Electronic Ear Protection for all Day Comfort

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bergmen

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I have recently switched to electronic ear protection for range and fun shooting. I'm at the age (62) where maximum protection of hearing is essential (it is at any age, but my hearing has already degraded some, don't want further damage).

I would wear these while hunting but I can only have them on for an hour at most because of sweaty discomfort.

Are there electronic muffs intended to be worn indefinitely for comfort? I would pay for a good set that I could wear for several hours without sweating. I don't see this mentioned in ads for electronic muffs anywhere.

Dan
 
I wear Peltors that are holding up well under those multi hour, as in no shade, Arizona sun range sessions.
 
Unfortunately the dB rating of the electronic ones is usually not that great.

My Howard Leight's are rated at 22dB. My Remington non-electronic muffs are rated at 32 dB.
 
I would pay for a good set that I could wear for several hours without sweating.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but the sweating problem is inherent to earmuffs because the hard shell and sound absorbing materials also trap heat and moisture. Short of taking breaks to remove the muffs and dropping them in cooler with ice, the only solution is to cool the rest of your body so that you don't sweat as much in the muffs.
 
Well, I've been looking all over the place for "all day" electronic muffs. The only one I found that even mentioned it was Pro-Ears with their Pro Slim Gold models. They have a NRR of 28db which is exactly the same as the Cabelas Pro-Hunter models (I have two, one for me, one for my wife).

The Pro-Hunters are less than half the price ($129.99 vs. $289.99). The Pro Hunters look exactly the same as the Pro Slim Gold (I know they are not the same but they are made by Pro-Ears for Cabelas).

I guess I'll just stick to what I have...

Dan
 
hso said:
Sorry, but the sweating problem is inherent to earmuffs because the hard shell and sound absorbing materials also trap heat and moisture. Short of taking breaks to remove the muffs and dropping them in cooler with ice, the only solution is to cool the rest of your body so that you don't sweat as much in the muffs.
Click to expand...

The trouble is my ears sweat even in the winter when it is cold outside. It seems to be related to the fact that it just seals off the ear area for noise control and it cannot breath as a result.

The Pro Hunters I have now are far better thean the Peltor passive muffs I used for years before we went electronic. The Peltors had vinyl cup seals, the Pro Hunters have leather.

Now that it is summer here (95-105 basically everyday), it is going to get worse. I'm thinking of experimenting with something very small that would allow just a bit of air circulation and not compromise the acoustic attenuation. Not sure what form this would take but I'll see what I can do.

Dan
 
I wore my Pro Ears Pro Tac for 12 hours a day at the recent Tom Givens advanced instructor class at FAS, they were very comfortable. If you are a certified instructor, Military AD, Military Retired, or LWO, they give a heck of a discount.
 
kcshooter said:
How about in ear?

I've used these,
http://www.opticsplanet.net/radians-hearing-protection-enhancer-ear.html

but I've heard these are better.
http://www.wolfarmament.com/Walkers-High-Definition-Digital-Game-Ear-50195.html
Click to expand...

Good ideas! I would definitely like to look into these and check the NRR for them. I see the Walkers have an amazing 48 dB NRR, way better than any muff I've seen. Good for dynamite I imagine.

I haven't seen anyone wearing these at the ranges but I'm very interested.

Dan
 
Good ideas!
Click to expand...
Thought that might be what you are looking for. The Walkers are supposed to be great. Pricey, but so is hearing loss.

I use the Radians when in the woods, and sometimes at the range under muffs.
If I'm there with a friend or new shooter, I let them use my electronic muffs so they can hear me and I use those so I can hear them. The noise reduction is OK and the amplification is actually really good.

I understand not wearing muffs hunting, it would be uncomfortable and awkward. I don't know why more hunters don't use things like the in-ears. It isn't worth the risk to your hearing, in my opinion.

You might also want to check out the SureFire Sonic Defenders. They use a Hocks break noise filter to deaden the impulse of gunfire while still allowing sound. Not as effective as the electronic ones either in protection or allowing sounds to filter, but VERY comfortable. They are what I wear under my electronic ears normally at the range. Plus they are only like $12 a pair. I replace mine about once a year.
 
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I see the Walkers have an amazing 48 dB NRR, way better than any muff I've seen.
Click to expand...

I think you're seeing the amplification "power" at that high 48 dB number. The NRR is 29 dB, the typical range for a foam plug. My concern with the Walkers is that they could be very difficult to insert properly to get that NRR of 29, meaning they don't get inserted properly and you don't get the full NRR because of it.

