Electronic ear protection - current state of groupthink?

[Nephrology]

So yesterday I went on a quick range trip with my med school classmate and got a few exposures to high dB ear punishment. First offense was when we were driving up to the firing line at the rifle range and just as I was getting out of the car a guy maybe 10 yards from our vehicle let off a round from some wildcat rifle (it began with .3 and ended with 'weatherby...') that hurt like a son of a bitch. Later, as we were packing up for the day, I removed my earpro thinking my buddy was done shooting - nope. 2 rounds of .45ACP maybe 15 feet from me. Not fun.

Currently have Howard Leight Impact Sports, now I am convinced I want something more. Did some digging and search-function-using on this website and a few others. Consensus seems to be MSA Sordins or Peltor Comtacs, but I can't figure out which model/brand offers the best value per price. I'm not looking to 'cheap out,' per se, but I also don't want to spend extra money on something that will produce diminishing returns.

Looking at the MSA Sordin Pro Xs versus Pro IVs, and Peltor Comtacs (unsure of what models I should be considering... IIIs?) Any experience/thoughts/advice welcome.

Edit: especially interested in GJM's input (though of course all input is welcome) as I read in his older thread that he wasn't terribly impressed with the MSA Sordins and ended up being satisfied with a pair of Peltor Comtacs (unsure which model). Curious to hear if things have changed.

[SAWBONES]

I recommend doubling up.

One occluder type within the external ear canals (foam plugs, baffled rubber or fitted type), and muffs over the ears, with the highest NRR you can find (Howard Leight has traditionally had the best).

I haven't found any of the electronic muffs to provide sufficient noise protection on an indoor range.

Shooting outside is a different story. Many types of single noise protection can be sufficient outdoors.

[Nephrology]

I recommend doubling up.

One occluder type within the external ear canals (foam plugs, baffled rubber or fitted type), and muffs over the ears, with the highest NRR you can find (Howard Leight has traditionally had the best).

I haven't found any of the electronic muffs to provide sufficient noise protection on an indoor range.

Shooting outside is a different story. Many types of single noise protection can be sufficient outdoors.

I always, always, always double up - even outdoors. Have since 2011 or earlier. Still, I'd rather be conservative; you only get one pair of ears and mine are already not in the best shape for someone my age. My Howard Leights have been OK, but I don't think they offer the best seal, which makes their EE pro strategy of simply cutting out high dB audio input not terribly efficacious.

Plugs/HLs have worked for years but I'm starting to realize that I, too, am mortal, and would like to postpone hearing aids for as long as possible...

[GJM]

My wife and I have each used a pair of these Peltor muffs for the last five years with complete satisfaction. Mine even survived falling out of a friend's truck, and despite being on the road in pieces, kept working when I put it all back together. I add plugs underneath for certain high noise situations, like rifles under an awning. You want the gel cups, as they are much more comfortable than the stock seals.

http://www.envirosafetyproducts.com/...age-green.html

About my only observation, is lately when I shoot a 14 inch Benelli with Brenneke slugs, there is enough recoil that sometimes the battery shifts on one side, knocking out amplification until I reset the battery. That may be more an issue with my shotgun/slug combination though. Here are mine in all their glory.

[RJ]

I'm new to guns since 2013, but I have a technical background in acoustics, so I've always been interested in ear pro. Based on buying and using a number of different options, my current thinking is that you have to divide up the aspects of ear pro, weigh what is most important to you, and then make a choice.

Acoustic Impedance This is the oft-quoted "Noise Reduction Rating". The higher the better, obviously. This is probably the most important factor, inasmuch as it is why one wears ear pro in the first place.

You can get effective earpro for $5 at Harbor Freight, having the same NRR as more expensive options, everything else being equal. Whether that $5 works for you depends on other factors...

Comfort / Quality I put these two together, because they are related. Generally, if you purchase an item at a higher price point, you are going to get a more comfortable, better fitting set of ear pro. They are also more likely to last.

Examples of this are the gel-cups that are optional on MSA Sordins. Vs. ear foam. The gel in the ear cups seals better for me, and is easier to wear for longer periods, like all day in a class or at a match. That $5 set of ear cups you bought at HF may break in 10 minutes use, or not fit very well, which may make them a poor choice for anything other than mowing the grass.

