Quite a few firearms or sporting apparel suppliers include hearing protection in their product lines. The passive Beretta Hearing Protection muffs feature a low profile, ideal for shotgunners. The Hearing Protector Electronic has individual ear cup controls to amplify range commands and desired sounds as well as sound compression that will reduce noise at or above 85 decibels (dB).
Sportswear maker Allen Company markets popular tapered foam earplugs in quantities of 100 pairs, as well as ear muffs with or without electronics. Shooting giant Browning similarly offers a myriad of passive as well as electronic hearing protection. British Sporting Arms, primarily a British sporting clothing supplier, also sells electronic Deben Ear Muffs that use low-profile tapered cups for minimal interference with a shotgun mount.
Napier of London's popular Pro 9 headband-style hearing protection is light, fits in your pocket, and can be worn with any head gear. The Pro 9uses cuffs over the earpiece stems to ensure a snug fit, and you can get inexpensive replacement cuffs directly from the company. Napier's ED960Electronic Hearing Protector's cups are notched for ease of gun mounting and come complete with a protective case.
3M's Peltor Next line consists of five newer ear plug models, all designed to encourage compliance by younger folks who want a little style. The simple tapered Tattoo plugs are neon green and come complete with a barbed-wire graphic. The equally simple Nitro plugs are made of ultra-soft foam and come packaged in four bright colors. Both the Tattoo and Nitro models are available in bulk quantities of 200 pairs per box (100 for corded versions) and areperfect solutions for disposable ear plug wearers. The Tri-Flange model is a soft, translucent, triple-flange design that comes with either a sleek Live Wire or softer cloth cord and is designed for repeated wearing with maximum comfort.
Peltor also has two new designs with hygiene in mind, the No-Touch and Skull Screws, which feature a built-in stem for the wearer to grasp,keeping the fingers from transferring dirt and grime to the body of the plug.The No-Touch comes with or without cords and is also available in bulk. Skull Screws are gun metal gray and look tough but are made of extra-soft foam for comfort.They are "threaded" so that they can be literally screwed into the ears for effective noise blocking. AO Safety Peltor also markets an even wider choice of both disposable and reusable ear plugs, from inexpensive soft foam and triple-flange designs to custom-molded plugs in its E-A-R product line.
For ear muff wearers, Peltor's popular Shotgunner is an affordable, low-profile model made for those who fear knocking plastic to wood when mounting. The Shotgunner design features a behind-the-head band, making it ideal for hat wearers. For those who want electronics, the Tactical 6Sreplicates the outer features of the passive Shotgunner but lets the wearer amplify and localize sounds through use of stereo microphones while cutting out harmful noise.
I don't think there's a seasoned sporting shooter out there who hasn't owned at least one pair of injected-molded ear plugs, such as the Insta-Mold plugs from E.A.R. Inc. that are custom made to conform perfectly to your ears. Have a cord added; get them in jazzy colors, whatever your preference. E.A.R. Inc. also sells the more flexible and durable Chameleon earplug model. They're the same as the injected "made-on-the-spot" silicone Insta-Molds, but acoustic filters can be added to lower the overall NRR. That way, you can hear wanted sounds better, but harmful noise will still be kept to safe levels. Ear impressions are required for a custom fit, so you will have to contact the company to find the nearest provider. Or simply look for someone making them on the spot at the next larger sporting clays event you attend.
In the electronic line, E.A.R. Inc. has its SHS Electronic Standard Earplug series, a lower-priced alternative to the company's fancier and more expensive custom and in-the-canal models. The SHS fits neatly behind the ears, an economical model for hunters and clays shooters who want the sharpest possible hearing. More expensive models in the SHS line, including the Waterproof Hunter, perform the same function but have enhanced audio gain controls and can be used with wireless two-way radio communication. The discreet Mini Canal model fits snugly in the ear with wax-guard silicone tips that don't require custom fitting.
Muff wearers will want to check out the Sensears SENS (Speech Enhancing Noise Suppression) electronic muffs. Hearing aid wearers should discuss with their hearing care providers E.A.R.'s full and half-shell custom series, a line of fully programmable hearing aids that can be adjusted to filter out harmful and confusing noises yet still let wearers enjoy conversation and other desirable sounds, such as range commands and even close-by trap releases.
