Active Hearing Protection - Looking

[kmitch200]

I have 3 sets of ProEars.
The Gold series has the best electronics/sound quality by far. The last set I bought was the Stalker Gold - has a chopped cup so stock interference is minimal if at all. Soft leather covered parts makes for very comfy all day wearing.
25db reduction is the lowest, they go up from there.
 
http://www.proears.com/Gold-Series

[Timothy]

I have a pair from Sens Gard.  They work well enough for about 35 bucks.

NRR of 31 on the pair I have.  Good enough for hunting, I double up plugs and muffs at the range.

http://www.sensgard.com/shop/sensgard-sg-26-hearing-protection-nrr-26

Keep in mind that the NRR rating of anything is an "average" of all users.  Some folks may only get partial attenuation, some may get the maximum.  I wear earplugs every day in the shop so I know how to correctly insert them for maximum protection.  Other less experience people may not insert them properly and will suffer from less attenuation.

300 to 1000 bucks is too much money...  I'd by more guns if I had that kind of cash on hand to spend...

Just sayin'.

[kmitch200]

300 to 1000 bucks is too much money...  I'd by more guns if I had that kind of cash on hand to spend...
Just sayin'.

But those can't make you hear better like electronics can.
What's left of my hearing after 31+ years of firetrucks & the power tools that come with them is well worth $300....note Bidah's cost of hearing aids.
I'm MUCH quieter in a hunting stand when I can actually hear the rustling noises I'm making. 

[Timothy]

No, they can't magnify sound but they let normal sound through and only attenuate loud noise.  It's the geometry of the chambers that somehow minimizes loud noises.  I guess it's akin to the Bose Wave tunnels with a lot less science.

Don't care how, just that they do... 

[Rastus]

I've been through a 28 dB so Browning and it lagged....drives me crazy.  So...because you need 25 which is what I want as a minimum I wear ear plugs (partially inserted sometimes) with my Howard Leight hearing protection.  I turn up the volume so I can hear commands or class and when it goes bang I have the 21dB from the electronics plus whatever I pickup from the plugs.

I think it's better way if you want to go cheap.  Some of the others are too bulky, they cut-in or cut-out to drive me crazy, etc...so I have stuck with the plugs + Howard Leight.

Just my 2 cents.....need to check on kMitch's option.

<snip>
http://www.howardleight.com/ear-muffs/impact-sport--2

[Sponsor]

[Bidah]

Having to get hearing aids at any time sucks, getting them in your 40's means you look funny   My wife was impressed by how much lower in volume I spoke (yes I am digressing).

I will check out the Pro-Ears.  I am looking to see what the stock interference would be as kmitch has indicated.  Being in a 3 Gun match you just go with what happens; stock interference sucks in that scenario.

I don't mind spending the money (even have to buy 3 of them) for good ones.  I don't mind inexpensive either.  The NRR rating, attack time of the circuit, and how long it stays shut off, and stock interference all play a factor.  It is looking more like I will need to double up, so then the dB gain of the circuit would come into play as well.  Just to get to "normal" hearing would be almost 30dB of gain for me, and then I would have to overcome the plugs.

Thank you for the discussion and all the suggestions.

[kmitch200]

Unless you have to shoot from both shoulders, you would only need one plug on the strong side just in case the stock bumped it during the gun mount or odd shooting positions. The weak side cup won't be moved.   

ProEars don't 'cut off' sound - they drop it to non-dangerous levels while still bumping up normal sounds, like conversation, to be heard amplified to the level you set the circuit to.
There's a reason I own 3 pair. 

[Bidah]

We do shoot from both shoulders now and then.  I was thinking last night about all this hearing protection, and how the NRR does not take into account that I am also wearing eye protection.

Has anyone used the Pro Ears Slim Gold?  I am wondering just how "slim" those are for rifle/shotgun mounting.