Electronic Muffs

[h20hunter]

Can I get a few recommendations for muffs? I usually wear soft plugs under normal old shooting protection.  I'd like to invest in a quality pair.

[CAMPMEAT]

Peltors

[huntnfmly]

I use walkers that work great

[JDHasty]

Pro Ears Gold

They will also help to keep you from getting a backache as a result of sitting on a big fat wallet.  Work extremely well though. 

We have a couple pair and they make it very easy for Bridget and I to communicate when in the field.  They amplify atmospheric noise for hunting situations where you want to hear that at a higher volume than your normal hearing. 

t=123

[Russ McDonald]

I just got the Walker Razor XV with bluetooth.  I wore them around the house and they seemed to work pretty well. https://www.amazon.com/Walker-Razor-XV-Blue-Tooth/dp/B01GUB2SMU/ref=pd_sim_200_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01GUB2SMU&pd_rd_r=7FJY2M3FDSRQ49A8JKNA&pd_rd_w=lHf0S&pd_rd_wg=B9nzm&psc=1&refRID=7FJY2M3FDSRQ49A8JKNA I will see how they work out on the range but I also wanted something that would work out in the woods hunting turkeys with a shotgun.

[NRA4LIFE]

I had horrible luck with Walkers.  First pair didn't last one season.  Sent them back and they sent me a brand new pair that didn't last one season either and then gave up.  I just use soft ear plugs now.  Keep one in all the time and jam the other in right before shooting.

[syoungs]

they aren't fancy, but I prefer my harbor freight electronic muffs, and the price cant be beat.

[wadu1]

Howard Leight Impact Sport Electronic Earmuffs, I've run the gambet on them and the Howards are the only set that has held up. Midway has them for $40 right now.

[BULLBLASTER]

I have some walkers that I paid $59 for 6 years ago and still work well for me. Sometimes I forget I have them on.

[quadrafire]

Tag
I use a
Combo of foam and muffs. I get better protection with the foam if I put them
In big side first if that makes sense? 

[bearhunter99]

Howard Leight Impact Sport Electronic Earmuffs, I've run the gambet on them and the Howards are the only set that has held up. Midway has them for $40 right now.

I have a couple of pairs of these. I bought them on Amazon during a lightening deal for $26. They have performed very well for my wife and I. 

[BULLBLASTER]

Tag
I use a
Combo of foam and muffs. I get better protection with the foam if I put them
In big side first if that makes sense?

Does that mean you have extra big ears!? 

[quadrafire]

Uhmm...... yes. Now that you mention it. Big canals I guess to hear the boogie man coming.

[quadrafire]

But I can't hear "shoot" out of my left ear.
Too many firearms as a kid without protection.

[quadrafire]

Tag
I use a
Combo of foam and muffs. I get better protection with the foam if I put them
In big side first if that makes sense?

Does that mean you have extra big ears!? 

Dumbo like.
Hard to find ear buds to accommodate 

[BULLBLASTER]

Tag
I use a
Combo of foam and muffs. I get better protection with the foam if I put them
In big side first if that makes sense?

I've been told mine (ears) are far above average side also.
Does that mean you have extra big ears!? 

Dumbo like.
Hard to find ear buds to accommodate 

[Happy Gilmore]

I wear foam in my ear and a pair of Stihl Orange muffs. The electronic ones don't work that good. They muffle stuff but that's about it.

[davk]

I have had a pair of Howard Leight Impact Sport muffs for quite a few years.  No complaints.

[ghosthunter]

My wife got me a pair of Walker's Alpha 360s for Christmas. Nine times better hearing.
She said I was hard of hearing.
I keep them by my chair  I the living room, so I can here what she says to me while in the kitchen. 

[300rum]

I've used most of them and Pro Ears Gold is the best by far.  Howard Leight are tempting for the money and the electronics are pretty good especially for the price but the pads are too thin and will get hard, not allowing them to conform to your head.  If you double plug (ears and muffs) Howard Leight might work.  If you value your hearing, go with Pro Ears Gold, it's not even close.   

[JDHasty]

I've used most of them and Pro Ears Gold is the best by far.  Howard Leight are tempting for the money and the electronics are pretty good especially for the price but the pads are too thin and will get hard, not allowing them to conform to your head.  If you double plug (ears and muffs) Howard Leight might work.  If you value your hearing, go with Pro Ears Gold, it's not even close.   

That has been my experience

[Buzz2401]

I've got a set of peltors and Howard leights and don't like either.  I just use the double system. Foam and muffs.  Been shooting to long and can't hear crap anymore.

[yorketransport]

I like the Peltor muffs when I'm hunting but they're not ideal for high volume shooting. With some of my stuff, my ears will ring for hours if I don't double up with plugs and muffs.

[Stein]

I use Peltors for hunting and double up when at the range.  Electronics are great for hunting as I end up hearing much more than with bare ears.

[Oh Mah]

I have used my walkers for 5 years now and no problems at all. 

[JDHasty]

I like the Peltor muffs when I'm hunting but they're not ideal for high volume shooting. With some of my stuff, my ears will ring for hours if I don't double up with plugs and muffs.

