Electronic Hearing Protection???

[Ksail101]

A while back on the Podcast Mr Bane recommended a set of hearing protection that actually gave you a bit of enhancement and he said they were in the $100 range I think. I was wondering if anyone remembers the name to that brand.

Also is it common for most Electronic hearing protection products to give you a bit of enhancement. I would like to spend about 150 max if I can on a decent set. Any suggestions?

[Pathfinder]

I don't recall the specific brand he mentioned, but I have a fairly inexpensive ($40) pair of Walker's electronic muffs. They require a single AAA battery on each side, with volume control as well, so you can adjust the volume as needed to the circumstances. Being cheap, they do cut out when there is a gunshot, which makes regular conversation not that good, but possible.

A while back on the Podcast Mr Bane recommended a set of hearing protection that actually gave you a bit of enhancement and he said they were in the $100 range I think. I was wondering if anyone remembers the name to that brand.

Also is it common for most Electronic hearing protection products to give you a bit of enhancement. I would like to spend about 150 max if I can on a decent set. Any suggestions?

Talk to Bob over at Enzyte, he should be able to help with the whole "enhancement" thing.   

[Ksail101]

Path Bob says Hi.

[tombogan03884]

Ksail, I've seen them at Harbor Freight for under $20

http://www.harborfreight.com/garage-shop/ear-protection/noise-canceling-electronic-ear-muffs-92851.html

[Rastus]

1st off, I use ear plugs under the muffs with the sound turned up.  I hear and then I get additional protection because I like the low profile Howard Leight Impact Sport Electronic Earmuffs (NRR 22 dB) that don't do as good a job with noise reduction but they are low profile and around $50.

Next, I got the Browning Midas Electronic Earmuffs (NRR 28dB) for about $70 to try the higher noise reduction without plugs.  Based on the one I got don't buy it.  It does not cut off the blast soon enough and is annoying.

Both amplify.  The Howard Leight will accept a radio/mp3 player plug in.  Maybe even an iphone or android...then you could use the speed and precision app from Rob.

[Sponsor]

[Badgersmilk]

I'd bought a pair of those super ubber cheap ones 3 years ago when an offer for them popped up durring the checkout process on Natchez's web site.  Forget the exact price, but they were CHEAP.





They actually function very well!  BUT, only have a microphone on one side.  So all the amplified sound you hear comes from that direction.    And see the paint rubbed off in the second picture?  Thats from rifle stocks hitting them durring recoil.  

A friend lets me borrow his nice "slimline" set sometimes (think he paid about a hundred for them), and their MUCH nicer at not getting hit by your rifle "kicking", and for listening to people talk and such.  But even with the added quality, the fact that their "slimline" they don't deaden noise as well.  

Mine are cheap and junky, but work.  One of those things that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies to I guess.  

You could about detonate an atom bomb and not need any more protection for your hearing though.  

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/ssi-hearing-enhancement-protection-muffs-camo.aspx?a=508329

Says their rated at 33db. 

[PegLeg45]

I have a set of these by Howard Leight that I got last Christmas and they are the cat's meow. I had tried them before at the range and really liked the slim line fit. My friend that owns the range and his entire long range rifle team use them and have had good luck. What I (and others I talked to) really like is that they are slim enough to not interfere with a solid cheek-weld on a rife stock. They really enhance ambient noise (in stereo) to the extent that on high volume, you can hear the wind rustling the leaves of trees, but they will suppress a muzzle-braked .308 well. I plan to use mine a great deal while deer hunting this year to augment my hearing. They also run on AA batteries and have an audio jack to listen to an MP3 player as well.


That's my humble $.02 worth......for what that'll get ya.    

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Howard-Leight-Impact8482-Sport-Earmuff/708113.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dhoward%2Bleight%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=howard+leight&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

[Badgersmilk]

Those DO look nice.  My advise is that whatever you buy, make sure they've got microphones on both sides.  If I'd know how annoying it is only having one on the left side I probably never would have paid even the couple bucks I did for my set.  Stick to a set rated around 30db though.  That's ultimately what matters.

[kmitch200]

I almost bought the Howard Leight from Cabela's because of the good price but went with my 3rd set of Pro Ears.
I have the Mag (old style), Pro 300 and now the Stalker Gold.

The Gold series has much better electronics than the older styles.
1.5 milliseconds from gunshot to a max of 80 db without clipping conversation, (versus 5.5 milliseconds), real leather cups with a felt covered cutout on the bottom for mounting long guns, auto shutoff and MP3 and 2 way radio compatable.

They're not cheap but the sound quality is awesome. 

[sledgemeister]

I have a set of these by Howard Leight that I got last Christmas and they are the cat's meow. I had tried them before at the range and really liked the slim line fit. My friend that owns the range and his entire long range rifle team use them and have had good luck. What I (and others I talked to) really like is that they are slim enough to not interfere with a solid cheek-weld on a rife stock. They really enhance ambient noise (in stereo) to the extent that on high volume, you can hear the wind rustling the leaves of trees, but they will suppress a muzzle-braked .308 well. I plan to use mine a great deal while deer hunting this year to augment my hearing. They also run on AA batteries and have an audio jack to listen to an MP3 player as well.


That's my humble $.02 worth......for what that'll get ya.    

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Howard-Leight-Impact8482-Sport-Earmuff/708113.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dhoward%2Bleight%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=howard+leight&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

I have a set of these and they are great, no probs when using on a sako TRG 300WM or when using my S&W460.