Ear protection

Well I'm sure all of us has done at-least once, shooting without some type of hearing protection.... I've hunted for yrs without em and now I'm down to the final straw my left ear has had it with a constant ringing and now it's time to protect what I have left! So I purchased a pair of "Howard Leight R-01526 Impact Sport Electronic Earmuff's" and I can tell you guys right now I wish I had these yrs ago. They're lightweight, slim, and perform well for the price I actually hear better with them on and as soon as the rifle goes off my ears are protected. I had them on tue night during a hunt I fired two shots at a hog and I had a small grin on my face because my ears weren't ringing. I just wanted to share this with you guys it's better to protect them now than later, I got these at Cabellas for $57 and they're cheaper online. I'm sure there's better brands out on the market but these def fit my needs you guys be safe.

I am with you, I have had a few too many shots without protection. I found that I concentrate on my shot better with them on, helps me focus.
I love the kind with the speakers, really cool, less screaming.

Have a pair of Walkers Game Ears. Heard a possum through the woods at 30 yards, and got excited thinking it was a buck. I like the amplification and noise canceling when I shoot. Just don't use them enough and I should....... You hear me?

It's too late for me, I'm just trying to save what's left in my right ear. I got a pair of the Howard Leights last year and love them. I too can hear better with them on. I would recommend them to anyone. It only took me 50 yrs to learn.

Yep. Bought the same set as you, Killer and love them. Wish I had bought them long ago.

I use these for duck hunting and love them. When dove hunting I just use the good 'ol orange plugs. I have been looking into getting some molded ear plugs, I read that DefendEar makes a pair that cancels out certain dBs. I think they are 100 bucks or so, might look into them.

Just saw these on the Cabela's site, but you're right, you can find them for about 10.00 cheaper on Amazon. I use plugs religiously, but I've never tried the amplifier earmuffs. I did read on the "Gun Nuts" F&S blog that one of the more popular self-defense instructors teaches to keep these with your pistol. I doubt I'd think to put them on, but it would be nice to be able to hear when the bad guy's ears are ringing.

http://store.hearthelanguage.com/store/i...-med-black.html

These are what I have been wearing a lot lately. Not a fan of the muff style with a rifle or shotgun but these are comfortable and still allow me to hear fairly well.

I have a pair of those but they really hurt my ears after being in for 10+ minutes.

I wore these Allen Company Light hearing protection last dove season and they were just awesome. You can hear very well and the noise canceling is great. Only problem is, they look kind of goofy and do not fit over a palm leaf cowboy hat...

It's too late for me as well. I have high frequency hearing loss in both ears and it's permanent. I wear plugs or muffs whenever I shoot now.

And archery hunting is quieter!

I have a similar pair- I love the amplification- I thought a dang armadillo was a deer though- had to turn those suckers down a bit lol. I have a hard time getting a good position with the muff version to- I keep a plug in my right ear and wear the muffs over- then slip the right ear muff backwards to aim and shoot- still protected by the plug and my left ear can hear the speakers (I hear better on the left anyways) My ponytail holds the right one from slipping all the way off and holds it tight to my left ear.

If I don't wear hearing protection I get a huge headache after I take a shot. Husband on the other hand...he is deaf from not wearing any and it doesn't bother him one bit- me on the other hand....I hate having to scream at him to be heard lol.

I use these all the time for work. I can hook them into our radios and hear what everybody is saying and still have the ability to quieten the shots. They don't beat the $400 ear buds, but they are way more comfortable then the ear buds.

I have the same ones and have hunted with ear protection for years. My dad always said you only have one hearing you might as well protect it.

I also use the howard leights, but I have been looking at the custom molded ones for inside the ear as they are more comfortable and better for rifle shooting but cost anywhere from 1500 and up. When I was at the DSC last year sport ear was coming out with a new one and it is very comfortable and still digital but not custom molded. Sport Ear Plugs\ at $500 they are an awesome deal and I am about to get a pair.

Walter

Huh? I say that a lot.

For hogs from the stand during the warmer months, I just wait with the muffs on my head and pop them down over my ears when the hogs show up. Generally, they are Peltor Comtacs. In the winter or stalking around, I generally have them down and turned on because in the winter, muffs keep your ears warm and when stalking, things sometimes happen fast.

Of course, when things are quiet, how much they amplify can be impressive.

Thanks, Txkiller, I just ordered some. I too have damaged my hearing in my right ear but have been using foam ear plugs for some time now for dove/duck hunting to help reduce the damage and these seem like a great product.

