digital custom in ear protection

[.243ackley]

Having had several custom moulded fit ear protection over the years in planning and upgrading to digital,im looking for anyone with real time experience and recommendation with digital in ear protection (not interested in over ear units),i will be purely using these for clay shooting,
i dont mind paying for good equipment reliable,

 

[calgeo]

I've used CENS proflex for about 6yrs now. No real complaints about them. Brilliant standing at a peg and being able to hear the birds coming from a long way off.

 

[big ears]

If you are clay shooting and only want to use in ear defenders then ask the producers for their sound attenuation data.
You need at least 35dB reduction to avoid ear damage. Most quote 28dB which is not enough.
You need to protect your hearing, take it from someone with tinnitus.

 

[Alantoo]

If you are clay shooting and only want to use in ear defenders then ask the producers for their sound attenuation data.
You need at least 35dB reduction to avoid ear damage. Most quote 28dB which is not enough.
You need to protect your hearing, take it from someone with tinnitus.

If you want over 35dB SNR pretty well the only option is in-ear plugs with foam tips like the Peltor EEP 100.

The highest SNR rated CENS models are the Minos which are not their fitted type but happily their least expensive active units, but they only manage between SNR 28 to 32dB depending on the tips used. The only over ear type that come close are the double depth models some of which manage 34dB but are a pain as far as cheek weld go. Most standard and slimline depth over ear types are well below 30dB SNR.

Alan

 

[big ears]

There are ways to mitigate this. The ear nearest the blast wear a soft foam insert and an over ear defender.
The advantage over ear gives you is that it stops bone conduction from around the ear as well as that down the canal.
In ear devices are a compromise and not as good as over ear defenders across all frequencies for hearing protection.

 

[Alantoo]

There are ways to mitigate this. The ear nearest the blast wear a soft foam insert and an over ear defender.

I often add the 25dB slimline active over ear muffs to the 35dB active in ear LEP 100s if someone is using an unmoderated rifle at the range. They still enable you to converse normally. In the forge I sometimes doubled up the passive foam in ear plugs with passive over ear muffs using the power hammer or if there was a lot of Angle grinding or sheet metal bashing going on.

The advantage over ear gives you is that it stops bone conduction from around the ear as well as that down the canal.
In ear devices are a compromise and not as good as over ear defenders across all frequencies for hearing protection.

I know you are a doctor and would love to know what lead you to that conclusion. I had understood it was largely disproven. It counters what I as a layman understood from research papers and comparing the manufacturer's SNR figures. I hesitate to query your statement, and am very happy to be corrected, I would love to understand more about it.

I arrived at my understanding of what is going on from the research papers I read, see the links in the post below. And also more simply by comparing SNR figures published by the manufacturers:- 3M Peltor, between its Sportac 26dB and its double depth 31dB over ear, and its deep seated foam tipped LEP / EEP in ear plugs which achieve 32-38dB depending on tips used. The CENS SNR figures also indicate that the foam tip deep in the ear canal of its Minos model can be up to 31dB while its shallower fitted models only manage around the 25dB.

My reading of the research papers described that the bone conduction was from the whole skull, not just the bit around the ear covered by over ear muffs...the whole skull acted as a sound board collecting and transmitting (but also attenuating) the vibrations / sound pressure pulses it received to the ear via the wall tissue of the ear canal. The damping effect of the over ear muffs was minimal as the bone-carried vibrations just passed underneath. The deep seated foam tips achieved their higher attenuation figures and protection by reducing the transmission of the bone collected/conducted vibrations by damping the ear canal walls, as well as the airborne pressure. I understood that the only way to further reduce the bone received and transmitted vibrations was by enclosing the whole head head in an acoustic helmet like the military helicopter pilots and tank crew.

This post contains some of the links to papers I looked at...it would be great to hear your professional reaction to them.

Active ear defenders - Cens alternatives?

Big cans are perfect for clays, but for stalking and walked up I thought I'd try 'in ear' active ear defenders, however I'm thoroughly fed up with my Cens Pro Flex ear defenders. Despite spending a small fortune on them in 2015, I've never got on really well with them - Fiddly, no proper on...

www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk

 

[big ears]

I often add the 25dB slimline active over ear muffs to the 35dB active in ear LEP 100s if someone is using an unmoderated rifle at the range. They still enable you to converse normally. In the forge I sometimes doubled up the passive foam in ear plugs with passive over ear muffs using the power hammer or if there was a lot of Angle grinding or sheet metal bashing going on.



I know you are a doctor and would love to know what lead you to that conclusion. I had understood it was largely disproven. It counters what I as a layman understood from research papers and comparing the manufacturer's SNR figures. I hesitate to query your statement, and am very happy to be corrected, I would love to understand more about it.

I arrived at my understanding of what is going on from the research papers I read, see the links in the post below. And also more simply by comparing SNR figures published by the manufacturers:- 3M Peltor, between its Sportac 26dB and its double depth 31dB over ear, and its deep seated foam tipped LEP / EEP in ear plugs which achieve 32-38dB depending on tips used. The CENS SNR figures also indicate that the foam tip deep in the ear canal of its Minos model can be up to 31dB while its shallower fitted models only manage around the 25dB.

My reading of the research papers described that the bone conduction was from the whole skull, not just the bit around the ear covered by over ear muffs...the whole skull acted as a sound board collecting and transmitting (but also attenuating) the vibrations / sound pressure pulses it received to the ear via the wall tissue of the ear canal. The damping effect of the over ear muffs was minimal as the bone-carried vibrations just passed underneath. The deep seated foam tips achieved their higher attenuation figures and protection by reducing the transmission of the bone collected/conducted vibrations by damping the ear canal walls, as well as the airborne pressure. I understood that the only way to further reduce the bone received and transmitted vibrations was by enclosing the whole head head in an acoustic helmet like the military helicopter pilots and tank crew.

This post contains some of the links to papers I looked at...it would be great to hear your professional reaction to them.

Active ear defenders - Cens alternatives?

Big cans are perfect for clays, but for stalking and walked up I thought I'd try 'in ear' active ear defenders, however I'm thoroughly fed up with my Cens Pro Flex ear defenders. Despite spending a small fortune on them in 2015, I've never got on really well with them - Fiddly, no proper on...

www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk

Hi thanks for posting this. The paper states 40-60dB attenuation due to bone conduction I was always taught 30dB so they say the attenuation is more. The bone behind the ear is very dense so more sound energy will be transmitted.
Immediate damage to the ear occurs approximately over 105dB so if the report of an average rifle is 130dB making sure you have 35dB attenuation gives you a bit of extra protection.
If the figures in your paper are correct then there is no benefit in over ear defenders but if 30dB as I thought then there is benefit.
Happy to stand corrected but think I might still protect my hearing.

 

[Chris Rob]

I purchased the Custom Fit Guards CF Digital earlier this year and so far I'm very pleased, I've used them for clay and game shooting.

They came to my house to make the impressions and at the time they were offering a discount so I got them for £317.50.

The only downside I've found is no on/off switch you have to remove the batteries every time you put them back in the case.

CF DIGITAL

You can get 10% discount with this code: GIRLONABIKE

 

[.243ackley]

Thanks lads,had anyone any experience with the vario brand ???

 

[NullMac]

The advantage over ear gives you is that it stops bone conduction from around the ear as well as that down the canal.
In ear devices are a compromise and not as good as over ear defenders across all frequencies for hearing protection.

⬆︎ This

The other issue you have with in ear is shrinking plastic reducing the effectiveness over time without the user really noticing.

Used both; will never go in ear without an over ear defender again -> Tinnitus