronic minds in that situation and either try to amplify everything, or just sit there feeding back (whistling) in your ears.

 

[CapnMac]

Howard Leight Pro are my go-to.

 

[gun'sRgood]

I have no experience with the GS Extremes.

I will note that they express their protective ability in SNR rather than the more common (at least in the U.S.) NRR, which makes comparing them to other devices difficult - there is no exact method of "translating" between SNR and NRR so far as I am aware.

Another issue is that neither SNR nor NRR really tell the truth. They are primarily useful for comparing one product to another, but you can just about guarantee that the number on the package will not correlate to your actual experience.

My very general advice (I run a hearing clinic and have been involved with hearing protection for the last few decades) is that well-fitted in-ear protection is borderline effective for most outdoor shooting. It probably isn't quite enough if the guy next to you is firing a braked rifle, or a .357 revolver, and it certainly is not enough for indoor ranges. In those situations, muffs with plugs* is a bare minimum and probably still not enough - I have been indoors with a braked .338 Lapua and I don't think anything short of a full-face motorcycle helmet with a neck garter would really do the job.

Beyond that, of course, anything is better than nothing - but an awful lot of us (myself included) are compromising to the degree that we may pay for it down the road.

*Electronic plugs under muffs may work and may not. Some plugs will lose their little electronic minds in that situation and either try to amplify everything, or just sit their feeding back (whistling) in your ears.

Nice. Always enjoy learning!

 

[gun'sRgood]

Walkers are real good. I just picked up a set of Flexible Neck Worn Electronic Ear Bud Headset form Brownell's. I bought these to be a backup for my other set.

You can charge them up and they last 15 hours, so if I go to a major match I carry both sets and don't have to worry about charging a set.

I've been using them for about a year now with no problems. They are very light weight and you don't even notice them when wearing them all day.

I think they run about $60.

I also like Pro Ears. Their expensive but well worth the bucks. I just don't like bunny ears when I want to wear my cowboy hat in the summer do to the sun.

Gotcha on the hat problem. Been thar!

 

[hso]

My Wife wants me to look at the GS extreme 3:1 tactical. There seems to be a lot of choices out there. A little help please. Who would you choose?

Got them. Overpriced crap. I'd return them if I could.

As a 30 year safety professional that has been shooting all my life protecting hearing is a passion and a profession.

The only way to maximize hearing protection is still high NRR plugs under high NRR muffs. To optimize that, get quality electronic muffs from a manufacturer of industrial hearing protection like Sordin or 3M. Everything else is less adequate.

 

[gun'sRgood]

Got them. Uter overpriced crap. I'd return them if I could.
As a 30 year safety professional that has been shooting all my life protecting hearing is a passion and a profession.
The only way to maximize hearing protection is still high NRR plugs under high NRR muffs. To optimize that, get quality electronic muffs from a manufacturer of industrial hearing protection like Sordin or 3M. Everything else is less adequate.

Thanks, I'll take your word as sage advice.

 

[DoubleMag]

The only way to maximize hearing protection is still high NRR plugs under high NRR muffs. To optimize that, get...

This topic arises from time to time. This ^ answer bears repeating and is what I end up doing and especially with larger cartridges or in group shooting situations such as competitons, or previous shooting qualifications (retired).
I bought my professionally fitted full shield gizmos before retiring and qualified as work related for income tax purposes.

So, I have electric compression circuits full ear gizmos under electric muffs. Can still hear range commands etc.

I'll take your word as sage advice.

OK here's a bit more, do it all BEFORE your hearing loss.

Signed, Ears Ringing Now

 

[Armored farmer]

Electronic muffs are the best IMHO.
You can carry on a normal conversation between shots and then the shot is blocked. I don't know or care how it works...but it is miraculous.
If you continue to jamb dirty plugs in your ears, eventually it will cause problems of one kind or another. I'm speaking from experience not just on my many shooting sports but also sitting on open station equipment behind a big diesels for hours on end.

 

[JDeere]

I have a pair of the older Peltor electronic muffs that I am still using. I can carry on a conversation or hear a cease fire with ease. They cancel out out my mag rifle or pistols with no need to double up and always have. Yeah they are bulky but they do not bother my rifle cheek weld as some say they do...ymmv

 

[gun'sRgood]

I've got several types and have to agree with the ported large bore stuff. The range fan for my .50 BMG is horrible and I make folks stand clear. But as for being the shooter, not that bad. Interesting

 

[hso]

OK here's a bit more, do it all BEFORE your hearing loss.

Signed, Ears Ringing Now

Yes, please (tinnitus is not fun).

 

[hso]

I don't know or care how it works...but it is miraculous.

It just shuts off the little microphone very quickly when it senses the impact noise.

 

[hso]

They cancel out out

Not quite how they work. People mistake electronic muffs that just shut off the microphone quickly with "noise canceling". Noise canceling muffs like the Bose won't protect your hearing from gun shot (or jackhammer) noise that will damage your hearing.

