Ear Protection

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cbrgator

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Does anybody use the Caldwell E-Max Low Profile Electronic Muffs?

Any thoughts? Do they work well?
 
I have some Caldwells, don't know the exact model number, that have been in the box collecting dust on the shelf for years. Very noisy. I would gladly give them away. They are not good enough to give to one of my kids, so they remain on the shelf. I bought them the non electronic Howard Leight muffs.

I have some electronic muffs by Howard Leight and they are very nice. Well worth the $40 to $50 you will pay for them.

http://www.amazon.com/Howard-Leight-R-01526-Electronic-Earmuff/dp/B001T7QJ9O
 
^i'll second the howard leight impact sports. i've let several shooting buddies try them out and everyone wants a set of their own.
 
I also agree on the HLs. I had Caldwells, but they were poor quality. Another good choice are Peltors, but they are more expensive. Unless you shoot by yourself, electronic muffs are the only way to go.
 
The Caldwell's that I tried had a lot of static. Totally unacceptable.

I have the Howard Leight Impact muffs and they are great. No static and it has a jack for an MP3 player.

I did a lot of research prior to buying the HL's and they had a lot of positive reviews.
 
Not really all that happy with my Caldwells. I actually like the $5 non electric ones from harbor freight better.
 
You get what you pay for and the best bargain is the Howard Leight Impact Sports. Anything less isn't a real bargain.
 
Peltor electronic ones and Walker Game ears are two of the more expensive ones, but they also give you the best clarity, High dbr reduction and good battery life. Once you lose your hearing, you do not get it back - there is no cure. Take care of it; that includes using a power washer, lawn mower or any other loud object besides guns
 
My father likes his Caldwells just fine. He's been using them for a least 5 years now. I'm sure they are far from the best, but they work fine for their $25 price tag.

That being said, I am of the opinion that it's worth it to spend the extra $25 to get something better/nicer/fancier. I run Peltor 6S' and really like them. I got my step-mother some Howard Leight's for Christmas, so I'll find out soon enough how those compare.
 
Another vote for the Howard Leight Sport electronic muffs. I guess I don't keep my head upright enough when I shoot a long gun because the muffs tend to rest on the rifle stock and I find it a little annoying. I guess I'm doing something wrong.


I use them with a power washer, weed whacker, or leaf blower. If I'm shooting by myself I use some EP3 Sonic Defender earplugs. They're sold under Surefire, Bone Collector, and a couple other brand names, but they all look the same. They're the best and most comfortable ear plugs I've found.
 
Even with hearing protection you can be at risk! I have worn hearing protection for years. Still lost my hearing. Asked doctor about it. Prolonged exposure to certain sounds can still destroy your hearing! Jet engines & other high pitch noise can destroy your hearing even with protection! Long term, these will cause hearing loss! Take extra care if you work near any noise that you have long term exposure to.
 
I've got Caldwells and Howard Leights. I use the HL's; anybody shooting with me can have the Caldwells. ;P
 
I use a cheap pair of Caldwell electronic muffs. I think they were on sale for $10 on Midway one day and I just added them to an order. I use them, as well as a set of foam plugs. Then I turn up the Caldwells. I don't hear the static, but I can hear conversations. The doubling up is especially useful when I'm at an indoor range. It is no fun in Alabama summers, though...
 
Don't know who makes them, but mine came from dillon. Suppress the loud noises without shutting off. If they quite working, will go get another.
 
they work fine for their $25 price tag.

That's a dangerous view. Hearing is priceless and the best hearing protection you can buy is recommended over something that just works fine for the money. Especially considering you can find Howard Leight Impact Sports muffs for $40 on sale.
 
hso said:
That's a dangerous view. Hearing is priceless and the best hearing protection you can buy is recommended over something that just works fine for the money. Especially considering you can find Howard Leight Impact Sports muffs for $40 on sale.
My "view" was the rest of my post that you didn't quote:

That being said, I am of the opinion that it's worth it to spend the extra $25 to get something better/nicer/fancier. I run Peltor 6S' and really like them. I got my step-mother some Howard Leight's for Christmas, so I'll find out soon enough how those compare.

But that also doesn't mean Caldwell hearing protection in dangerous in any way. They do work well to protect hearing.
 
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Like Marv, I use custom fitted electronic ear plugs. Yes, they are expensive but besides handguns I shoot skeet and trap and found that they don't get knocked off with the shotgun recoil like ear muffs do. I also shoot IDPA and don't have to constantly put them on and take them off between stages. I can wear them all day and still hear all the commands from any part of the range.
 
I have regular non-electronic muffs that are OK, but when I found out I had a 10-15% loss in my right ear (yeah, rt-handed shooter w/ a 12 ga.), I added the little foam plugs under the muffs.

Works for me.
 
I have the Peltor 6S and the Caldwell electronics, either is rated 21 NRDB, it's a good idea to wear plugs with the muffs, non electronics are rated higher.

It only takes 1 SHOT !
 
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