Hearing protection

[Kermit]

My sister is a graduate clinical audiologist who operates a universtiy clinic training new audiologists. She just recently put me on to the Sensgard noise cancelation devices. Unbelievable. Better than my bulky, uncomfortable battery powered mufflers. Excellent conversation transmission, superior noise cancellation for shooting, shop, and machine operation. Two models with different levels of noise attenuation. Best thing? CHEAP. Best price I found was Amazon, but YMMV.

Take a look.

http://www.sensgard.com

[WKevinD]

Thanks! Good timing, I just got back from the range and was thinking "what is the next best step". I have been using 3M plugs that are OK but in our local heat/humidity I kept pulling them out, usually right before one of those 120gr  45 cal short barrels went off.
Kevin

[Candle Snuffer]

Believe I will look into these. Thanks Kermit 

[Molly]

Cool looking too!  Gonna get a pair after dinner  THANKS for the info.

[Dave R]

There are several models which does she recommend for shooting muzzleloaders and why?

[Kermit]

The SG-31 is what I got. It's a 31db reduction. My sister has been beating me up for years about hearing protection. She should have started that sooner, since I have some hearing loss from everything from cabinetshop to chainsaw to motorcycles, to.........

[Dave R]

Kermit,

Thanks!

[J Henry]

  I use the Sponges inserted in my ears and muffs over them,,Learned this on the flight deck of three different Aircraft Carriers,,then if you have to remove the muffs the sponges take up the slack..I use the insert like you show in my wood shop,easier to use.
 Your sister is trained in this area,,Listen to her ( while you still can, pun)

[Robby]

WHAT!?!
Robby

[hanshi]

Now this is very interesting news.  I have tinnitus and a hearing loss at one particular range.  I have the most trouble hearing anything when there is any extraneous noise, ie. talking while watching tv, too loud background music at restaurants and keeping up with conversations at a table in restaurants with all the talking noises and even at my table.

At the range I wear ear plugs AND ear muffs.  I can't hear talking but I also can't hear gunshots and that works for me so far.  A question I have is since sound is also transmitted through the temporal bone and possibly the occipital bone as well.  This is one area muffs do well.  How is this addressed by Sensguard?

[hammer]

Tried these some years ago.  As did others in my clubs.   I had thought they might be particularly practical for clay pigeon shooting where you want to hold a conversation at the back while waiting your turn.    I found they work, to a degree.    Yes, can hear speech but also the shots.   And they just weren't up to it for full-bore rifle or muzzleloading rifles/muskets.   And certainly not on the range next to a carbine!
I, together with the others, soon discarded them and returned to our tried and tested quality ear defenders and plugs. 

[Robby]

That was my question on this subject Hammer. How do they hold up when shooting next to someone with a modern centerfire rifle, particularly one with a short short barrel. I'm not trying to bring centerfire guns into the discussion per se, but this is a safety issue that should concern anyone that must share a range with these modern guns.
Robby

[Squirrel pizza]

I don't want to knock something I haven't tried, but I looked at the web site you gave, saw a pic, and can't figure how that tube could be better than traditional ear muffs. Late night tv is full of products developed by Dr. SoandSo that turn out to be as effective as the Popeel Pocket Fisherman. Has anyone actually used one of these with good results? Carbines, 4 bores, aircraft carriers? How could a plastic tube help save your hearing, regardless of which lobe or bone transmits sound? Seems like a gimmick. But hope I'm wrong. Between rifles that rhyme with Harps and Ozzie Ozbourne I couldn't  hear the space shuttle launch!

[EC121]

I found some NRR 33(highest rated muffs I've seen)  muffs at Academy sports, and I use them over NRR 31 foam plugs.  This works pretty well for me.  They are tighter on the head than the lower rated muffs, but they help.

[Squirrel pizza]

Ec121, I'm glad you found a product you're happy with. But my question stands. Has anyone actually used these in real life conditions?

[coopersdad]

I second the plugs and muffs combo, but I highly recommend getting a high quality pair of electronic earmuffs and wear them over plugs.   Cheap ones won't do well I found, so buy cheap, buy twice.  Anyway, turn the electronic muffs up all the way, and with the plugs in you can still hear conversation reasonably well, but the shots are well  muffled.   

[Kermit]

It's only one anecdote, but mine impress me so far.

If you want to pay ten bucks more, you can get them with "NRA" printed on 'em. I reckon a few of those fellers just might have given them a run through. This is what put my sister onto them in the beginning. I don't know, maybe the NRA is not to be trusted marketing products to shooters. 

http://www.nrastore.com/nra-zem-hearing-protection

[Squirrel pizza]

Kermit, please don't misunderstand me. I'm not trying to be arguementative, and your sisters credentials are wonderful. But do you own these and use these ear tubes? Are they pretty good or the best thing since sliced bread? Top of the line(on their site was $39.99 or so with a spare pack if foam replacements for a few more bucks. Right? How do they work in real life?

[mikeyr]

I went with ridiculously expensive but I am super happy I did, warning they are expensive (and in my opinion worth it).

I went with custom fitted in the ear digital protection from ESP, I generally put them on Saturday and Sunday morning and keep them on all day, even gone to bed with them forgetting I had them in, they are that comfortable.  My wife says she looks forwards to weekends because when I have them in, I don't yell when I talk.  I chose the Stealth with the industrial option, its a little switch that changes the cut off from 90db down to 80db.  Its really wonderful in the shop, I never have to hunt around for ear muffs before turning on the table saw or bandsaw or worse, shaper or routers.  And I always have them in so I never go, well its a small cut I will be ok without protection.  At the range, I really enjoy not having to wear muff's and hearing normal conversations but not getting hammered when people fire next to me.  I debated these things for over a year and now can't figure out why I did, shooting my .308 I double up, but its really nice to shoot trap without muffs getting in the way and handgun or BP, I find I don't need to double up at all.   For me it was worth the money since I also use them in shop on weekends or even doing yard work, like weedwacking or chainsaw work its nice and quiet and I can hear others, so for me it was the ability to use them in multiple things not just shooting that made it ok to spend the money.