Hearing protection with mic recommendations

[satchamo]

I’m sorry if this has been best to death but looking for some experiences with in ear plus with noise cancellation/mic feature so I can still hear when not actually firing.

I racked off 4 rounds at a coyote last night and reminded myself I can’t keep doing this without ear protection.

I see several options on amazon from walkers and isotunes but I trust amazon reviews about as much as a gas station hotdog.

Not looking for muffs but actual in ear.

 

[rootacres]

I rocked these for years. Both at the range and when I competed pretty heavily in the USPSA and Mulligan matches. Worked well for what I needed them to do. I broke them recently, self inflicted. Ill probably be picking up anther pair soon.

Hearing Protection Ear Buds | GoAxil

GoAxil provides high tech hearing protection ear buds that are engineered for sport and other active situations. Shop with us today!

goaxil.com

 

[ElPollo]

What you’ll find is that most people can tell you what they have and whether they like it or not, but most don’t have experience with multiple types. I have had a pair of SoundGear Platinums for several years now. I use them when bird and big game hunting but don’t use them at the range unless I use muffs over them. A centerfire rifle will often put out over 165dB. My plugs have a noise reduction rating of 22 dB. That still leaves you over hearing safe levels and I can tell it. The amplification is pretty good for picking up scaled quail calling a few hundred yards away, but it amplifies everything. That means wind, brush scraping against your legs, even your own footfalls. The extra noise kinda wears me out after a full day of wearing them. I also just can’t stalk while wearing them because every move I make sounds like a bull in a China shop with 400’ of logging chain behind him. They do have forward-facing mics and give pretty good hearing directionality. Good and bad all considered, I still love them and wish I’d bought them a long time ago. If I were buying them again I might look for something with a higher NRR. The Otto Noizbarrier plugs advertise a NRR of 28 dB with the foam plugs and are cheaper than mine. I have no direct experience with them though. I’m going to keep using what I have, but am using them with a suppressor.

Also check with your local audiologist. You can often get pretty good deals through them on custom fitted ear pro. I got my SoundGear plugs for half their msrp through her.

Take it from me. Don’t screw around with your hearing. I have pretty severe tinnitus in my left ear 24/7. You might think, oh I just rang my ears but it’ll get better. Every time you do that you are causing permanent damage. The ringing might go away for a bit, but eventually it will stick with you permanently and you’ll find yourself saying “Huh” all the damned time. I can’t have a discussion with people in a bar or a restaurant anymore. Even stairwells bug me with all the reverberation.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Check out skull screws by 3M. I have been through all the gizmos and gadgets, and these cheap things give you 32 DB of protection, and you can still hear people talking when you have them in.

Amazon.com

 

[kloppy]

Otto Noizebarriers work well enough for me, at least in hunting applications. Always double up at the range. I probably have not been exposed to as many unprotected shots as most, but I have been completely shell shocked a few times. Not worth it to me.

 

[Wrench]

I have some custom poured with speech filters. They made a mold of my ear and crafted these just for me.

With that said, if I want best results, I go straight to a pod style plug. The customs are no better and I feel more report with them than with the pods.....but everyone is different.

 

[Davidson51]

Otto Noizebarriers work well enough for me, at least in hunting applications. Always double up at the range. I probably have not been exposed to as many unprotected shots as most, but I have been completely shell shocked a few times. Not worth it to me.

Ottos are really effective, love mine. The sound enhancement feature has helped me hear deer walking through densely wooded areas. Expensive but worth it.

 

[ElPollo]

I’d personally like more feedback on those Ottos. When you hear stuff through their amplification, can you tell what direction it’s coming from? How do they handle background noise like wind?

 

[kloppy]

I’d personally like more feedback on those Ottos. When you hear stuff through their amplification, can you tell what direction it’s coming from? How do they handle background noise like wind?

I use Otto's primarily turkey hunting and can pretty easily tell direction. If I am setup for a while waiting on a bird I honestly forget they're in my ears. I did get the comply foam plugs on amazon which I think make them more comfortable. High wind and walking through leaves can sound unnatural, but I dont think even the expensive custom plugs will resolve that issue. I may be wrong though.

 

[wyosteve]

I tried the Otto's for 6 shots. Sold them immediately for a loss. Now, I wasn't using foam inserts, just the ones sent in the package. But they did not fit my ears well and never reduced db's for me.

 

[kloppy]

I tried the Otto's for 6 shots. Sold them immediately for a loss. Now, I wasn't using foam inserts, just the ones sent in the package. But they did not fit my ears well and never reduced db's for me.

The ones that come in the package are definitely garbage unless you have a huge ear canal.

 

[Davidson51]

agreed... I also bought the better foam inserts from Amazon (someone recommended them on a separate thread). Like @kloppy said above, I completely forget they are in my ears after a few minutes. no problem telling the direction of sound. However, if its really windy, there is one particular direction where the wind makes noise... but I simply turn my head a bit and its gone.