Hearing Protection/Amplification

[KP-Skagit]

Starting to face the facts that several hundred shotgun shells a year is going to leave me deaf the same way my old man is these days.

I hunt a combination of waterfowl and upland birds. Being able to hear ambient noise is really important for me, I cannot stand hunting with standard ear plugs in. That and if I am hunting with a partner, communication is important and yelling when birds are coming in isn't an option.

Curious what products folks have had luck with. I would prefer an earbud style, preferably with a lanyard to help keep track of them.

[storyteller]

Probably not what you had in mind, but I am a right handed shooter, I stuff a foam earplug in the left ear, when I shoot my right ear is somewhat shielded, left ear is not ringing at end of the day.

[vandeman17]

I bought a pair of connected ear buds to use this season to replace my muffs. I couldn’t wear the muffs for an entire hunt without getting a nasty headache. The buds I got I liked just fine but I proceeded to drop them somewhere when I was out trying to track down a cripple in the reeds. Nothing like $175 lost in the mud.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0DXQJ6JR7?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

[HntnFsh]

Probably not what you had in mind, but I am a right handed shooter, I stuff a foam earplug in the left ear, when I shoot my right ear is somewhat shielded, left ear is not ringing at end of the day.

The ENT doc I go to says hearing damage from shooting is usually worse on the off side!

[ghosthunter]

Yeah in same boat. 60 years of shooting left handed. Can’t hear a turkey gobble or elk bugle from any distance. Heck can’t hear the wife from the kitchen.

Bought some of those popular enhancers / protectors and they helped in the house, but in the wind they were too noisy, then they would start acting up.

My wife is threatening hearing aids, not sure I want to hear clearer, there’s some piece in silence.   

[Bushcraft]

I use Trophy Ear Flexx Pros for all my competitive shooting and hunting.

Best db reduction in the industry and flexible enough custom inserts for all day comfort.

Gonna cost you about $1500, but how much is your hearing worth to you?

[Kingofthemountain83]

My dad started using Walkers muffs last year... I tried them out while deer hunting... They enhance certain things great but being able to tell direction was impossible in my mind... You hear the same exact thing in both ears non directional... Hard for me to distinguish sounds when pouring rain... For duck hunting I think they would work great...   They have ear bud style options... We haven't shot with them yet to see how well they work at cancelling sound...

[Wetwoodshunter]

We get these molded earplugs at work with a different insert. You mold them yourself by putting them in hot water and fitting it to your ear. Once molded they stay that way unless you put them in hot water again. The inserts can be switched out depending if you want percussion flaps, max DB reduction etc.  These are not electronic at all and have no battery so there is no amplification and you hear almost as good as without earplugs. When you shoot a flap closes and it gives you about a 20 db sound reduction. I think these are going to be what you want if you want in ear. Try some out, if you don’t like them you are out about $60.

For duck hunting I have been using the walker earmuff because I am sitting in one spot.

[Stein]

I use some of the Walkers amplified with bluetooth for waterfowl, nice to be able to hear them plus you can listen to the radio when it's super slow.  I wish I wore something when I was younger.

[fowl smacker]

Both me and a buddy got the Westone digital x5.  The local hearing aid place is who I went through, they did my ear mold right there.  A bonus for me is that they were VEBA approved so I got to pay for them with that.  There's been a little bit of a learning curve with what settings work best for different scenarios.  They really excellent still hunting or just on the range.  I was hoping to wear them big game hunting with them turned on but the amplified sound of me walking drives me crazy.  If you're insurance or HRA/VEBA doesn't cover them they're expensive, like $1,400 but worth it in my opinion. https://westone.com/defendear-digitalx-5