Ear muff Question

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Nessmuck

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Looking to get the wife a nice pair of shooting muffs for Christmas. I noticed at the range some guys were wearing electronic muffs....you can talk to people without taking them off and they protect when needed....ok ..I live under a rock.. but what's a good brand to get ??? Thanks !!
 
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I've used the Howard Leight "Impact Sport" model electronic muffs for years. You can find them for under $50 at Amazon and other online sellers.
You can find Sordin, Peltor, and some other brands, but costs can go way over $100.
 
Two things I look for is the speed of the shut off and the level it shuts down. The faster the better. The other is the NRR rating. Ratings of around 30 are much better than those about 24. Not much of my hearing left, so I try to protect what is left. Those two factors make the cost more than the cheap ones.
 
I have 2 brands, a set of the Howard Leight and a Peltor 10, I believe. The Peltor have a rating of 29NRR and I think the Howard Leight has a rating of 22-24 NRR. Never thought about the shut off speed but it is a very good point. I can definitely tell the difference between the two. I use the Peltor exclusively unless I am at the range with people around me I need to be listening to. the last set of Peltor's I got were up to 30 NRR.
 
Another vote for the Howard Leight Impact Sport. I've been using them for over 5 years now and they are great. They have automatic shutoff after 4 hours in case you forget to shut them off, and a jack to use them as a headset for listening to stereo. For under $50 they can't be beat. Plus, if you watch an action shooting match with top of the line pro's, you will see several of them using this muff. Midway usually has them as well as many on line suppliers.
 
I also use Howard Leight Impact Sport. I've had a pair in regular use for about five years or so.

** They do not provide adequate hearing protection without using foam plugs too. I purchased a box of 200 Duraplugs from Amazon for less than $20. It's the perfect combination for me. Great protection while being able to hear speech.
 
I've bought four pair of the Howard Leights so far. Two for myself and two for Christmas gifts. I really enjoy the stereo input plug so I can listen to music while I am at the range. Having the 4 hour automatic shut off is a plus also.
 
I have a pair of the Howard Leight Impact Pro earmuffs. They're not as compact at the Impact Sport, but they have a NRR of 30. I mostly shoot indoors so I want a higher NRR. I got them from Amazon for about 70 bucks.

Sent from my Galaxy Note II
 
InigoMontoya said:
I have a pair of the Howard Leight Impact Pro earmuffs. They're not as compact at the Impact Sport, but they have a NRR of 30. I mostly shoot indoors so I want a higher NRR. I got them from Amazon for about 70 bucks.

Sent from my Galaxy Note II
Click to expand...

I have the same one I also bought on Amazon. I really like them and they work great for me.
 
If it doesn't respond quickly.....

Nightowl said:
Two things I look for is the speed of the shut off and the level it shuts down. The faster the better. The other is the NRR rating. Ratings of around 30 are much better than those about 24. Not much of my hearing left, so I try to protect what is left. Those two factors make the cost more than the cheap ones.
Click to expand...

If the electronics don't dampen the sound fast enough, you can still get ear damage. My passive Howard Leights have a great rating at 30db but indoors I feel like I need ear plugs in addition to the muffs.
 
Now at home I checked and I have the Impact Sport version which are rated at a NRR of 22 db. If the Pro version is rated at 30db reduction I think they would make a good choice, especially at the price. I can see upgrade in my future.
 
I bought the Howard Leight Impact Sport. Did not like the fit at all. No matter how I tried to adjust them, I could not get a good fit. If your're buying for a gift make sure you keep your receipt.
 
rwsmith said:
If the electronics don't dampen the sound fast enough, you can still get ear damage. My passive Howard Leights have a great rating at 30db but indoors I feel like I need ear plugs in addition to the muffs.
Click to expand...


??? Electronic muffs don't work by 'dampening the sound' electronically. They are standard muffs with a microphone outside and a speaker inside. Since the time they've been around the response time has been fast enough to turn the amp off before the speaker volume would be painful.

The only downside of cheap electronic muffs is that they tend to cut out non-gunshot sounds as well which can make them somewhat unfit for their purpose (allowing conversation with hearing pro on) or provide poor quality sounds transmission.
 
ChattanoogaPhil said:
I also use Howard Leight Impact Sport. I've had a pair in regular use for about five years or so.

** They do not provide adequate hearing protection without using foam plugs too. I purchased a box of 200 Duraplugs from Amazon for less than $20. It's the perfect combination for me. Great protection while being able to hear speech.
Click to expand...

I do the same with the same muffs + foam. I love them. I also wear them when walking in cold weather to keep my ears warm while not silencing my surroundings.
 
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