hearing protection

[brentlh]

I am a fairly new gun owner and need to get some ear protection. I have not fired the gun yet. I am wondering if ear muffs are better/preferable to the band type gel ear plugs.

 

[strongcrow]

Well, you get what you pay for. In my experience just like a lot of other things in this life, buy your second one first. I would recommend electronic muffs, as range commands etc are easier to hear. Plain muffs would be better than a cheap pair of plugs, so you won't tend to flinch as much in the beginning. A custom molded pair of plugs are better than the plain muffs. So if you're not toally confused now, stick around awhile and you'll probably get them all in time..... just sayin'

 

[Scutter01]

Electronic muffs for the win. You look at the price tag (starting around $70, up to $200 or $300 for super fancy ones) and then you look at the price tag of regular muffs and plugs (a couple of bucks up to maybe $20) and you ask yourself "Self, why are you considering paying almost four time as much just for fancy earmuffs when these cheapies work just as well?" and then a year later or two, or three, you finally try some electronics and you wonder why you were so foolish as to wait so long.

Electronics are 100% worth the price of admission.

 

[KLB]

Wasn't Esrice going to write a review/comparison of electronic muffs?

 

[CX1]

After wearing the plug types for about 20 years at work I actually prefer them when I am shooting by myself. I find them comfortable. These are the fat yellow ones with the blue plastic 'string' between them made by EAR. They are inexpensive and I can comfortably wear them all day. YMMV
However they are very inconvenient when shooting with other people if those others want to occasionally have conversation with me. So I also have a set of muffs for those occasions. I find the muffs very hot and uncomfortable, but they work well for protecting my hearing.
I would like to get a nice set of the electronics eventually, but they are down the list below a few more guns and possibly reloading equipment.

 

[cwillour]

Good electronics are worth it, but I have found the less expensive one to be more annoying than helpful.

On the budget side, the simple foam plugs are typically rated for more noise reduction than the muffs (29-32db on the foam vs 21-27 for most of the muffs I have seen)

Edit: while the extra protection of the foam plugs is good for your ears and helping prevent flinching issues, it does make conversations harder.

 

[mr.steve]

Electronic muffs. I say spend the big bucks now and get it over with. I bought mine at Cabelas Caldwell electronic ear muffs. They were on sale For $29.95 These are adequate for starting out. My

 

[bgray]

I have a set of the Howard Leight Impact Sport. I like them when I'm shooting with friends. When it's warmer out, they're not super comfortable though.

 

[brentlh]

Unfortunately I still have to purchase sights and a couple of other items. So I guess for now foam or gel plugs will have to do until I can spend a little more for electronic muffs. Thanks all.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Good electronics are worth it, but I have found the less expensive one to be more annoying than helpful.

This ^^^

If you don't have the money for good, quality electronic muffs, buy the cheap non-electronic ones now until you can afford good. I made the mistake of buying cheap electronic ear-muffs several times before I bit the bullet and bought good (Sordin Supreme Pro-X). I've regretted wasting over $100 on cheap electronic muffs ever since I bought good electronic muffs. If I could do it all over again I would have stuck with my cheap non-electronic ones before I paid for cheap electric ones.

 

[esrice]

Wasn't Esrice going to write a review/comparison of electronic muffs?

Yeah I've got the data but I need to organize it and put it down in a review format.

To the OP, I too would recommend electronic earpro-- especially if you ever shoot with others or in a class setting.

Here is some reading of my own experiences:

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...-review_radians_proamp_electronic_earpro.html

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...rd_leight_impact_sport_electronic_earpro.html

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo..._electronic_earpro_tci_msa_supreme_pro_x.html

 

[Kirk Freeman]

I am wondering if ear muffs are better/preferable to the band type gel ear plugs.

Yes, you want muffs as sound is conducted via vibration along the bone. Cover your ears.

Buy crap and pay many times. Buy quality stuff and pay once.

Remember, two is one. Get two pairs .

And get a bunch of those ear muff condoms from Brownell's to prevent the sweat from funkifying your gear.