You're better off with muffs over plugs and you can't fit the Walkers under muffs so I recommend a good electronic muff over a foam plug.

allow just a bit of air circulation and not compromise the acoustic attenuation.
Click to expand...

A good seal preventing air movement is needed to attenuate the noise so anything to improve air circulation will allow noise in.

This may sound "odd", but have you tried a piece of absorbent material (fabric or paper) in the ear cups?
 
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I bought a set of Pro Ears Tac Mag Gold on sale last Thanksgiving and whatever kind of leather/fake leather they use over the foam seems to be a great improvement over most of the other muffs I've owned.

Of course today is the first day it will be in the upper 90s, so I haven't had them out in the broiling sun yet. They worked fine when it was 85.

They're rated NRR 33.
 
hso said:
I think you're seeing the amplification "power" at that high 48 dB number. The NRR is 29 dB, the typical range for a foam plug. My concern with the Walkers is that they could be very difficult to insert properly to get that NRR of 29, meaning they don't get inserted properly and you don't get the full NRR because of it.

You're better off with muffs over plugs and you can't fit the Walkers under muffs so I recommend a good electronic muff over a foam plug.

A good seal preventing air movement is needed to attenuate the noise so anything to improve air circulation will allow noise in.

This may sound "odd", but have you tried a piece of absorbent material (fabric or paper) in the ear cups?
Click to expand...

Yes, I'm finding this the more I look in to the Walker "in-ears". Owners report difficulty in getting and keeping them seated. Spendy little suckers also. The rating stated in this link (http://www.wolfarmament.com/Walkers-High-Definition-Digital-Game-Ear-50195.html) stated a 48 dB NRR which is certainly a mistake.

Interesting you mention an absorbent material. About a year ago when I was talking to our local RO about his e-muffs and I saw that he had a small cotton ankle sock pulled tightly over each muff. He indicated that this helped with the sweating (he wore his for hours on end). I had forgotten about this until you mentioned it.

I do understand the necessity for a good airtight seal for acoustic reasons. It is possible to vent with acoustic attenuation but that takes some sophistication beyond the scope of this application for sure.

I'll run some experiments. Thanks for your insight.

Dan
 
I found the Peltor active and passive over-the-ear pretty comfortable for extended wear. You can also find sources of replacement foam and cushions for Peltor, unlike some of their competitors.

For max protection I add foam plugs too.

Active: Peltor MT15H7F SV Tactical Pro Hearing Protector

Passive: Peltor 97010 Ultimate-10 Hearing Protector

Amazon.com has good pricing on both.
 
The only ones I have been able to wear all day are the MSA. Make sure you get the gel earpieces regardless of the brand you buy.

The little cotton socks work well for sweat.
 
I wore my Pro Ears Pro Tac for 12 hours a day at the recent Tom Givens advanced instructor class at FAS, they were very comfortable. If you are a certified instructor, Military AD, Military Retired, or LWO, they give a heck of a discount.
Click to expand...

Threefeathers, where did you order from that gave a discount? I can't find it on their website.

Thanks.
 
Does anyone have feedback on the Surefire / Earpro Sonic Defenders? They appear to be non-electric, in-ear hearing protection that still allows normal conversation:

EarPro® by SureFire® earplugs were developed to protect military and law enforcement personnel from harmful sounds. In addition to offering protection, our filtered earplugs allow normal conversations to pass through. We also offer dedicated earpieces that work with tactical radio communication systems. All of our products feature patented EarLock™ by SureFire® retention rings that provide a secure fit and all-day comfort.
Click to expand...
 
I believe they still use Hocks Noise Breaker technology and appear to have a NRR of only 24.

Looking at the test data on the Hocks site, the Standard Noise Breaker scored a NRR of 15 according to the Michael & Associates, Inc. test data.

www.noisebrakers.com/test_data/standard_noise_braker®

The theory behind the Noise Braker technology is...

"...converts sonic energy into thermal energy by means of compression acceleration. The rise in temperature is so minute you will never notice it. "
 
Those are what I mentioned earlier. They have a small cap the plugs the filter when you want full noise blockage. When upplugged, it allows you to hear conversation.

I use them under over-ear electronic muffs, with the plug out. This allows me to hear pretty well and still block noise.

Alone, without the plug, it's still pretty loud. With the plug in, it's much quieter.

I find them very comfortable, I could wear them all day.
 
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