Hearing Protection Advice

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Ben Rumson
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Hearing Protection Advice

Post by Ben Rumson »

I posted this request before and didn't save the responses so here I go again.

I'm looking for some good, but not overpriced electronic hearing protection. Low profile would be nice. Any ideas?
rightisright
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Re: Hearing Protection Advice

Post by rightisright »

I had a cheapo pair that I just threw out at the range last week. Unfortunately, I don't remember the brand name. I bought them a few years ago on Cheaperthandirt. I think they were around $40 IIRC. They worked fairly well. Gunshot sounds were attenuated and you could hear normal speech. The speech quality wasn't the greatest, but it was understandable.

The quality failure was in the construction. The earmuff thingies kept breaking off the wire part that goes over the top of your head. I screwed self-tapping metal screws into the earmuff, but the plastic female part eventually gave out.

Ya get what ya pay for. I prefer the foam plugs anyway. Especially on hot days.

I just searched around and I think they were an older version of these: http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/RAD320-1.html
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cu74
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Re: Hearing Protection Advice

Post by cu74 »

Check out the Peltor products at Midway. Not cheap, but good value for the money. IMHO, their $~150 "muffs" are as good as the $250+ ones from other manufacturers. The wife and I use the Tactical Pro model ($160 back in 2007) and my son has the Tactical 7S model ($130, I think). If I was buying again, I'd go with the Tactical Pro - we like them.

As noted, they aren't cheap. However, we only have one pair of ears and hearing loss is typically non-reversable. My wife and I are both on the far side of 60, and she got hearing aids a couple of years ago. A couple of hundred bucks may look like a lot of money to you young folks, but it's a lot cheaper than hearing aids............
Jim Dozier - Straight, but not narrow...
“A man can never have too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition.” - Rudyard Kipling.
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Whirlibird
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Re: Hearing Protection Advice

Post by Whirlibird »

Big fan of the Peltor's, decent quality that won't break the bank.
I still use the foam earplugs underneath, the extra 33db drop is made up with the boosted audio but the crash and boom aren't there.
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308Mike
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Re: Hearing Protection Advice

Post by 308Mike »

Check the warranties, usually the better made ones will have a longer warranty.
POLITICIANS & DIAPERS NEED TO BE CHANGED OFTEN AND FOR THE SAME REASON

A person properly schooled in right and wrong is safe with any weapon. A person with no idea of good and evil is unsafe with a knitting needle, or the cap from a ballpoint pen.

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randy
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Re: Hearing Protection Advice

Post by randy »

I have a of Peltor Tactical 6 headset with a behind the ear type head band (only ones they had in stock when I bought a pair on sale at a local range).

I wasn't too sure about the behind the ear thing, but it's worked well for me for the last couple of years. Great for taking a training class and being able to listen to the instructor between shots, not being hoarse from yelling to be heard.

Recommended.
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JohnOC
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Re: Hearing Protection Advice

Post by JohnOC »

The behind ear type headbands have the added advantage of working with a brimmed hat, also. For being at an outdoor range with little overhead cover most of the day, a hat brim can save you a lot of sunburn.
The government that is big enough to give you everything you want, is powerful enough to take everything you have. – Thomas Jefferson
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Ben Rumson
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Re: Hearing Protection Advice

Post by Ben Rumson »

I looked up the Peltor 6s and 7s series. If they were exclusively for me, I would go with the less expensive 6s set. However, I'm planning on the very young one with very young ears using them while I use my cheap set so the 7s it is.

Guess I'll need to cross the M4 optics off my Xmas wish list as I can't have both. :(

Thanks for the input.
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Combat Controller
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Re: Hearing Protection Advice

Post by Combat Controller »

Peltors at Cabelas or similar are $60-70. I have three pair and all are pretty good, even though I double up I can hear better than just plain doubling...
Winner of the prestigious Автомат Калашникова образца 1947 года award for excellence in rural travel.
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Ben Rumson
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Re: Hearing Protection Advice

Post by Ben Rumson »

The 6s are around $69.00 on Amazon while the 7s go for $109.00.. The decibel count on the 7s doesn't seem that much better over the 6s but I'm concerned about my son's ears. Am I wasting my money on stereo/directional sound and single volume control? I think I am but have no experience with either product or electronic muffs. Has anybody been able to compare the two models?
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