Electronic in ear defenders
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caorach
Well-Known Member
I've posted on this before but at the encouragement of forum member Alantoo and his reviews of the Peltor/3M LEP-100s I decided to give them a try as I was looking for hearing protection to use with the shotgun, I'm new to shotgun shooting.
They use foam or flanged ear tips rather than being of the custom molded variety and I view that as an advantage as, apart from anything else, performance in terms of noise reduction will always be better with foam as it expands to fill all the voids whereas the solid molded type can't do that. However, the evidence is that hearing protection is most often worn, and so works best, when it is comfortable so comfort should be the key even over noise reduction and molded does suit some people. Other companies do similar "in ear" protection with foam tips but I ruled one in particular out on the basis of a very bad reputation for reliability and customer service and the other on the basis that they didn't quite do something to match my requirements.
The LEP-100s aren't cheap and their price is on a par with the molded options. I wear them, mostly, for shotgun shooting which means a few clays and a few crows but I'd also wear them if zeroing the rifle but as the rifle is moderated I don't wear them when stalking. I depend on my hearing for my job and this also means I've more than a passing interest in the subject.
The short answer is that I've been very pleased with the LEP-100s. I knew from the start that the flanged ear tips wouldn't work for me and I was also aware that it is often necessary to mess about a bit to get foam ear tips that fit and are comfortable so it took me a little while to settle on an ear tip solution, I would suggest that anyone else buying hearing protection bears this in mind as it is very unlikely that the first thing you try or the stuff that comes in the box will be perfect for you. They offer good comfort and very high levels of attenuation and despite some reservations the recharging solution has grown on me and I now think it is a good idea. The LEP-100s have an internal rechargable battery (good for about 16 hours) and their carry case acts as a charging station that will run off either USB or 3 AAA batteries. You simply pop the ear defenders back into the box and they recharge and are ready for use the next time you are out. This does mean that they require time to recharge whereas a simple battery change can have you up and running with some other models but with the very long run time and the ease of having recharging take place in a small box which I keep in the car I've been won over to the way the LEP-100s do it. The sound quality with them is perfectly acceptable, they produce a little bit of hiss from the circuit but to be honest I don't find it annoying, and I can locate the direction of sounds quite well with them. I believe some people were unhappy with the wind noise as if you stick a microphone out in the wind then you are always going to get wind noise but to be honest I don't find it too annoying, yes there is some and yes if you'd nothing else to do in your life but complain about stuff then you could make a big deal of it but to me it sounds like the designers have done a reasonable job with wind noise and I'd put it down as being well worth the minor inconvenience.
In terms of my perceptions then I think they are, as is the case with all electronic in ear protection, expensive but having worn them for maybe 6 months now I've concluded that they offer good value as I always wear them when out with the shotgun and so I'm always protected. The only down side that I can think of is the requirement to test a few ear tips to get one you like and that fits you well but this is the same with nearly anything you'll buy.
They use foam or flanged ear tips rather than being of the custom molded variety and I view that as an advantage as, apart from anything else, performance in terms of noise reduction will always be better with foam as it expands to fill all the voids whereas the solid molded type can't do that. However, the evidence is that hearing protection is most often worn, and so works best, when it is comfortable so comfort should be the key even over noise reduction and molded does suit some people. Other companies do similar "in ear" protection with foam tips but I ruled one in particular out on the basis of a very bad reputation for reliability and customer service and the other on the basis that they didn't quite do something to match my requirements.
The LEP-100s aren't cheap and their price is on a par with the molded options. I wear them, mostly, for shotgun shooting which means a few clays and a few crows but I'd also wear them if zeroing the rifle but as the rifle is moderated I don't wear them when stalking. I depend on my hearing for my job and this also means I've more than a passing interest in the subject.
