Electronic Hearing Protection

[Wadlow Palerider]

I've suffered significant hearing loss in my left ear, and Im hard of hearing in my right ear. I'm concerned about further hearing loss and considering some form of protection for my hearing. I see these bluetooth earbuds that amplify low-level sounds and within .01 seconds of a gunshot or any other loud noise, there is a 27 - 31 decibel drop. Excellent idea for hunting! This sounds like something I should invest in. Do any of you have any recommendations? These have a wide range in price, and some people prefer ear muffs to earbuds. What do you use ? What about everyday use, like weedeating or running a lawnmower?

 

[Alan]

Electronic in-ear plugs work well for hunting since they stay out of the way, while muffs are great for yard work

 

[HighRanks]

Howard Leight Impact Sport muffs are the entry point most people land on and they hold up well. For serious hearing loss Walker Razor Slim electronic muffs offer better low profile fit and solid amplification.

 

[BKLooney]

I use electronic ear muffs, they do a great job and I can still hear casual conversation pretty decent with them on...

 

[NukeRef]

I've been using Walker's Xcel muffs (26 dB NRR) for a long time. Still do. They're good, not too uncomfortable albeit bulky, and you can hear what's going on around you. They're thick and interfere with my cheek weld when I'm shooting one of my long guns. Gel pads are a must imo.

A few years ago I bought a set of Axil Xcor Pro ear buds (27 dB NRR). I'm using the medium-size tips, which seal fairly well. They are blue-tooth so they connect to my phone if I want. I now use them most of the time with my pistols and most of my rifles. They're fairly comfortable, but after a couple of hours on the range I am glad to get them out of my ears. I have tried the small tips for comfort, but the noise reduction is noticeably less. When I'm shooting my M4 I have to wear the Walker's over the Xcors, because the earbuds alone are simply not adequate.

I recently got a set of Ravine ARM NEXT FieldOps Pro Tactical earbuds. On sale for just over $100. They're a little bit smaller than the Xcor, but with an advertised 31dB NRR I figured I'd give them a try. The fit is different as are the control functions, so there will be a learning curve. I haven't taken them to the range yet so I really can't offer a comparison. I hope they work as advertised, but some of the reviews say they're no better than the Xcor. We'll see ... but I'll bet the 5.56 NATO is still loud enough to hurt the ears.