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Thread: RFI: Electronic Ear Plugs

  1. #1
    Site Supporter Elwin's Avatar
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    Apr 2020
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    Midwest

    RFI: Electronic Ear Plugs

    I did a search and didn’t find a thread on active in-ear protection, aside from one specifically about the Peltor options.

    I’m looking at getting active ear plugs for hunting and outdoor pistol shooting. I’m well aware none of the options are likely to offer sufficient protection for other uses - I already double up for shooting rifles and shooting indoors and will continue to do so regardless.

    The main reason I’d want electronic in-ears is for quail hunting. It’s a lot of shooting if two shooters bump a covey or two, ear muffs are uncomfortable and interfere with cheek weld, and hearing is important - very often a bird flushes out of your line of sight and your only cue to turn around is the distinctive noise it makes. That’s in addition to communicating with other hunters and hearing the dog and its bell and/or beeper. Up til now I’ve not used hearing protection at all, which is not a long term solution for the obvious reasons.

    I’d also then use them for what most of my shooting time is spent doing - shooting a pistol in the wide open by myself. I’d expect they’d also work for pistol classes.

    I’m looking for options under $300 if at all possible. So far in that range I’m looking real hard at the Walker’s Silencer series. I’m open to feedback on those or other suggestions.

  2. #2
    Site Supporter Paul D's Avatar
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    Feb 2011
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    Scottsdale, AZ
    A long time ago I got a pair of ESP analog ear plugs (Link). Unfortunately they are about 3x your target price. I tried similar products like the Walker plugs, but I couldn't hear that well with them and they were only okay as static ear plugs. With the fitted plugs and their electronics, I can shoot comfortably while my ears are protected. Also I can actually hear things clearly. I can hear whispers and more subtle sounds. Good for stalking. With the others, it was like listening to AM radio with cheap ear buds. The only problem is that I wished I would have gotten the digital version. With the analog version, a whisper sounds equally as loud as someone screaming at me. So walking a trail with leaves on the ground sounds like a loud crunch with each step. The digital one helps sort out different sounds better. If you are just using them so that you can hear people next to you better or a truck driving up behind you, it should be fine.

  3. #3
    I've heard people say these are better than the 3M TEPs, with a price to match: https://www.otto-comm.com/NoizeBarrierMicro

    No personal experience myself, though.

  4. #4
    My wife won a set of analog ESPs at a USPSA match many years ago. She wore them for a long time and liked them. We sent them back for repair of the battery door at least once and they repaired them no charge. The last time the door broke she decided to just wear muffs for handgun and use the ESPs without electronics for long gun. I recently got a set of the digital ESPs and I like them. The sound quality is good but different from my Pro Ear Gold muffs. Way out of your price range however.

  5. #5
    Member
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    Feb 2014
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    Kansas City
    I think you are probably going to be somewhat unhappy with the options in that price range. If I had to stay lower budget I would look at some of the silicon molded ones with that have filters.

    I use Soundgears (whatever there top model was before the newest blue tooth ones) They had a special on them at national a couple years ago for 900 and I was able to use HSA funds to pay for them. If this is an option for you its worth a look.
    FN America DSM
    Cajun Gun Works and Shooters World Powder shooting team member

  6. #6
    Frequent DG Adventurer fatdog's Avatar
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    May 2016
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    Rural Central Alabama
    A few years ago the Sylinx guys came out with a civilian version of the ones they make for DoD users. Not all of the bells and whistles, but I picked mine up for about $200. Not even sure who besides factory list price even sells them now, but I have been happier with these than any of the other in the ear electronic versions I have tried over the previous 20 years from at least 4-5 makers. Next closest in performance were the Walker "Target Ear" versions, but while they worked, they ate expensive batteries fast and were not durable (never had one live more than 2 years).

    I have to wear big hats to keep the sun off and it precludes the headset versions. All of the around the neck wire version I have tried absolutely sucked.

    I wear the Sylinx unit on my belt with a small carabiner and run the cords up my back under my shirt, they never seem to get in my way.

    Sound is good, plugs have good attenuation and come in various sizes. Sound clipping is good. It has been pretty durable.

  7. #7
    Site Supporter
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    Apr 2011
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    Colorado
    I love the 3M Peltor EPP-100's. Same as the TEP's, in a non tactical color and with no onboard battery in the charging case. I wear them for outdoor classes, and got a pack of the windscreens for them. I also wear them at the indoor range, turned on and under active ear muffs. It's a great combo for full active hearing with the double protection of plugs and muffs you want for being inside with rifles. Turning them on to level 3 is a super power. They live in my bag.

    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07P8YDBZD...ing=UTF8&psc=1

  8. #8
    Member
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    Jun 2019
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    out of here
    I have a Silynx and three pairs of Walkers.

    I love the Walkers since they’re rechargeable and Bluetooth. I often listen to music and a stuff with them.

    As a nerdy tacticool option, I use them for headphones that also protect my hearing if I had to draw and fire unexpectedly as a civilian.

    https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/10...hoCVuQQAvD_BwE

  9. #9
    Site Supporter Elwin's Avatar
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    Apr 2020
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    Midwest
    Thanks all for the input so far.

    I'm sure that whatever I can get in this price range isn't going to be 100% what I want, but I'm looking to see if something I can afford now will work "good enough," since the alternatives are 1) keep shooting quail without ear pro or 2) be bad at shooting quail because I can't hear and/or can't mount a shotgun properly. If it weren't for hunting, I'd keep doing what I'm doing with active muffs and inactive plugs as needed. Down the road when I have the funds, one of the $900 and up options, or whatever the equivalent is at the time, will almost certainly be a prioritized purchase. It'll at least come ahead of using the same amount of money on a new gun, of any kind.

    For anyone who has experience with both, how do the Walker in-ears compare to the Walker ear muffs in terms of audio quality/background noise? Those are what I use for pistol currently, so it's a point of reference.

    Also good to know that active in-ears under active muffs can work, I was wondering if that would cause some sort of feedback issue.

    It looks like I may be choosing between the EPP-100s and Walker Silencers, for now at least, though I'm also looking at the Silynx as a different option. The rechargeable feature of the first two is attractive, but a AAA for the Silynx is at least something that's common (and I already have rechargeable AAAs).

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Elwin View Post
    Also good to know that active in-ears under active muffs can work, I was wondering if that would cause some sort of feedback issue.
    I have heard of people stating that they did have feedback issues when using both. IIRC, TEPs and Sordins or Peltor COMTACs, so... yeah. Not a sure thing.

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