The short answer is that I've been very pleased with the LEP-100s. I knew from the start that the flanged ear tips wouldn't work for me and I was also aware that it is often necessary to mess about a bit to get foam ear tips that fit and are comfortable so it took me a little while to settle on an ear tip solution, I would suggest that anyone else buying hearing protection bears this in mind as it is very unlikely that the first thing you try or the stuff that comes in the box will be perfect for you. They offer good comfort and very high levels of attenuation and despite some reservations the recharging solution has grown on me and I now think it is a good idea. The LEP-100s have an internal rechargable battery (good for about 16 hours) and their carry case acts as a charging station that will run off either USB or 3 AAA batteries. You simply pop the ear defenders back into the box and they recharge and are ready for use the next time you are out. This does mean that they require time to recharge whereas a simple battery change can have you up and running with some other models but with the very long run time and the ease of having recharging take place in a small box which I keep in the car I've been won over to the way the LEP-100s do it. The sound quality with them is perfectly acceptable, they produce a little bit of hiss from the circuit but to be honest I don't find it annoying, and I can locate the direction of sounds quite well with them. I believe some people were unhappy with the wind noise as if you stick a microphone out in the wind then you are always going to get wind noise but to be honest I don't find it too annoying, yes there is some and yes if you'd nothing else to do in your life but complain about stuff then you could make a big deal of it but to me it sounds like the designers have done a reasonable job with wind noise and I'd put it down as being well worth the minor inconvenience.
In terms of my perceptions then I think they are, as is the case with all electronic in ear protection, expensive but having worn them for maybe 6 months now I've concluded that they offer good value as I always wear them when out with the shotgun and so I'm always protected. The only down side that I can think of is the requirement to test a few ear tips to get one you like and that fits you well but this is the same with nearly anything you'll buy.
A very informative and spot-on post.
Unfortunately I've yet to find the right ear buds for my LEP 100's that give any meaningful protection from the blast of an unmoderated 6.5X55SM when shot prone and notwithstanding the generosity of an SD member who kindly sent me some FOC to try.
Clearly I need to continue the search if this is not to prove a very illjudged purchase.
K
caorach
Well-Known Member
That's not so good! I assume you've tried the skullscrews and also the 3M ear tips like what Alan is using? Do they simply not fit and so are offering no protection? If they fit correctly then either should give significant protection but the skullscrews are on the large side and I'd say the 3M ear tips are significantly smaller so the only thing I can guess is that you need to go smaller again? If that is the case then the smallest of the tips sold for the CENS MINO might work for you as they are really very small indeed, they are a bit "stiffer" than the others mentioned. I've tried the CENS ones with the LEP-100s and found them to work well with something about one size up from the smallest being best for me, I think they are 12mm with the smallest being 10.5mm.
CENS Digital
I have been using the 3M Peltor LEP-100s for 362 days (delivered 5. Dec last year) and have been very pleased with them...perfect at the tunnel range for the bi-monthly two or three hour evening session and 6 hours during a BDS day. I do need over ear muffs as well if some anti-social wazzock turns up with a muzzle brake however.
I do wear them when stalking...they have three volume level settings. The middle one is neutral so is good for conversation, and the top one enhances the ambient sounds which I find good in the high seat, the top amplified one is also good to remind you how much noise you are making with crunchy footsteps when stalking!
Having had some cheap in ear plugs with zinc-air batteries and having to deal with my 94 year old mum who invariably seems to be running out of hearing aid battery power one of the big plus points for me was the Li-ion recharging system. I have run them for over the claimed 16 hours without charging, although someone else at the range said that theirs had not lasted 8 hours. I think he might have misheard the voice saying "Time Out" which comes on after 2 or 3 hours and you just need to touch the on button to keep them running for the next 3 hours.
The other big plus was that with their heaviest duty foam ear tips they were rated at 38dB SNR and with their flanged tips they were 32dB. The best rated CENS moulded ones were only 27dB SNR I think.
I found the best foam tips for my ear comfort and effectiveness were the 3M CCC-GRM-25 middle weight tips. I read a tip somewhere to use Aloe Vera gel on the tips to aid putting them in...and when I remember to take it with me it works well!
I bought mine form Amazon but the best deal I think at the moment is from the place I bought the GRM-25 tips ...
3M PELTOR LEP-100-EU Level Dependent Earplug Kit - Earshot Communications
Alan
I do wear them when stalking...they have three volume level settings. The middle one is neutral so is good for conversation, and the top one enhances the ambient sounds which I find good in the high seat, the top amplified one is also good to remind you how much noise you are making with crunchy footsteps when stalking!
