Hearing Protection in the field?

[Lonewolf74]

Aright I wasn't quite sure where to post this thread but I think it doesn't matter too much.

So this last Saturday I was out calling yotes and I had something I never experienced before. I took a crack with my AR (.223) and it like popped my left ear drum! It rang for quite a bit and still today, 3 days later it's messed up. I don't know what happened but I don't like it and thought maybe I should look into using hearing protection while hunting too.

So what are some of the electronic ear plugs or other types that you guy's have had success with? Which ones seem to work best at allowing you to hear like normal until decibel levels reach unsafe levels?

 

[codyadams]

Also interested. I am left handed, so when waterfowl shooting (or most any hunting for that matter) I am always on the right hand side of the group, so therefore my left ear has been hammered, and constantly rings. I have to have white noise like a fan when I sleep, because if not, in silence all I hear is a deafening ringing in my left ear. And I'm only 27....

I really need to save what hearing I have left. I have just been using ear plugs, but it's not always easy to get them in quick enough, and I like to be able to hear people when laying in a snowgoose blind or other waterfowling.

I just wish we could have easier access to supressors....anyway....I'm also interested in electronic hearing protection in the field that works.

 

[RT2506]

What did you say? You are talking too low speak up the crickets are too loud for me to hear you. When I was a youngster hearing protection was never used or thought of for anything. When I was 13 I went shooting with my soon to be brother-in-law an5d shot a revolver the first time. I had been shooting shotgun and rifle since about 6 years of age but this was the first time for a revolver. It was a 22lr and I shot 10 Boxes of ammo through that revolver that day without any ear protection. My ears rang so bad that I could not hear much for over a week and then for a while when people talked it sounded like they were talking under water. That started the permeant hearing damage and it was contributed to over the years and not at the age of 60 I really need hearing aids and will probably be checking into it soon. When hunting, mainly deer these days, I keep a pair of the ribbed rubber ear plugs that are on a string hung around my neck. When I get ready to shoot I pop them in my ears. I have a friend that uses the Walker Game Ear that is like a hearing aid that fits in the ear and he really likes them. They are a bit $$ but I guess in the long run they are worth it. Where I deer hunt in east NC it is usually so hot that I would sweat to death trying to wear the electronic muff type that shut down at the shot. I have those that I use on the range all the time. Oh! I did have the opportunity once to try the ear plugs that are non electronic that shut down at the shot. My hunting buddy had a 7mm Rem mag reamed out to 7 STW when the idea first came up. He had a muzzle break put on it and kept telling me about being able to see the bullet impact. He talked me into using it one afternoon. We were doing crop damage control at the time and shooting a BUNCH of deer. He gave me a pair of the ear plugs and the rifle and off I went. I was hunting out of a shooting house that day and had just got into the stand and out pops a deer. I quickly popped a round into the rifle and got on the deer and squeezed the trigger and BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. I had forgotten to put in the ear plugs. When that muzzle break and sitting in a shooting house it is a wonder it did not burst my ear drums. I did kill the deer but I did not see the bullet impact because I was grabbing my ears and about falling in the floor. To this day I HATE muzzle breaks. PS, Use some sort of ear protection. LOL

 

[nmbarta]

I'm 35 and grew up hunting and target shooting without hearing protection. Also spent too many hours sitting in an old Case 1070 with shot muffler, so needless to say my hearings isn't very good. My hearing tests pretty good, but in a crowded room I can't tell what the person across the table saying, I can hear them, but it's like my hearing is blurry, I don't know how else to describe it.

I will not hunt with brakes because of that. I'm a bit selfish during archery season and go hunting alone or with a buddy or two, but come rifle season the wife and kids are with me all the time. They're just too dangerous imo.
It's a bit of an investment, but I'm purchasing a suppressor this year. There are definitely some down sides to them, but I think overall it's the best field hearing protection I can get, that also ensures that I won't be hurting anyone else around me.
I hope it works out.

 

[Lonewolf74]

Yes all my rifles have brakes on them too which does make it worse. I just don't know what happened this time around to make my ear pop and never pop back to normal.

I don't know if suppressed is the answer either a rifle can still be quite loud with one on. Either way that route isn't in my cards this year.

I like the idea of the electronic ear plugs to cut sound off once it reaches a certain level but there are plenty of reviews on Midway for those products that say they break or fail easily.

Maybe trying the non electronic ear plugs like the ones Sig Sauer makes is the route to first try...at least there only around 20 bucks.

 

[26Reload]

This is what I have on my neck while hunting....quick and easy to pop into ears.... ...also use them while using any loud noise tools..work or play....
I wear my electronics and ear plugs at the range...
But I also wear my electronics while watching tv....the higher pitch noises are gone from my ears....and always the constant ringing...but the ringing levels are always changing volume levels...
The fan noise flew out the door for me long ago....
Sometimes I hear the church alter bells ringing too....this is not such a good thing......

 

[Barrelnut]

I use Etymotic GunsportPRO electronic earplugs. Only regret I have, is not getting them sooner. You can wear them all day long. You can even forget they are in. You can hear normal conversation easily. They can also amplify surrounding sounds, if you want. They have a good assortment of eartips.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J5P8OGS/?tag=lrhmag19-20

 

[Andy Backus]

Len and I have been personally using SoundGear electronic ear plugs for about 5 years now and absolutely love them. They are similar to the ones mentioned above and you can leave them in comfortably all day so you are always protected.

It's now hard for me to imagine doing any type of gun hunting without them.

 

[machoking]

I use the same earplugs as 26reload. I hunted one year with a braked rifle without any hearing protection and to be honest, it's hard to get off a second shot when your bell is rung by the concussion wave.

 

[rlspahn]

I use the SoundGear same as Len and Andy, but I also carry a set of the Surefire Sonic Defenders. They provide passive protection, are comfortable to wear, and don't need any batteries. They reduce overall hearing levels slightly, but definitely take the sting out of my rifle shots.

 

[26Reload]

My "biggest" problem for stick inside type plugs is "very small" ear canals... So the soft inserts type I have to cut in a "diagonal half" to get them squeezed small enough to insert and still have enough to reshape to seal the ears......
I have tried cutting down some types with the flappy cones....didn't work....
At least the wrap aroundss press in far enough to help knockout quite a bit of the noise from guns and tools......
I would like to find a smaller headset to wear while watching tv though....

 

[BEEMAN]

I purchased the Sound Gear off this site. Overall I really like them. They do a good job off of sound reduction and are comfortable. One small issue was fixed promptly on warranty and shipped back to me before my upcoming hunt. Very good customer service.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Suppressor?

 

[Lonewolf74]

Thanks for all the replies gentlemen. I am gonna look closer at the sound gear ear plugs. They sound like the perfect thing but are they tough and reliable?