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Which brand of electronic hearing protection do you use while hunting?

Len Backus

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I developed tinnitus several years ago when I left my protection in the truck and took a shot at a coyote without protection. I have been wearing electronic muffs but find them a little bulky and they get pushed up by the stock. Not too bad at the range but I want something different for hunting.

I am looking for a compact in-the-ear type. Any ideas? What do you use?
 
I developed tinnitus several years ago when I left my protection in the truck and took a shot at a coyote without protection.

google ear candles. yes I tried them years ago and it worked. But I need to do it again. Tuning supercharged nitro engines, and hand gun matches got the best of my ears.

good luck:)
Jeff
 
I ordered a set of "SoundGear by La Pierre", made by Starkey Hearing Technology, a very established hearing aid company. This unit is very tiny, fits in the ear canal in the same way a good set of non-electronic plugs would fit. The sales guy suggested the "industrial" labeled version rather than the "hunting " labeled one. He subtly suggested that the amount of sound increase with the hunting version may not be what most of us would prefer (too loud). I never tried the "hunting" version but like this "industrial" sound value quite well.
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Most often in recent years I wear non-electronic plugs when hunting but only at the critical moment. And if I'm hunting with a partner, the plugs reduce the ability to communicate.

I tried them for fit and comfort and was pleased. In fact I wore them for a couple hours and by that time had forgotten I had them on.

Then this morning I went out to my friend's place to try a shooting test. He was quite interested since he had tried one of the 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.

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, we'd 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 I fail the first try.

Anyway, the shooting test today was a big success and my quest has ended! I can't wait to hunt coyotes with them in a couple weeks. Imagine you park the truck at your first set of the day and get your rifle and other stuff ready. I insert my 2 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.

These are so good that I'll probably decide to sell them in the LRH Store. I should be able to sell them for much less than the price shown below.
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This "quest' experience is exactly how some of the best LRH Store products have come to be in the store.
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Batteries last a week and are very cheap.

By the way, NRA has licensed the La Pierre name and NRA gets a cut of sales from the manufacturer. That's a good thing, especially these days.
 
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I've been using the Peltor Tac 7 electronic muffs for over 10 years and although they're big, heavy, clunky, and ugly, I've never had a moment's trouble with them even once and batteries last a couple of years with well over 40 days continual use per year most of the daylight hours.

I'd MUCH prefer something that went in the ear that I could wear ALL the time but haven't found anything that seems to get the job done reliably and seal off all the noise like muffs.

I'm eager to hear (pun intended) what others find.

Bob
 
I've been using Etymotic EB-15's for a year or so and they work great - comfy enough to wear all day and you can hear normal volume sounds quite well.

Spend the $$ and get your local hearing aid shop to mold some custom earmoulds and you'll never know they 're in you ears - I wear mine on airplanes to cut out the engine whine.

The first time I shot with them I though something was wrong with my rifle because I was hearing all the little mechanical noises without the muzzle blast!
 
Len,

I too experience Tinnitus, 24/7, ever since a grenade exploded next to my head, not to mention repeated exposure to close quarters .45 /10mm, M4, M-60 and the occasional M-2 without hearing protection, ahhhh the ignorance of youth! :)

I now find that irregardless of the type of hearing protection / enhancement that I now wear, the tinnitus is still present and as you say obnoxious.

My question is, have you found any type electronic hearing protection that works with the tinnitus?

Thanks,

Doc
 
Mike, thanks!

Doc, no hearing device stops it for me but mine is pretty mild, fortunately.

I just want to keep it mild. Thus my quest for good electronic hearing protection that I won't forget back in the truck. This is so easy and comfortable I'll always use it.

Len
 
Wish I could say the same Len.... Those dang crickets seem to follow me everywhere I go... :(

Let us know how you like the La Pierre devices... I'm needing a permanent solution rather than toting those big Tac 7's around for the rest of my life...
 
Same here. Concussion # 3 left me with nerve damage 10 yrs. ago. Thr nerve damage can be repaired, but it's a 50/50 chance it will work. So i've been using the big and bulky Peltors. Someting more compact would be nice.
 
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