Having had some cheap in ear plugs with zinc-air batteries and having to deal with my 94 year old mum who invariably seems to be running out of hearing aid battery power one of the big plus points for me was the Li-ion recharging system. I have run them for over the claimed 16 hours without charging, although someone else at the range said that theirs had not lasted 8 hours. I think he might have misheard the voice saying "Time Out" which comes on after 2 or 3 hours and you just need to touch the on button to keep them running for the next 3 hours.
The other big plus was that with their heaviest duty foam ear tips they were rated at 38dB SNR and with their flanged tips they were 32dB. The best rated CENS moulded ones were only 27dB SNR I think.
I found the best foam tips for my ear comfort and effectiveness were the 3M CCC-GRM-25 middle weight tips. I read a tip somewhere to use Aloe Vera gel on the tips to aid putting them in...and when I remember to take it with me it works well!
I bought mine form Amazon but the best deal I think at the moment is from the place I bought the GRM-25 tips ...
3M PELTOR LEP-100-EU Level Dependent Earplug Kit - Earshot Communications
Alan
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I have just seen the conversation going on since I started writing my screed...the wind noise complaint is interesting...I was wearing them last week whilst beating (I was on the gun line side of the hedge hence the Peltors which enable me to talk and hear the radio). The wind was whistling through the trees but I realised that is what I could hear...not the wind whistling across the microphones.
I didn't pass on your CENS tip samples for K because I had already tried a pair but couldn't remember which ones, and thought it slightly churlish to send second user ear plugs...even if they had been through the Ultra sonic bath!
Alan
I didn't pass on your CENS tip samples for K because I had already tried a pair but couldn't remember which ones, and thought it slightly churlish to send second user ear plugs...even if they had been through the Ultra sonic bath!
Alan
Hi all,
Having tried lots of different cheap in ear things I went for a pair of thr Peltor LEP 200s from:
3M Peltor Tactical Earplug TEP-200 - Earshot Communications
As far as I'm concerned they're pretty close to perfect. I probably don't get the protection I do from my Sordin ear muffs but they are much easier to keep in all day so for rough/walked up shooting they're much better.
I use them with these:
Canal Tips
Again they're not cheap but you can wash them and you don't need too many of them. I find they're comfy enough to keep in all day and give really good protection.
Having tried lots of different cheap in ear things I went for a pair of thr Peltor LEP 200s from:
3M Peltor Tactical Earplug TEP-200 - Earshot Communications
As far as I'm concerned they're pretty close to perfect. I probably don't get the protection I do from my Sordin ear muffs but they are much easier to keep in all day so for rough/walked up shooting they're much better.
I use them with these:
Canal Tips
Again they're not cheap but you can wash them and you don't need too many of them. I find they're comfy enough to keep in all day and give really good protection.
Tf223
Well-Known Member
I've just invested in CENs with the non-electronic passive modules, having used normal plugs or over ear non electronic defenders for some years.
First impressions from a couple of outings with the unmoderated 6.5x55 is very good, comfortable for long use and decent attenuation. I think I may upgrade to the electronic modules to amplify the ambient sounds as whilst audible they are slightly muffled.
It's worth remembering that over attenuation can be as bad as not enough, if they muffle sound too much there is temptation to remove - bypassing the whole point of protection. It's all to common in industry to see over-spec'd plugs being removed for this reason.
If you go for CENs and live near Kent visit them directly at their head office (Puretone) in Medway for fitting. By purchasing directly they don't charge you the £25 for the moulds to be taken.
First impressions from a couple of outings with the unmoderated 6.5x55 is very good, comfortable for long use and decent attenuation. I think I may upgrade to the electronic modules to amplify the ambient sounds as whilst audible they are slightly muffled.
It's worth remembering that over attenuation can be as bad as not enough, if they muffle sound too much there is temptation to remove - bypassing the whole point of protection. It's all to common in industry to see over-spec'd plugs being removed for this reason.
If you go for CENs and live near Kent visit them directly at their head office (Puretone) in Medway for fitting. By purchasing directly they don't charge you the £25 for the moulds to be taken.
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