Fitz you'll enjoy em they kinda suck in the heat but at night when I'm hunting I forget they're even on my head..

For dove/duck season I've been using EP4s, fairly cheap, good hearing protection (24db NRR w/ plastic tabs in 19db w/o) but those Howard Leights look really comfy, and it solves my problem of not being able to hear when my buddies are whispering to me in the blind/stand/field.

If you get a pair, think you might write up a review? I am also interested in them, the are about the cheapest digital ear buds on the market.

Just kitted up the family with a pair each. Kids are getting old enough that we're going to do a "family opener" for the dove season in a couple weeks. Mama took some colored Sharpies and wrote their names on them with a big "R" and "L" on the appropriate side so they can put them on correctly.

Waiting for the kids' snake chaps to come in now.

We did a lot of shooting yesterday and when lunch time came around I walked into the restaurant wearing these dang things, thanks to my wondeful coworkers for not telling me to take them off but they are very comfortable and the amplification is great.

That's awesome and good luck to you guys.




LOL

Thanks! And thanks for the ear pro reminder.

Thanks for the tip.

Tried these Alpine ear plugs this weekend while shooting clays, they were just awesome. Could hear conversation no problem and ears did not ring after I was done.

Alpine Ear Plugs

I sprung for a pair of the Westone molded to my ear type plugs a few seasons ago. Do it your self kit and mailed it in. Got the kind with the baffles that let you hear voices but block out gunfire. Wish I would have bought them years ago. In the ear so they don't interfere with hats, glasses etc. Forget I'm wearing them and drive home with them still in.

+1 ordered mine last week.... 25 years too late.
Really looking forward to them.
Had a local audio guy do the molds just to be on the safe side.

I know it's crazy but I wear em when I bow hunt, my hearing is bad and the amplification helps and of course I use them whenever I shoot a gun. Had to get used to shouldering my AR from the prone position with them on but I've gotten used to it?

My hearing is shot. Too many years of tractors, screaming boat motors and guns. I have some $5K hearing aids that I only wear when I go someplace where there are other people. I'm retired so no big deal.

The other day i was using a cheapo belt sander. When I shut it off, my ears were ringing. That's not good. So, I put on a set of bargain priced shooting muffs and started again. I realized that they were not doing the job. So, I stuffed some paper towels in each side. No bueno. Next was the Howard Leights which really made a difference.

The hearing aids help me a lot. However, my Wife still mumbles when she's in the kitchen and I'm on the puter 30 ft away with a wall in the way. My Audiologist says that they just don't make hearing aids that will overcome that problem.

I don't wear ear protection when I hunt. Nor do I wear the hearing aids. But I ought to.

I had mine on last night with no issues my buddy left his in the truck for some stupid reason, after 15 shots from the M1A wearing a SEI brake he totally regretted it!

How would those hold up, or be manageable while hunting in the mountains? Just wondering if they would end up being a pain to keep up with?

Thanks Killer

I don't like using cheap ear plugs because you can't hear anything at all. How do these things work when it comes to direction of sound? Everyone says they can hear sounds better, but can you tell where they are coming from?

I have worn the same for a number of years. They work great. Who cares about goofy if they work. With cowboy hat on I wear them behind my head/neck. Works just fine. I have forgotten I have them on many times and worn them home.

I double up on my hearing protection. With either foam earplugs or surefire ep3 under my electronic muffs. It makes shooting a braked rifle more pleasant or the ears.

Very rugged and small enough to throw in a pack. No issues with it yet I left the thing on for for three days and the batteries are still good!





Glad I could help




I couldn't give you honest feedback on that since my left ear is shot but I haven't heard anybody else complain about that so I'm assuming you can.

I have these same muffs. Have had them for a few years and they are awesome.

I'll be danged if I didn't leave the range driving down the road and realize I'm still wearing them. After 3 full days of shooting I felt naked without them.

I have two pair of the Howard Leight Muffs, I let my two boys wear them because they get in the way when I shoot a rifle, I use plugs..I have permanent hearing loss from shooting and I grew up on a tractor open cab all day long plowing with a straight pipe will put some ringing in your ears for life.

The hearing loss will make your marriage less stressful........I never heard you say that, sorry.

Been using Sportears for 7 years now. Kind of high but well worth it. Fixing to get a new set and looking at Sound Gear

I love these. You can turn them up and it is like having a hearing aid if your hearing is bad. They use AAA batteries and have auto turn off. No hard to find high dollar batteries....

That's the best part about these.

This is of great interest to me. Which model did each of you get?