Redundancy Adding a set of foam plugs or say SureFire EP2s to an over the ear model is a good idea, and cheap insurance for a few added dB of NRR.

I enthusiastically recommend foam inserts or plugs in addition to over the ear cups at all times.

Electronic Amplification I'd separate this aspect of earpro out because there are options with, or without. Depending on your needs, you may not actually need to pay for electronic earpro if a good set of muffs is all you need. If you are in classes a lot, you may want to opt for electronics.

The circuitry is not complex, they all operate off the same principle of fast attack switching circuits that deactivate the pass through headset audio based on voltage spikes that accompany gunshots. The rest of the time, the microphone (or microphones) pass either sterero or mono audio into the headset at a selectable volume.

One great thing about electronics, is if you are at the range with that guy in the next stall wearing the "tap out" shirt shooting his "punisher" Glock that just can't stop talking, you can turn your ear pro off and have a bit more peace and quiet.


So that's my thinking these days. I have a number of sets of earpro, and I use them at different times:

Reusable Foam Ear plugs/Inserts - I always use these. I generally insert them before getting out of the truck, and take them out only when I'm back in. I clean my inserts (Surefire EP2s) with alcohol, and only use foam plugs once.

Howard Leight Impact Sports - First set of electronic ear pro I bought. Very comfortable, but the vinyl-covered foam ear cups are hot and sweaty after a couple hours. Electronics works well. The NRR on these is low. I do not use these anymore, so they have become the "spare" ear pro set I put in my range bag. They are very compact when collapsed. I do clean the cups with alcohol periodically to keep bacteria at a minimum.

Howard Leight Impact Pros - Second set of electronics I bought. Much bigger "cans" and thus higher NRR. Still uncomfortable after a few hours. These are generally what I use indoors. Same cleaning procedure, periodic wipe down with alcohol.

MSA Sordins w/ Gel cups - My third set of ear pro, which I acquired in last year's group buy here on the forum. Decent NRR, but the gel cups are extremely comfortable. I use these outdoors / steel / USPSA. I can't say the electronics works any better or worse than either of the HL's I have. The overall quality and build materials (gel, leather band, ear pieces, cables, steel, etc.) is very high quality. Relative to their NRR, they are expensive, but if you can snag one on sale, they are a very reliable, well made option.

[Luke]

I have MSA sordin's with the gel cups. If you won't buy the gel cups don't bother spending the money at all.

I wear custom molded plugs ear plugs with my sordins on top. I don't even turn on the electronics. Super comfy, audio is clear and crisp. Where they make it worth the 325 is the gel cups. Plus operator bro.

Edit: before the custom molded I didn't double up, even indoors. I also have sensitive ears and wasn't bothered.

Edit#2: these are also super tough. I have thrown them down as hard as I could in a fit of rage. Bent them back and you'd never know if I didn't tell you. They appear to be water proof aswell. Lots of rain and tears have been on them.

[spinmove_]

I just got my first pair of electronic ear pro this year and I snagged a pair of Peltor Rangeguards. They're relatively inexpensive, but I find them to work rather well for what they are. On indoor ranges I'm still inclined to double up. Outside range for the class that I took last weekend? Worked like a charm and I could hear everything beautifully.

[Luke]

If you wanna try before you buy PM me your address and I'll ship these suckers to you.

[LSP972]

The Peltor "non-military" models are cheap and don't last; I've been through a half-dozen of them. All have failed in less than a year. And all of the other less-than-$100 offerings I have tried are not any better; they are all Chinese crap, IMO.

Finally, I coughed up $300 for a set of Sordins... and found Nirvana. There is simply no comparison.

.

[David S.]

Anybody tried these DC Comfort Covers?

A soft, double-knit, 100% cotton, washable ear seal cover. Designed to absorb moisture in hot, humid weather.

I really liked these back when I was wearing over-ear aviation headsets. I imagine you could find or make something to fit any of these earpro.

ETA there are generic versions out there that are cheaper. I saw as low as $5-6.