In the hunt for "Ear Muffs"

[coulterboy]

I'm in the hunt for buying a good ear muff, primarily used for shooting. I had a good one for years, and my son snagged it from me a few years ago. Forgot what the brand was. Temporarily, I'm using a cheap one I got at Big 5. When I use it, I also put ear plugs in my ears, aside from covering my ears with the muff for added protection, due to the low decibel rating on the muff. So, I decided it's time to get a good one. I figured, maybe I can get good recommendations from the shooters on this board, and perhaps peeps that work at Boeing where you guys use muffs in noisy areas.

Any recommendation is appreciated.

Thanks.

Tom

[GearHead]

Real gun shops will have better quality ear muffs. Look for ones w/ 25 to 30db rating. Even with those, I still like to use foam plugs under the muffs for better protection.

[coulterboy]

The one I had that my son snagged from me had a 28 decibel rating. Currently, I'm using a 23 decibel rating. I wanted more ear protection and comfort. I've always used foam plugs in my ear, no matter what, as an added protection.

[Don-B]

My advise is to go to a place like Cabelas or Wholesale Sports and try them on.
find a pair that is comfortable and fits well.
a good seal will make a huge difference.
If your shooting rifles you also want a pair that wont hit your stock.

[Dusty2]

You might also try the industrial supply places.

[Jeff Pack]

Even with my good 30db shooters muffs, I still wear 30db custom in ear plugs as well, especially for high power rifles.

[spatman]

I don't know anything about shooting muffs, but as a former sound designer/engineer, 30db doesn't sound like that much of a reduction when it comes to gunshots, especially with high powered weapons.

Are there muffs available with higher than 30db ratings?

[Jeff Pack]

I think 33 is max.

[spatman]

I suppose a total of a 60db cut between the muff and ear plugs is plenty. Just surprised the muffs don't do much more by themselves.

[coulterboy]

I suppose a total of a 60db cut between the muff and ear plugs is plenty. Just surprised the muffs don't do much more by themselves.

I have been shooting guns and M16's early in my life without ear protection, so I have been noticing occasional ringing in my ears since my late teens. I feel comfortable using the muffs with foam inserts when I shoot at the range. When I go hunting, and when I have the game in sight, before I send the bullet down, I put my foam inserts in my ears before the big bang. Back in 1995, I had to spend an extra amount of money to pay for an extra hearing test for the LAPD (yes LAPD-September Academy appointment), cause the LA city audiologist deemed that I had hearing problems, but it got overturned by the result of another retest performed by another audiologist. My hearing is still good right now, and I wanna preserve that. Although, occasionally, I hear a pinging sound. Or maybe, it's just my imagination.

[spatman]

Sounds like you might have a mild case of tinnitus. Keep using that hearing protection, because it can only get worse.

[coulterboy]

Sounds like you might have a mild case of tinnitus. Keep using that hearing protection, because it can only get worse.

I have been suspecting that. But I suspect, mine is a very mild one. Tis, the very reason that I wanna get the ear protection I need when I play with firearms. That's why I told H2oDoc that I can relate to him when he complained of having Tinnitus. Gotta protect that ear man!

[Dusty2]

mild hearing loss..... Wouldn't that be nice! I can tell you that permanent tinnitus with severe hearing loss is something you don't want to experience. A year spent sleeping with a mortar pit right next to my tent and all the other loud noises of a combat zone has caught up with me. Without my hearing aids I can't understand normal conversation and even with them it's sometimes difficult if the speaker doesn't speak clearly or has the wrong pitch or there is background noise.

Glad to hear you guys are taking it seriously while your still young. I would highly advise taking the same precautions when you go to those bars, clubs, and concerts. If you need to shout to be heard you should be wearing protection. We have a whole generation of semi deaf people on their way thanks to boom boxes, concerts and dance clubs. That temporary ringing you experience will get worse over time until it's always there.

[H20doctor]

Da DA DA , Dun Ta dun duh Ta dun...

Lea Muffs for you

[renoun]

Give some consideration to how the ear pieces of your safety glasses are interfacing with the ear muffs. If they disrupt the seal of the can to your head it will significantly reduce the sound attenuation.

[nwbobber]

These
http://www.peltor.com/peltor.com/non_de ... um=H10A001
I used them at work, they were the best I could find. I think less than 30 bucks.

[json]

+1 for peltor.

[CaptnJack]

I don't know anything about shooting muffs, but as a former sound designer/engineer, 30db doesn't sound like that much of a reduction when it comes to gunshots, especially with high powered weapons.

Are there muffs available with higher than 30db ratings?

Its not 30db across the whole spectrum, there's higher attenuation for some frequencies and lower in others. Unfortunately I can't recall my industrial safety lesson on how the 30db 'rating' is derived tho. I am also pretty sure 30db muffs + 30db plugs does not add up to 60db attenuation, esp. since the decibel scale is logarithmic.

[camerone]

I am a huge fan of the electronic ones. Peltor makes a nice set around $100 that works really well... what I like in particular is that they do a great job killing the "bang" noise, but you can still have a conversation with your buddies and hear what's around you. There are other manufacturers as well... most are 26-30 dB for the decent ones.

David Clark makes some of the best headsets out there for airplanes and helicopters...I've been flying with their stuff for almost 20 years now in the cockpits. I'm not saying use them for shooting, but they do make replacement gel ear seals, which if you can fit them to a shooting set of headphones, makes it VERY comfortable to wear, and it conforms to your head nicely without feeling like you're squeezing your head in a vise.

Finally, underneath - I can't recommend these enough! http://www.amazon.com/Radians-CEP001-T- ... B002E6T7ZM. Dirt cheap and extremely effective. I've hated ear plugs my entire life because they don't fit, or they don't work or they become uncomfortable in short order. I can't stand the in-ear headsets on most phones for the same reason. Not these. I have a pair for the range, and a pair I travel with on the airplane every week when I go down to LA for work. Underneath the Bose headsets on the airplane, I literally cannot hear a thing. Dead silence. Good stuff... and the pair underneath the electronic muffs at the range make the AR15 sound like a .22

Then we just need to suppress the firearm, and you're really golden

[coulterboy]

These
http://www.peltor.com/peltor.com/non_de ... um=H10A001
I used them at work, they were the best I could find. I think less than 30 bucks.

I know eventually somebody would post the ear muffs I've had that my son snagged many years ago. Thanks Bob, this was exactly the one I had, and I was very pleased with it. I just totally forgot the brand and model. But, nevertheless, I'm also entertaining a lot of everybody's suggestions.

Thanks guys.

[Jeff Pack]

If you want a real, 29-30db set of earplugs, you have to go with customs, best ones around are westone. I've used them for racing, shooting, heavy equipment, even when I'm machining, or running the wet vac. Have to made at a hearing aid place, cost around 100$ for a pair.

Foamies, other stuff arent true 29db, as insertion, age, etc impact their effectiveness.