 

[DesertFox]

Pro Ears Predator Gold Electronic Earmuffs (NRR 26 dB) are my 1st line of defense. Inner plugs if the caliber mandates additional suppression. No idea why they are so much more expensive than the Howard Leights or Walkers as they seem to do a similar job. The original pads that came with them were a leather-ish material that wore out easily. However the replacements are silicon that are far more comfortable and seal better around the ears.

They come in handy at band practice sometimes when the wall of sound gets extreme.

 

[CapnMac]

An important part of this is that gunshots are in the 140-160dB range.
Decibels are on a log scale, so 160dB is not 15% "louder" than 140, but 4 times louder.
And the impulse is an important factor, too (this makes a .223 stouter than a .44).

The threshold for hearing damage is around 90-100dB (some audiologists will argue down to 86-88dB)

Let us presume one has a firearm that discharges at 150dB. Hearing protection with a 30 NRR get that gun shot down to 120dB, which can still cause damage--just not immediate and obvious damage. A second 30 NRR will drop the sound effect to near 100dB (the NRR are not additive in a pure mathematical way). That's 6x less damaging than only using one set of 30 NRR hearingpro.

Now, OSHA standards are oft quoted in the suppressor community, with 140dB being "hearing safe"--which is bladerdash The OSHA regs allow a single instance of 140dB in a given 4 hour work shift before requiring hearing protection.

Doubling up is simple, even reasonably inexpensive. And, far, far better than tinnitus (just be careful how loudly you ask me how I know).

 

[hso]

Let us presume one has a firearm that discharges at 150dB. Hearing protection with a 30 NRR get that gun shot down to 120dB, which can still cause damage--just not immediate and obvious damage. A second 30 NRR will drop the sound effect to near 100dB (the NRR are not additive in a pure mathematical way). That's 6x less damaging than only using one set of 30 NRR hearingpro.

Kinda...when calculating hearing protection you chop 5 dB off right away for imperfect application of the hearing protection. That 30NRR plug lets you subtract 25dB from the 150 the gunshot delivers to your ears, for 125 dB exposure. Thank heavens it is brief. You only credit 5dB for muffs over the plugs (they have different efficiency curves for absorbing the frequency curve) for a total of 3o subtracted from the 150 for a 120dB blow to your ears. As pointed out, every 5 dB reduction is halving the power your ears receive and helps enormously to get you well below the instantaneous damage level at 140dB.

Decide muffs or plugs aren't worth the trouble, you've elected to double the power being shot to your hearing.

I shoot with plugs and muffs regardless of caliber.

 

[CopperClad]

I traded my older Peltor's (33Db) for Sordin Supreme PRO X active muffs. Already having severe hearing loss and tinnitus there was a need to CLEARLY hear range commands, and further protect my hearing. Did a lot of research before spending the coin. I am very happy with them. I can clearly hear range commands and other banter around me, and if I turn up the gain I can hear almost the entire line. Impulse suppression is excellent as well. My ears feel neither fatigued nor additionally 'ringy' after a session at the range. It's really important to get a handle on how they work, and what they'll do for you.

Remember there's the 'natural' dampening, then what the active will provide. Those numbers tell the real story with active hearing protection.

Take good care of your ears !

 

[twarr1]

I have $100 Walkers and $20 Walmart ones. I much prefer the cheaper ones. TheWalkers are very ‘tinny’ and irritating.

 

[Coyote3855]

I have used several different brands of electronic muffs including Walkers and Pro Ears. Currently using Peltor Sport Tactical 300s over custom fit ear plugs made by my audiologist. For some reason, the Walkers did not function well for determining direction a sound was coming from. Pro Ears are decent, somewhat bulky compared to the Peltors. The only downside to the Peltors is the spring holding the cups to ears is strong and I sometimes get a headache after a couple of hours. But very effective in blocking gunshots. I need to preserve what hearing I have left.

I teach NRA classes and take electronic muffs to loan to students. I always recommend they spend the extra money for E-Muffs, but some go cheap and then can't hear instruction from the range SRO or line coaches. I've had students pull ear protection off to hear what I'm saying despite shooting in the adjacent lanes.

 

[herrwalther]

Midway had a US Ballistics electronic headset on sale years ago for under 20 bucks. I jumped on those and it has been my first and only foray into electronic hearing protection. Those things (now discontinued) are great. I use them for the range as well as mowing the yard. In the future I would like to get a different set with some more user friendly features like rechargeable vs AAA batteries. But I will use those until they die.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1018947666?pid=630681

The only way to maximize hearing protection is still high NRR plugs under high NRR muffs. To optimize that, get quality electronic muffs from a manufacturer of industrial hearing protection like Sordin or 3M

I won't trust any hearing protection made by 3M. They are the majority reason why I have hearing problems now. I use hearing protection so it doesn't get worse than what they already neglectfully did.