SoundGear Electronic Hearing Protection - Review
By Len Backus, Publisher of LRH


Last year about this time I ordered a set of SoundGear Electronic Hearing Protection and I have been very, very satisfied with it through an entire year's use. Made by Starkey Hearing Technology, a very established hearing aid company, this unit is very tiny. It fits in the ear canal in the same way a good set of non-electronic plugs would fit. I selected the "industrial" labeled version rather than the "hunting" labeled one. From the description I felt that the amount of sound increase with the amplified hunting version of the SoundGear electronic hearing protection product may not be what most of us long range hunters would prefer (too loud). I never tried the "hunting" version but like this "industrial" sound value quite well. It seems to very slightly amplify sounds, especially higher pitched ones such as feet rustling through grass or leaves.

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Hearing protection in the hunting field is very important to me. In recent years I had almost always been wearing hearing protection while hunting. Most often I wore non-electronic plugs when hunting but only at the critical moment. But if I'm hunting with a partner, the plugs reduce the ability to communicate. So usually I would wear the heavy electronic muffs if I was hunting with partners.

One winter about 5 years ago while hunting with some brand new coyote hunting friends in Wyoming I made a mistake. While slowing driving a ranch road we had seen a couple coyotes suddenly appear around a bend. They saw us and loped up and over a hill a hundred yards ahead of us. We parked and quickly headed up the hill expecting to get a quick shot when we crested the hill. I forgot my electronic muffs in the host's truck by mistake. By the time I realized it we were near the top of this hill and I was too embarrassed to ask them to wait while I went back to the truck for the muffs. Long story short -- I took one shot with a braked magnum rifle and no protection. I have had tinnitus ringing in my ears ever since that day four years ago. In fact, I can hear it right now along with the clicking sound of my keyboard as I type this sentence.

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But back to my first SoundGear experience. I tried the SoundGear units for fit and comfort and was pleased. In fact I wore them for a couple hours in the house and by that time had forgotten I had them on. I remember that the sound inside the house sounded pretty normal but the rustling and clicking sound of my wife on her computer keyboard was more noticeable from 30 feet away.

Then one morning I went out to my friend's place to try a shooting test with the SoundGear. He was quite interested since he had tried a competitive type that consists of a tube that connects a plug to an electronics "module". The module mounts behind the ear, the tube holds the plug inside the ear canal. It wasn't the Walker's Game Ear version, it was Radians. He didn't like that style of unit since he couldn't keep it on in certain situations.
I like this product so much I sell it in the LRH Store. I know it will sound corny, but I feel good about the fact that I am going to be saving the hearing health of a bunch of nice LRH guys who end up using this item.
-- Len Backus, Publisher of LRH​
The example he gave was when lying down in one of those coffin-style goose blinds. While waiting for birds, prone on his back, he needs to be able to hear very well. And he needs the unit to not fall out because the module was bumped loose.

I had tried the similar Walker's behind-the-ear version a few years ago and did not like it at all. It didn't cut off enough sound for one thing. In fact, seeing that there is a plastic tube connecting the electronics to the plug which goes into the ear I don't know how any of that style can keep sound from traveling along the tube into the ear canal. Anyway, he and I would both be willing to sell those respective units for about $2 each if you're interested.

Too often "cheap" is not really a good value. Buying once and buying well is what I try to do though too many times in the past I failed on the first try. I hate then having to pay more to upgrade and sell the first product at a huge loss.

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Anyway, the SoundGear shooting test that first day was a big success and my quest had ended! I couldn't wait to hunt coyotes with them a couple weeks later. Imagine you park the truck at your first set of the day and get your rifle and other stuff ready. I insert my two SoundGear electronic units and off we go.

I can hear the sounds a little louder with these units. Enough louder to be helpful but not enough to be obnoxious.

So that set is over, you head back to the truck, put your stuff in the truck --- leave your "ears" in place and drive to the next set. Simple, comfortable, effective.

You could hunt coyotes all day without fussing over them. You can whisper to your hunt partner, you can hear the distant, faint high pitched coyote vocalizations. You can hear the swish of wings and the scratch of something walking in leaves. Batteries last almost a week and are very cheap.

The user inserts the electronic "guts" into a choice of rubber sleeves of different sizes to fit the user's ear canal. I use the largest size sleeves.

UPDATE FROM A TRIP WEEKS LATER:

I am driving back in late spring from 3 days of hunting coyotes, rocks and rock chucks in WY and MT.

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  • I fired about a dozen rounds with my 6.5-284.
  • I hunted with partners so I needed the ability to communicate.
  • We had wind sometimes up to 15 mph.
  • I wore the SoundGear units each day for 4 or 5 hours at a time.
  • Wow, am I happy with them.
  • Plenty of protection, never heard wind whistle, never wanted to take them out for a break other than at lunch time.
  • Communication was perfect.
My hunting partner on that trip had the following to say in a forum post afterwards:

"I was one of the guys Len hunted with this week. I have had other friends use hearing protection in the past while hunting on coyote stands or even while hunting big game. It usually causes a lot of issues. Most units really hamper one's ability to hear. I have become very frustrated, at times, while trying to communicate with partners wearing different forms of hearing protection. This is the first time there were zero issues with being able to communicate. The SoundGear units impressed me quite a bit from the non-wearer's point of view. Anytime I had to whisper while on the stand Len did not have any trouble hearing me. The units were so small that most of the time I didn't even notice Len was wearing them. As I get older my hearing seems more and more important to me. I'm thinking I might just have to get a set of these SoundGear hearing protection units for myself. On a side note, when Len comes out to hunt he usually has all kinds of different gear to test and use. This trip was no exception. On this hunt, aside from his wonderful 6.5-284 (which was an absolute joy to shoot), the SoundGear product was the highlight, for me anyway. It's a cool little tiny product that makes a difference in a HUGE way!"

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SECOND UPDATE:

I hunted out west several times last fall for antelope, deer and elk. In total I spent 13 days in the field. I found myself wearing the SoundGear units from right after breakfast to dinner time at night. Those were 12 hour plus stretches without taking them out even for lunch in the field. Just perfectly comfortable!

On the antelope hunt I was being filmed by the Best Of The West TV crew. So I had to be able to communicate with the cameraman on a few occasions and constantly with my guide as well as with Latt Durance the TV host who was also my "spotter". In fact the trickiest part for communication was when we were ready for me to drop the hammer on my 525 yard shot at the buck antelope in the 8 to 12 mph wind.

The wait took a while as we needed the buck to take a few steps forward in order to clear a doe that was standing behind the buck. Latt would call out changes in distance which was critical for me to hear. And meanwhile the strong wind was switching directions and changing speeds. Normal hearing protection would have been a huge problem for all involved. This whole process took 5 to 10 minutes and the communication using the SoundGear units was perfect.

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It is twelve months since I started using the SoundGear units. I have been very, very satisfied with the product.