Help me pick the ear protection with most dB reduction

[Orion8472]

I would like some help picking out the very best concoction of ear protection that reduces the most decibels. It can be either foam ear plugs, ear muffs, or a combination of the two. I'm looking for the most reduction possible.

Thank you!

 

[.38 Special]

Foam or silicon plugs, properly fitted deeply into the canals, combined with a 37 or 38 NRR pair of muffs, will do just about all you can reasonably expect.

 

[hso]

The answer is always the same, high NRR plugs (usually foam provides the highest NRR) under muffs.
+
Then the question becomes electronic muffs or standard.

Then the question becomes electronic muffs with or without comms for phone or radio.

 

[kidneyboy]

Foam or silicon plugs, properly fitted deeply into the canals, combined with a 37 or 38 NRR pair of muffs, will do just about all you can reasonably expect.

Yep. Double up.
I had custom earplugs made at the LGS and wear electronic earmuffs over those.

 

[Orion8472]

I've not seen ear muffs that are actually up to 37 or 38 NRR. Highest I've seen is 32.

Does anyone have a link [amazon or ebay] to a good quality ear muff that's at 37...38?

I use really good foam ear plugs already. Howard Leight.

 

[CapnMac]

Highest I've seen is 32.

Does anyone have a link [amazon or ebay] to a good quality ear muff that's at 37...38?

Jibes with my memory that the best muffs limit out about 32. And a good majority limit out in the 26-29 range.

This is the Clear Armor: https://cleararmor.biz/products/safety-ear-muffs
I have a set. They fit tight, very tight (which is needful). They are 32-34 NRF (depending on who you ask). They are nicely compact, which is good for the range bag. The fit makes it impractical for use with winter gear, and many hats, which can be complicated if out in full sunlight w/o shade.

A stock set of 3M foam plugs are good to 29, so paired up, you are closing in on 40 or so.

Now, I grab my Howard Leight powered Impact Pro (30 NRF) muff most often, but use them with plugs.
https://www.howardleightshootingspo...cation-electronic-shooting-earmuff-black-grey
Those can fit better with a floppy hat of winter hood.

Your mileage may vary.

For my 2¢ you have to be careful buying on Amazon (and on eBay, too) to make sure you are getting the actual product, and not a drop-shipped knock off.
For the limited savings, it's as easy to buy factory direct on this stuff--you only have the one set of ears.
(Ok, the box of 1000 plugs from 3M is a pain to store [])

 

[kidneyboy]

For my 2¢ you have to be careful buying on Amazon (and on eBay, too) to make sure you are getting the actual product, and not a drop-shipped knock off.

I agree 100% with this.

 

[.38 Special]

https://www.amazon.com/FRiEQ-Sound-Technology-Safety-Shooting/dp/B094N26GLG

37 NRR, or so claimed. There are other brands as well, though they may all come out of the same spout.

With regard to 38, I might have made that up. I thought I knew of some, but don't have a bookmark and nothing turns up when I Google it.

<edit> There is a difference between ANSI and OSHA ratings, for what it is worth. The above link is for ANSI rated muffs. The same muffs would be rated 34 by OSHA, if I'm remembering correctly.

 

[jag22]

I have Pro Ears Ultra 33 but they don’t make those anymore, plus the headbands
break. They’re plastic, on my third one plus the ones that broke within the first year
and I returned them to Cabelas. I think 30 is about as good as you can find these days
but add the foam plugs if you’re worried.

 

[Orion8472]

Thanks for the info and links!

As for those 37 NRR muffs,....I would try them, except that I see "one star" reviews that say stuff like "Seller says they're rated at 37 DB. My other muffs rated at 24 DB do a better job at reducing noise. 37 DB is an a huge, unbelievable stretch."
Now, it could be just someone who didn't know how to put them on correctly....who knows.

CapnMac, I looked at your link as well. They seem to be nice looking and compact. I didn't see anywhere that stated their NRR rating.

As a side note, the Amazon "37 NRR" muffs and the ClearArmor muffs look nearly the same.

 

[George P]

The answer is always the same, high NRR plugs (usually foam provides the highest NRR) under muffs.
View attachment 1009112 + View attachment 1009113
Then the question becomes electronic muffs or standard.

Then the question becomes electronic muffs with or without comms for phone or radio.

The above is true but ONLY if both are used properly............the foam plugs must be FULLY inserted and the muffs must make full contact, i.e., no gaps from glasses for the maximum protection. Since shooters typically wear protective eyewear, there is a slight compromise

 

[hso]

Does anyone have a link [amazon or ebay] to a good quality ear muff that's at 37...38?

There aren't. I've heard claims, but there is no new product I'd trust making such claims. 30-33 NRR is where it tops out for reliable products. Also remember you don't add NRR values when you stack plugs and muffs. You just add 5 for the muffs. There have been long explanations here and you can Google it. As a 30+year safety professional I assure you that you should subtract 5 from your plug Noise Reduction Rating and only add 5 for adding muffs.

Buy hearing pro from one of the industrial manufacturers. They maintain a QA program and testing and they arent lying to you to sell product. 3M, Howard Leight (owned by 3M), Sordin, Peltor, ...

BTW, don't buy the slick Clear Armor muff advertising. There are too many false claims about "certification" in their advertising to trust anything about them.

I second not trusting eBay and Amazon. There are endless cheap counterfeits being sold as Peltor and Howard Leight.

 

[Orion8472]

I have Howard Leight L3 muffs currently. And their ear plugs.

