Key Features
Pros
Cons
I like to think that I’m getting smarter as I get older. During an action-packed deer drive, I had a realization—after the smoke cleared and my ears stopped ringing—that I didn’t need to damage my hearing every time I went on a successful hunt. After that day, I wore ear muffs whenever I hunted with a gun. From deer to upland hunts, I rocked my Walkers Razor Quads every time I pulled the trigger.
I didn’t buy these ear pro specifically for hunting, they’re just what I had, but they ended up being a great choice. The reason why I still prefer them for hunting is the omnidirectional microphones. Most electronic hearing protection will allow you to hear just as well as you do with your naked ears, but you lose the ability to pinpoint a sound’s directions. You gain some of that ability back with the omnidirectional mics on the Razor Quads. It’s still not naked ear precision, but you can at least determine the general direction the sound came from.
The Razor Quads benefit greatly from aftermarket gel cups because without them, you can’t wear the ear pro for much longer than an hour without a headache.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Serious shooters invest in Gucci gear like electronic or even custom hearing protection. But, everyone should have at least one pair of Howard Leight Leightning L3s for guest shooters or for times when you forget your primary pair. These muffs are about $30 and offer an impressive 30 dB of sound reduction, and that’s a lot of shooting ear protection for the money.
The downside of these muffs is they are bulky and will interfere with the cheek weld on most shotguns and rifles. But, these are an excellent option for maximum hearing protection, especially helpful for new shooters.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
The best rifles for an adult aren’t the best for young shooters, and the same goes for hearing protection. That’s why these kid-sized muffs are ideal for getting a young shooter started. They’ll fit their head for co*fort and a good seal. They also co*e in a wide range of colors, so they’ll be psyched to put them on. If you’re headed to an indoor range or someone is shooting a braked rifle nearby, it’s a good idea to use some foam plugs in addition to the muffs because the muffs alone provide 23 dB of protection.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
The Walker’s Razor Slim hearing protection have the same omnidirectional microphones I liked in the Razor Quads. That features is excellent, but they are also co*fortable enough to wear all day.
The padded headband, soft ear cups, and scant weight make these ear pro so co*fortable. I also like that the headband can be extended enough that it sits above my enormous head—keeping the headband off my head reduces pressure for all-day co*fort. They’re also so light that I hardly notice I’m wearing them.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
A gel cup is the best thing you can add to an ear muff to increase co*fort. They are easy to install and cost about $30. Here are some gel cups that fit popular shooting ear protection.
The best shooting ear protection is co*fortable and has more than 20 dB of protection.
Ear muffs are easier to take on and off, and don’t require custom fitting. Ear plugs must be fit to your ear canal but offer more co*fort and protection than muffs.
Anything over 25 dB of reduction is excellent performance for ear plugs.
When you’re choosing hearing protection, you’ll first have to decide between over-ear and in-ear protection. Here are some pros and cons of each style.
Ear Plugs
Pros
Cons
Ear Muffs
Pros
Cons
If you’re shooting in an especially loud environment, like an indoor range, the best shooting ear protection is to use both ear plugs and ear muffs at the same time.
Passive hearing protection uses foam or specialized material to create a barrier that protects your ears. Active hearing protection uses both passive and electronic protection. The advantage is that the external microphone and internal speakers allow shooters to hear normally—keeping situational awareness—while blocking hearing damaging audio levels.
Some ear pro is co*fortable all day, but others cause disco*fort after a few hours. The key to co*fort is padding used in over-ear and the fit of in-ear protection. Look for ear muffs with gel pads and ear plugs that offer a custom fit.
Shooting ear protection does more than protect your hearing while you’re shooting the best handguns—they also can play music and take phone calls. Bluetooth is just one of the great features of the best hearing protection. Here are a few others to look for:
The best shooting ear protection makes a day at the range much more enjoyable. Choose the pair that best suits your needs, and wear them each time you pull a trigger.
The post The Best Shooting Ear Protection of 2023, Tested and Reviewed appeared first on Outdoor Life.
Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.
[/html]