I use custom made in ear double filtered custom made plugs a lot and can still hear well enough to know what is going on around me.  But then when it comes to being at the range next to a short 223, like eight inch barrel, or anything with a muzzle brake, I put my Pro Ears Gold muffs on and turn them up to the max volume.

That makes everything even easier to hear but takes shooting noise down to almost nothing... except the "big boomers" are now at a level that most other firearms deliver with my in ear plugs alone.

I am saying Pro Ears Gold because they do not use "clipping technology" and allow every thing being said to come through LOUD and clear, and that is what  I consider as  non-negotiable when kids are with us shooting chucks or other varmints. 

My first pair of Pro Ears Gold cost me dearly and they made me a believer after using muffs that had clipping technology.  I didn't miss a word being said and could react immediately irrespective of it was said, even right when a gun goes off. 

Today we own two pair of Pro Ears Gold and I own a pair of custom made filtered plugs and that represents a substantial investment.  To be clear, it does not leave much left of a thousand bucks.  I'm not a rich man, by any calculation, and as such I have to judge where best to spend the dollars I bring in supporting our shooting hobby, and now that Bridget (since seven years old) has joined me shooting chucks we need two pair of active protection. 

It's not that we want... we need that.  Safety comes first and when a kid is out there Pro Ears are all that I trust will make it a certainty that she can hear me and, with mine turned up to the max, I can hear her every whisper. 

When kids are not with me, which these days means when I am out there by my lonesome, I use my plugs and never use the Pro Ears Muffs.  But when kids are in the mix, it is Pro ears muffs, even though muffs are a PITA.

I have two coming up behind Bridget and that means two more times our "guns, ammo and gas" money will be raided to the tune of three Ben Franklins for hearing protection. 

Safety comes first?  That money is not totally discretionary, it is there to support our hobby and nothing, but nothing, trumps safety.  If I have not done everything to ensure that we all come home safe, the trip is, in a word "not happening."

We simply are not leaving Tacoma if there is any doubt in my mind that I have done everything in my power to make certain that all our T's are crossed and all our I's ate dotted when it comes to not having an accident.

Irrespective of all else, communication with the kids has to not be in question.  There are no excuses allowed.  I trade muffs a couple times per day to ensure that batteries are going strong and I get really mean if I say something that demands a response and it is not immediately responded to.  Period, full stop.  I don't care if you are focused on a Mountain Lion that is walking by, if I ask you if you want peanut butter and jelly or baloney sandwich for lunch, you had better speak up, right now, and answer me.  Right now.  No excuses or you get "time out."   

BUT, if your needs are a general sense of what is going on around you at the range...  way more than you have today, your needs can be met for a lot less money.  Your ears will not suffer one bit, clipping technology is proven to work almost perfectly.   It's cheap and has been proven effective.

I don't know what your needs are, if your situation does not include uninterrupted two way communication then it just does not make sense to not buy a pair of clipping muffs and use the rest for something that provides value in your pursuit of your hobby.

I don't mean to be "long winded," but an answer that is worthy of the OP's consideration is not what I had provided earlier on.  In my situation my earlier answer was something I can have absolute confidence that I have given an opinion that is unimpeachable.  YMMV though and if your needs are met with clipping technology then go for Howard Light or Peltor or any other active muff that provides 26 DB of protection after listening to the input from others who own them and can give an honest assessment of  them performing well, or not.     

       



 

[JDHasty]

Pro Ears Gold on sale at Cabela's.  Lots of other active hearing protection on sale too. 

http://www.cabelas.com/product/bargain-cave/shooting-gear/shooting-accessories|/pc/105591780/c/105670080/sc/105671880/pro-ears-reg-predator-gold-muffs/1389483.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fshooting-accessories%2F_%2FN-1102688%2FNo-48%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_105671880%3FWTz_st%3DGuidedNav%26WTz_stype%3DGNP%26recordsPerPage%3D48

[tlbradford]

As I am sitting here listening to my left ear ring from checking zero on a red dot sight I recently installed on my turkey shotgun, I realized I need to get serious about protecting what I have left, and to make dang sure my kids don't have problems.

My question to the experts using the pro ears, are you using the revo series for the kids?  Their website didn't give me much info on comparing them to the golds. 

[northwesthunter84]

I run the Walker Razor low pros in the duck blind. Let my hunting buddies all try them. Serious game changer, I think everyone has a pair now. I use them all the time, not just for hunting. Cutting fire wood, clearing brush, and heck just mowing the yard.

[Russ McDonald]

I use the Walker Silencers.  Individual in the ear and they work great.  Was doing a turkey hunting clinic and pattering shot guns.  Could hear everyone and really worked when there were shots.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[tlbradford]

Thanks for the direction everyone.  I bought a pair of the walker low profile razors and the howard leight impact sport to compare.  So far I have taken delivery of the walkers and am impressed on how they perform.  I will try to offer up some different reviews based on my various hunting situations.  Whichever set I prefer will purchase for the kids as well.  These are a big improvement over the cabelas electronics I purchased 15 years ago when i was doing practical pistol.

[Fl0und3rz]

Tagging for results. So far, we just use passive protection.