 

[Ragenarok007]

Get the $20 electronic ear muffs from walmart. They work fine and the battery lasts a good while. Then get some of those foam ear plugs and keep in your car if you are like me and may just find yourself at a buddy's house shooting clays all the sudden. Or get some of those $3 jobbies that go in your ear stuck on the half circle thing. Unless you are shooting long guns that pack a huge whallop then you won't need more than that. But those ear muffs are great, especially for an indoor range. You can talk to your buddy without taking them off or screaming over gunfire. They just cut out anything loud enough to hurt.

 

[brentlh]

To the OP, I too would recommend electronic earpro-- especially if you ever shoot with others or in a class setting.

Exactly which one are you speaking of?

 

[esrice]

Exactly which one are you speaking of?

That depends on lots of factors.

If you've got the money, go with the $250 MSA/Sordins.

If low-price takes priority than try the $70 Radians Pro Amps (even over the $50 Howard Leight Impact Sports).

If you are big on value for the dollar then the $120 Peltor Sport Tacs are great.

That's pretty much my comparison in a nutshell.

 

[indyjoe]

Get the $20 electronic ear muffs from walmart. They work fine and the battery lasts a good while. Then get some of those foam ear plugs and keep in your car if you are like me and may just find yourself at a buddy's house shooting clays all the sudden. Or get some of those $3 jobbies that go in your ear stuck on the half circle thing. Unless you are shooting long guns that pack a huge whallop then you won't need more than that. But those ear muffs are great, especially for an indoor range. You can talk to your buddy without taking them off or screaming over gunfire. They just cut out anything loud enough to hurt.

The problem with the $20 pair is they stay silenced too long. I had a pair and they now sit on the shelf unused.

I WISH is would have saved the $20-25 I spend on those, doubled it and bought these. Amazon.com: Howard Leight R-01526 Impact Sport Electronic Earmuff: Home Improvement

 

[gregkl]

The problem with the $20 pair is they stay silenced too long. I had a pair and they now sit on the shelf unused.

I WISH is would have saved the $20-25 I spend on those, doubled it and bought these. Amazon.com: Howard Leight R-01526 Impact Sport Electronic Earmuff: Home Improvement

I have those and the non-electronic ones in my shopping cart at Amazon. Waiting on funds and decision on which one to purchase. Hey drop me a line sometime about Appleseed. I may be interested.

 

[mospeada]

The problem with the $20 pair is they stay silenced too long. I had a pair and they now sit on the shelf unused.

I WISH is would have saved the $20-25 I spend on those, doubled it and bought these. Amazon.com: Howard Leight R-01526 Impact Sport Electronic Earmuff: Home Improvement

I should have mine on Monday.

 

[esrice]

The problem with the $20 pair is they stay silenced too long. I had a pair and they now sit on the shelf unused.

I WISH is would have saved the $20-25 I spend on those, doubled it and bought these. Amazon.com: Howard Leight R-01526 Impact Sport Electronic Earmuff: Home Improvement

Those will do the same thing. The HLs, much like the ones you have on your shelf, utilize "peak clipping" technology. When sounds get "too loud", the electronics simply cut off and the muffs become passive. Because of this, conversation during firing is the same as with non-electric muffs. You'll hear them come "on", then "off", then "on", etc.

The nicer (and often more expensive) earpro uses compression technology that takes that loud gunshot and compresses it down to a level that won't damage your hearing, allowing you to still carry on a full conversation while gun shots ring out in the background. You still hear the gunshots and all of their audible detail, but the sound level doesn't damage your hearing.

 

[indyjoe]

Those will do the same thing. The HLs, much like the ones you have on your shelf, utilize "peak clipping" technology. When sounds get "too loud", the electronics simply cut off and the muffs become passive. Because of this, conversation during firing is the same as with non-electric muffs. You'll hear them come "on", then "off", then "on", etc.

The nicer (and often more expensive) earpro uses compression technology that takes that loud gunshot and compresses it down to a level that won't damage your hearing, allowing you to still carry on a full conversation while gun shots ring out in the background. You still hear the gunshots and all of their audible detail, but the sound level doesn't damage your hearing.

I understand compression and get the benefits (done plenty of audio mastering for video). Most of the places I use them would not really make much difference. The extra $100 over my pairs aren't really justified to me. The issue with the $20-25 pair are that the clipping filter was designed with too fell poles and lags bringing the sound back on (over a second). Mine clip off and on almost nearly instantly. Works great for me.