ATK/Champion sells soft Molded Foam Plugs for the budget-minded or for those who prefer disposable plugs. To reap the most savings, order them by the box of 100 pairs. Champion's reusable silicone gel triple-flange plugs(available in plain or corded versions) feature a stem for easy insertion. At less than three bucks for four pairs of the uncorded version, you can have some extras on hand in case you lose them or want to have a pair in each of your range bags. For muff wearers, electronic and passive models are available.
For an electronic alternative to muffs, Champion's DSP-Electronic Digital Plugs fit behind the ear and use a soft foam insert to ensure a good fit in the canal. The digital models feature a 25-dB audio gain control and are available in single or dual channel models at a reasonable price for those looking for hearing protection and a practical alternative to pricier medical hearing aids.
Just about every club I've visited offers Radians Resistors disposable foam ear plugs to new shooters who walk up and want to try their hand at breaking clays or for those of us who absentmindedly leave ours at home. Available in either tapered or cylindrical versions, Resistors provide some of the most effective low-cost hearing protection on the market today. If you have a family member who can't get water in their ears, they are also tailor made for bath and shower use. If you want to make your own custom plugs,Radians' Custom Molded Earplugs is a do-it-yourself kit that lets you do just that in 10 minutes. For fans of the triple-flange design, the Cease Fire model contains an internal baffle that reduces harmful noise yet allows you to carry on a conversation without use of electronics.
For a lightweight headband design, try Radians Rad Band, tipped with super soft Jelli Plugs for a snug fit and maximum comfort. The low-profile Radians' Lowest BTH 19 is an ideal passive ear muff choice for the shotgunner.Radians also markets the Remington line of hearing protection. In the ear plug line, the R-1700 Enhancer blocks loud noise but lets you hear normal conversations. The P-30 tapered foam disposable ear plugs are available in bulk quantities. The triple-flange P-27 (plain or corded) is made of supple rubber for easy ear canal insertion. Remington's line of ear muffs includes both passive (the Remington True Jr.) and RY-2000 electronic models for youth shooters, and just for the ladies is the MP-22 Pink Earmuff.
Walker's Game Ear carries everything from disposable foam plugs to sophisticated electronic plugs, muffs, and hearing aids for the outdoor enthusiast. The affordable Ultra Ear BTE (behind the ear) and ITE (in the ear)plug models incorporate a sound compression circuit that reduces impact noise,along with a gain control to adjust volume and tone for enhanced hearing in the field and at home. When worn, the ITE is barely visible to bystanders. Walker's electronic muffs run from the basic entry model Power Muffs Alpha to the sophisticated Power Muff Digital Quads, which are gaining popularity among both sporting shooters and hunters. These high-tech muffs employ four microphones to help isolate sounds in the field and use an Adjustable Frequency Tuning circuit to allow focusing on specific sound frequency ranges. All Power Muff Quads models are low profile to accommodate shotgunners.
For those wanting more than the entry level but less sophistication than the top-end Digital Quads, Power Muffs and Power Muff Quads variants are available for a little less money. If all you want are passive muffs, Walker's Range Muffs have the same rugged design and low-profile cups as the electronic ones for about $30. For those who need hearing aids, discuss with your hearing care specialist the Liberty, Freedom, and Vibrance units.Available in both BTE and ITE configurations, these hearing aids are fully programmable based on your shooting and lifestyle needs. If you're looking for the cutting edge in electronic ear plug technology, check out Walker's Hybrid series, which features state-of-the-art miniature signal processors on a high-definition platform for those who seek the ultimate in sound fidelity.
For me, the most intriguing feature of Pro-Ears is the auto-off switch that activates after these muffs sit idle for a while. The Sporting Clays Gold model features chopped sides along with a protective felt strip for those who fear scratching their stock when mounting. Military-grade circuitry and Dynamic Level Sound Control (DLSC) technology are what make these ear muffs stand out a little bit from its peers. Most technologies compress harmful noise levels but in so doing proportionately lower speech and other desirable sounds at the same time. DLSC compresses harmful noise levels down to safe levels within 1.5 milliseconds, yet it simultaneously amplifies lower sounds, meaning you won't hear muffled conversation in the midst of gunfire. You can also get these muffs in the sleeker Pro Slim Gold model or Real Tree Camo Stalker Gold(among other choices), all with a jack so you can plug in your scanner or music player. Pro-Ears also has a fine line of passive ear muffs, such as the Ultra28 in black, green, white, pink, or Real Tree Camo. New for hunters, the Woodland Whisper Electronic ITE and BTE hearing amplification/protection products enable users to hear distant sounds of game with a comfortable,slim, compact, easy-to-wear design.