 

[1942bull]

I have some hearing loss so I have always been concerned about protection. I have researched the topics endlessly. In post #12 above @hso says what needs to be understood. It jives with the results,of my own research. Take the advice. It is good. I shoot 9mm. I limit my indoor exposure to it. Even with the 31 NR of my protection the noise can still be harmful because the reduction is not enough to bring the Db level down to what is considered a safe range. So I try to shoot outdoors whenever I can. I wear Otis Ear Shield for protection because it works and is more comfortable than muffs.

 

[Orion8472]

Thank you for your insight, 1942bull. On those Otis Ear Shields, do you find that they work better than the combo of good foam earplugs and ear muffs?

I'm like you with the 9mm. I won't shoot inside. And don't shoot much at the outdoor range because there are still a lot of wall surfaces the sound can bounce off. Unfortunately, I don't have a place to actually shoot outside without barriers, so I mostly stick with 22lr, which hasn't been a problem.

 

[1942bull]

Thank you for your insight, 1942bull. On those Otis Ear Shields, do you find that they work better than the combo of good foam earplugs and ear muffs?

I'm like you with the 9mm. I won't shoot inside. And don't shoot much at the outdoor range because there are still a lot of wall surfaces the sound can bounce off. Unfortunately, I don't have a place to actually shoot outside without barriers, so I mostly stick with 22lr, which hasn't been a problem.

I have never used foam plugs with muffs. I was shooting with a pair of non-electronic muffs rated at NR 30. Problem was that they cut off normal levels of sound. So I explored electronic muffs and Rene som at two local ranges. I found them to be erratic. On day I saw a construction worker using a jackhammer wearing the off looking ear gear. I asked him about them and he said they were supplied by his employee and were great. They had the Otis label on them. I looked them up on the Internet and bought a 31 NR set. I figured they were inexpensive enough that I would risk them not being good. Before I bought them I checked them out on YouTube. Mostly good reviews, but a couple negative ones. Still I tried them. I found that if for put them on right they are great but you have to do it the way the instructions say. If you do not they are awful. So I am a happy camper with them.

 

[CapnMac]

CapnMac, I looked at your link as well. They seem to be nice looking and compact. I didn't see anywhere that stated their NRR rating.

Which link?
The Clear Armor ones have the NRF in the fine print off in the weeds of the body text.
Howard Lieght NRF data is about midway down (and also not easy to find).

Only people who seem to publish the NRF data obviously would be 3M for their foam plugs.

Amazon uses a lot of drop-shippers, so they often use and reuse various people's photos.

 

[Orion8472]

I think I may have the best protection at this point, after reading all the posts. I do appreciate them!

I'll keep going with my current Howard Leight ear plugs and C3 muffs.

 

[DTL]

I use the Howard Lieght Impact Pros as well indoors and the Sport Bolt outdoors and add plugs if the range is busy or close to big bore shooters.

 

[CapnMac]

Gunshots run to 140dB to 165dB, and there's additional stress from the impulse related to the bullet velocity.
Impulse is why the .233 can be more damaging than a .44magnum (Mach 3 is ±3120fps and Mach 1 ±1040fps).

And, decibels are on a log scale, which can confound. There's a "3dB(A)" rule which has to do with how every 3dB is a 100% increase in sound energy (23% change in "loudness").

Human hearing damage starts in around 100dB under prolonged exposure; immediate damage has a threshold of around 130-140dB (OSHA uses 140dB as a the "single exposure" workplace maximum, a detail sometimes skipped over).

So everything you do to shave a few more dB off is in your favor. Tinnitus is not fun.

 

[Orion8472]

Yeah,...I already deal with tinnitus. Not at all fun. I use earplugs when I am driving.....I know it may be stupid,.....but because if I end up in an accident, the airbags going off will be loud. I use earplugs at my sister's house because of the yapping dogs and loud birds. So I do whatever I can now to keep from hurting my hearing further.

 

[Riomouse911]

Yeah,...I already deal with tinnitus. Not at all fun. I use earplugs when I am driving.....I know it may be stupid,.....but because if I end up in an accident, the airbags going off will be loud. I use earplugs at my sister's house because of the yapping dogs and loud birds. So I do whatever I can now to keep from hurting my hearing further.

Hmmm I get it, I’m pretty protective of what I have left, too. But I’d be more worried about being able to hear sirens from emergency vehicles or a warning honk from an oncoming vehicle and reacting to those than the off chance of an airbag deployment further damaging hearing. But to each his own.

Now plugs for the yapping dogs? Absolutely! Those things are infuriatingly painful to my damaged ears. (Besides tinnitus in both ears that ring loud enough to hear daily, several instances of early damage to my right ear drum has prevented me from hearing low range/bass at all through my right ear for decades.)

I use custom plugs that fit into my ear canal under muffs as much as possible.

Stay safe.

 

[GlockFu]

How much do you want to spend? The Comtacs V with gel inserts work really good but I don't know what their actual rating is. It's not all about the rating. The seal has ALOT to do with how much sound is blocked out.

I run Howard Light Pro's because the Comptacs are too rich for my blood but they are NICE!

 

[Orion8472]

Riomouse911, I can still hear sirens and horns well enough. My car doesn't have the best noise reduction. But yeah, you make a good point. It is probably unlikely I'll get into an airbag deploying accident, but when I heard that they sound like a gun going off, it causes me to worry about that.

 

[GE-Mini-Gun]

I use EAR Inc custom made plugs…not sure of the rating, but with them in I’m as close to deaf as I can get. When I attend the machinegun shoot I normally double up, those and muffs off Amazon…I cannot hear people talking with both and can barely make out when someone if firing a suppressed pistol od bolt gun. As a side bar…I wore the plugs to an NHRA race couple years back…in for 6-8 hrs with no discomfort, something I cannot say about the foam ones.