my ear muffs are old now and the foam is wearing down so they don't seal well anymore. They are Peltor. My concern with the electronic ones is can the electronics really react faster than a sound wave? Reminds me of the auto darkening weld helmets, the flash is still hitting your eyes for a fraction of a second before it darkens and over time will mess up your vision.

Yes, good electronic hearing protection is just that good. If you plan on shooting on a public range, taking classes, etc, electronic muffs are a must.

Yes, they do work very well. If you doing anything in a range where you want to hear they are 100% worth the investment.

At indoor ranges, I will wear foam plugs with them and just turn the volume up a little.

The only thing electronic muffs do is let sound through during normal volume levels. They do not reduce the volume of gunfire any more than normal muffs. Actually, usually less.

Earplugs with 30 dB reduction minimum, with muffs over are best - and if you do use electronic muffs, you can turn up the volume so that you can hear OK when there is no gunfire.

Yes, absolutely worth it.

Practice, non electronic muffs and plugs.

Matches, electronic muffs and plugs.

Quality electronic if you plan on taking any classes and double up on indoor ranges.

Electronic systems allow you to hear an instructor speak and range commands; they don't increase protection from noise.

They do make communication a lot easier on a loud range without any need or removing your headgear; they actually enhance the ability to hear a conversation down the line, which is their primary value

It's still wise to wear earplugs underneath.

I am a range officer and instructor and I spend a lot of time in loud places. I have tried a number of different products and the electronic provide the most versatility but I found I was still doubling up with foam ear plugs under the electronic ones until I bought a pair of these,

https://www.honeywellsafety.co...ct_Pro.aspx?site=/au

I have no affiliation with the maker but these provide me with the benefits or electronic amplification plus the fact I no longer need foam plugs as additional protection.

With their low cost, the very worst you will wind up with is a lot of DB reduction. At the best, you no longer have to have something jammed in your ear all day.

I have devastated hearing and am extremely sensitive to loud noises. The good electronic muffs I use are perfectly adequate for shooting outdoors except when engaging a target at very close distance (~ 1-2 yards). I turn them off, but it’s more a psychological thing than the noise itself. I have an old pair of low profile Peltors that I use when I want maximum protection or when I’m shooting a few shots with a rifle from the prone. The last is because they interfere less with my stock weld than the others, not because I need the protection.

What I have had no luck with were in-ear electronics or the passive types that supposedly work to combine audio frequencies in a way to cancel them out.

I generally use the electronic ones at matches but always double up. The NRR of all electronic muffs is not very good(I use the MSA ones as they are very comfortable but only 19 NRR). But they are thin and getting a good cheek weld is possible on a rifle. When I don't need that I use the 3M ones which have an NRR of 30.

I'm not sure how the e-muffs work, but I suspect it processes the sounds it receives and then only sends the low db sounds through the speakers. So if you could see fast enough, it'd be like the audio lags just the slightest bit from what you see.

I use the Howard Leight Impact Sports and they work well, but don't have the db reduction of better muffs (I think only 22db). So it's definitely a good idea to double up, especially indoors.

I use a set of Howard Leight impact sport. Double with plugs for indoor or if using an SBR or similar louder firearm.

I've seen the pair as cheap as $27 on Amazon (and bought two). They're currently $50.

The 30 NRR version of the Howard Leight, which are usually more expensive, are only $45 right now.
https://smile.amazon.com/Howar...howard+leight+impact


I bought a set of Noisefighter gel ear cups for my Impact Sports. They're $40, but reviews say they're a marked improvement in comfort, and provide better sound isolation. I haven't had a chance to try them yet.

By all means get electronic.

Oh, and if you do, make sure you put the batteries in it.

Cobra21 and I have had really good luck the Peltor’s ComTac III’s. Been using them about a year I guess. I compared them to Sordin’s and I chose the Peltors for ease of servicing, repair ability, et. The MSA Sordins are top notch as well though. Good hearing protection makes a world of difference.

For budget ears. I really like these.

https://www.amazon.com/Walkers...tronic/dp/B01BXVPCHK

I have a Peltor Tactical 7 which I’ve had for years. Electronic, IMO, is the way to go. I bought a Tactical 6S for my son which he also used for many years.

Recently I bought a Howard Leight Impact Pro for a higher NRR rating. They are also cheaper than the Peltor’s were; $45 on Amazon.

But, IMO, electronic is the way to go.

The Impact Pro's are great with a NRR of 30. But for me they are way too big to get a decent cheek weld on a rifle. The Tactical 6S I've used for a long time since they are thin but the NRR is only 20 and you will want to double up.
I have yet to find a high NRR (30) and thin product.

quote:

Originally posted by dry-fly:
Cobra21 and I have had really good luck the Peltor’s ComTac III’s. Been using them about a year I guess. I compared them to Sordin’s and I chose the Peltors for ease of servicing, repair ability, et. The MSA Sordins are top notch as well though. Good hearing protection makes a world of difference.

Yup. Pricey, but very good and comfortable too.