EHP (Electronic Hearing Protection) carries tapered foam earplugs in addition to its line of 10 electronic ear muffs. The Ranger Jr., Drake Jr., Jake, and Button Buck muff models are made especially for youngsters or adults with smaller faces. The top-end adult Ranger HD Hearing Protection &Hearing Enhancement muffs employ four wind-resistant, omni-directional microphones to locate and amplify subtle sounds up to eight times, along with Active Sound Compression to reduce loud noise. The Range Master contains all the functional features of the Ranger HD but includes a loop for wireless communications. For quality electronic muffs at a budge price, Boonerz Electronic muffs feature the same rugged exterior design and ear cup comfort but with fewer microphones.
ESP (Electronic Shooters Protection) sells the ESP Silencer earplugs that employ greater mass to disperse and deflect harmful noise. But the most popular seller in ESP's product line remains the ESP Digital Series in-the-ear protection. The entry level Series 1 is great for enhanced hearing while stalking game. The Series 2 lets the wearer hear sounds of nature in their purest form (without amplification), and the top-of-the-line Series 3features multi-memory programming for different sound environments. All of the Digital Series units come in a wide assortment of colors, as does the less-expensive ESP Elite Analog model.
Another company that sells everything from the simplest of foam ear plugs to sophisticated, state-of-the-art electronic hearing protection is SportEar. The tapered Foam Plugz are available in 50-pair boxes for the most cost savings. The corded triple-flange Super Plugz use a built-in valve to squelch harmful noise but will let you carry on a fairly normal conversation.The Custom Plugz are fitted for the individual (ear impressions required) and are made of softer, more pliable material yet also employ the same valve system as the Super Plugz.
SportEar Series electronic plugs provide two systems in one. OpenEar Technology allows natural hearing enhancement when you don't need the protection from loud noise. With the use of an acoustic or foam tip for a good seal, the wearer can take advantage of the unit's sound compression technology for hearing protection. For the ultimate in miniature electronic plugs, checkout SportEar's Micro Comfort Series. The ear muff line starts with the rugged XPassive and tops out with the X Digital HD that uses four omni-directional microphones to pinpoint sounds while simultaneously protecting your hearing from damaging noise.
Whether you're looking for hearing protection or hearing aids,hEar Savers carries Starkey hearing care products, regarded by the NationalRifle Association as among the very best. The ever-popular Magnum Ear uses Starkey's ListenHear digital technology to enhance wanted sounds and suppress harmful noise with maximum fidelity and without annoying feedback. The MagnumEar comes in either an ITE or BTE model and can be used in either ear without custom fitting. The custom ITE unit is the top of the Magnum Ear line and is made precisely to fit, so you will need to have ear impressions made by a qualified provider.
If you're looking for hearing protection that will let you carry on a conversation and protect your hearing at the same time without the use of electronics, SensGard's ZEM Hearing Protection system permits sound waves to follow the path of least resistance. Sound is thus directed away from the ears by following the larger volume of air in the ZEM Chambers on SensGard's headband models SG31 and SG26. Once inside the chambers, acoustic material blocks harmful noise. Because noise is uniformly reduced, you can hear speech in a noisy environment but be shielded from damaging noise.
Just because hearing protection is practical doesn't mean it can't be fashionable. The ladies at Packing in Pink in Stouffer, Ontario, started a for-ladies-only shooting accessory business in late 2008, and it hasn't slowed down yet. In a world dominated by burly men with masculine gear, Kim Page found a niche in the market by supplying ladies with their own line of shooting accessories and apparel all in pink. PIP's signature pink ear muffs are both stylish and effectively protect your hearing. You can also accessorize with a pair of pink shooting glasses, trigger or cable locks, and clothing such a scaps, hoodies, and T-shirts. The clothing items are available in black as well as pink.
Reprinted with permission from the October 2010 issue of Sporting Clays Magazine.
