Are Walkers Game ears worth it?

[Dries]

Just trying to decide if Walkers game ears are worth it or if there is a better option out there?
Thanks

 

[Warmsy]

There was a thread about this topic recently. I don't know how to link the thread.

 

[Dries]

Ok thanks I will look a bit more!!

 

[Tx270WT]

I have some of the older versions and use them duck hunting mostly. I can tell you this, they are not quite as good as not using them (especially when it’s windy) but I can hear better than my friends and family that don’t use them when we aren’t in the duck blind. I can’t imagine not using them at this point after having used some. The biggest issue I have with using them is directionality of the sound can be difficult to discern at times. Hearing loss is permanent with sound trauma, so for anyone that asks, I recommend using something.

 

[WKR]

I use them but I think there are better options at a much higher price
Like these
Tetrahearing.com

 

[Clarence]

My wife got me a set for Christmas, and I have been playing around with them. My thoughts so far, is they will be nice for situations where things happen quickly. But for sitting in a stand, or glassing, I think I'll stick with the "necklace " plugs I can pop in quickly. The non directional sound is odd for me so far. You hear sounds, but have to look 360° to see where it came from. They will have their place for me, but they won't be for every outing. My .02

Sent from my SM-G981V using Tapatalk

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

Just trying to decide if Walkers game ears are worth it or if there is a better option out there?
Thanks

The best option for rifle hunting is a suppressor

 

[ElPollo]

I have used electronic earpro for about four years now and I love it. I have not used the Walkers. I figured it was a long-term investment and went with something higher end. I have a pair of custom-fit SoundGear Platinum plugs. I got them through an audiologist for about half the price listed on their website, which was still about $650. They are different than the Walkers in that their design allows for directional hearing. The microphones are oriented facing forward. Anything that doesn't have forward facing mics will not give you directional hearing, but not all forward facing mic set ups are created equal.

I use them most often for quail hunting and they allow to hear birds calling out several hundred yards, while automatically cutting off damaging sounds like gunfire. I also use them for range work and all my other hunting. I got them because I was struggling with long-term hearing damage. I've always used earpro at the range, but never when hunting. Problem is that some years I will go through over 250 rounds of shotgun ammo while hunting. The result is the mini-mariachi band in my left ear and a fair bit of high frequency hearing loss.

My take is that my SoundGear plugs are likely the best firearms related investment I've ever made. They've kept my hearing from getting worse and allowed me to continue doing what I love to do. They do however have some downsides. The big one is that amplifying background sound means you are amplifying everything. With normal hearing, your brain is really good at tuning things out. Not so much with amplification. Wind noise, walking through brush, your own footfalls, even your own breathing get ratcheted up and it wears you out. After a full day of bird hunting, taking those things out is just exquisite sweet silence. Still, I can track down scaled quail calling several hundred yards out and hear critters walking in the forest. So I guess there is a price for having a superpower.

One other thing on this topic. You will generally get better decibel reduction and protection out of muffs than plugs. I can't speak to the directionality of any plugs or muffs that I haven't used. However, the benefit of plugs is that they don't get in the way. If the comb of your gun hits your strong side muff, you can easily find yourself with effectively no hearing protection or amplification. So I am a plug guy for most usage. If I was using a braked magnum, I might think otherwise.

 

[ElPollo]

The best option for rifle hunting is a suppressor

A suppressor on a rifle is not hearing-safe. You've got to get below 115dB and pretty much no suppressor will get you there with a rifle shooting supersonic ammo. Hearing damage is irreversible, but is also deceptively incremental.

 

[Mudpuddle]

For me they are great for target practice and probably for any high volume shooting like dove hunting. I didn't like them for deer hunting because they amplify everything, meaning that every subtle noise becomes loud and it's not any easier to discern noises than without them. The protection they offer does seem to work well and I will try to slip them on just before I shoot even if I don't wear them prior to that.

 

[live2huntelk]

Hearing Bugles Until Your Last Hunt - Rokslide

Hearing Bugles Until Your Last Hunt, an article about hearing loss and how to prevent it by Audiologist Weston Adkins. Hearing, Hearing Loss

www.rokslide.com