Ear protection - current market
- Thread starter rocketdogbert
- Start date
Hi Big Ears.Been said before but depends what you are shooting.
Over ear are always better than in ear protectors due to reduction in bone conduction. Peltor sportac are good
If on a range then I would wear yellow sponge plugs AND over ear defenders.
If going solo range work then you can get away with a single plug in the ear nearest the barrel end ( left ear for right handed shooter and opposite for those who shoot off the correct shoulder) AND defenders.
If more than one shot defenders alone are rarely enough.
Damage is cumulative of loudness and time of exposure.
Remember once it’s gone it’s gone.
BE
You are correct, once it's gone it's gone.
I have hearing loss and tinnitus in both ears.
My hearing loss is identical in both ears, so according to my audiologist, it is almost certainly caused by 40 years in manufacturing. He said that shooters tend to have more hearing loss in the ear nearest the muzzle, which makes sense.
Do you have an opinion on the electronic ear muffs? The ones that cut out the high decibel gunshot but still allow conversation.
Thank you.
I don't think any electronic ear protection cuts out the bangs without also muting the background. I'm not sure it's even theoretically possible given that the audio frequencies of a shot overlap those of background noise. It would be a great feature if it were possible.
I'd be happy to know that I was wrong.
roaring_stag
Well-Known Member
Hi all,
I’m 34 Years Old, and have partial hearing loss in my left ear, and tinnitus in my right ear, which I am told (by my audiologist) that I have suffered due to exposure to firearms/shotgun use over my few years in the industry….
I’ve recently invested in CENS DX3 ear protection, to the tune of £750 odd quid…
I’m pretty religious about wearing them now, and you should be also… I suspect there are a fair number of readers to this post who are a fair bit older than I am, (sorry if im making an unfair assumption), however If I can get to grips with hearing loss in my early 30s, then you should also…. I’m hoping that i have acted early enough….
RS
I’m 34 Years Old, and have partial hearing loss in my left ear, and tinnitus in my right ear, which I am told (by my audiologist) that I have suffered due to exposure to firearms/shotgun use over my few years in the industry….
I’ve recently invested in CENS DX3 ear protection, to the tune of £750 odd quid…
I’m pretty religious about wearing them now, and you should be also… I suspect there are a fair number of readers to this post who are a fair bit older than I am, (sorry if im making an unfair assumption), however If I can get to grips with hearing loss in my early 30s, then you should also…. I’m hoping that i have acted early enough….
RS
Dan Newcombe
Well-Known Member
Get a lot that appear to be deaf at all ages
big ears
Well-Known Member
If they are good guality they will be OK. I use peltor sportac. On a range though I use ear plugs as well so tend to leave them switched off.
jthyttin
Well-Known Member
Don't have experience with those exact models, but other Peltor I've used do have total cutoff.
One of the harshest tests for cutoff is to shoot steel with pistol at something like 10m. Basically you will proceed the rack nevertheless, but subconsciously register possible misses with the combination of sight picture and subsequent "kling" (or lack thereoff) from the plate. And return to them, again sub- or at most semiconsciuously.
So even split second cutoff is very annoying.
In theory the same could be said for impact sound in stalking / hunting, but in practice I think the impact will be either masked by your shot or be delayed due to distance. Of course second or two of "blackout" is unacceptable.
Usually I've found Peltor quite good in presenting the direction of sound (compared to alternatives). For a year or so I've used EEP-100, and for the first time I can say ear protection is usable in hunting. I don't doubt this is true for other modern in-ear, just that the experience was revealing after trying many over-ear during the years. Talking about the direction of sound and "situational awareness".
big ears
Well-Known Member
Sorry to hear your hearing has already been affected I do hope they have compensated you.
As to ear protection the CENS are in the ear? I would opt for over the ear protection, particularly as you have already lost some. There is evidence that sound transmits through the bone behind the ear and can cause damage.
jthyttin
Well-Known Member
A lot of the comfort / ergonomics comes from the headband (don't know proper word...), how much pressure it puts on the muffs, how the cables are routed (do they put pressure somewhere, or like Peltor get damaged in use). You can only get so much, by putting thicker and thicker gel on the cups.
The pressure is of course compromise since you need some for attenuation, and more if you move etc. (I can imagine "tactical" protectors need more pressure since they will be used in awkward positions that try to lift the muff of ear).
The pressure is of course compromise since you need some for attenuation, and more if you move etc. (I can imagine "tactical" protectors need more pressure since they will be used in awkward positions that try to lift the muff of ear).
When I use (passive) plugs under Peltor Protacs - which I do particularly on covered firing-points, or when muzzle-brakes are being used - I turn them up so I can still hear past the plugs.
I can but reassert that while Peltor Sportacs alone might be fine for pistol-calibres and shotgun use, I wouldn't consider using them with proper rifles.
As an aside, there is a suggestion (here, for example, Intrinsic differences in hearing performances between ears revealed by the asymmetrical shooting posture in the army ) that left- vs. right-ear hearing loss might be more to do with the intrinsic efficiency of the ears, rather than shooting position.
For me, at least, that is enough to persuade me to make sure that I have adequate protection, and the same for both ears, when shooting/ROing.
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