In ear electronic ear pro?

bearcat2

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Jul 13, 2009
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Been looking at in ear electronic ear protection for hunting. I guide and need to be able to hear other people and game while still hopefully protecting my ears some from clients who invariably have a muzzlebraked magnum rifle. What has anyone around here used and what are your thoughts on them? I would like to be able to still have directional hearing if possible.
Anybody use the 3M Peltor EEP-100? Read quite a few good reviews from people using them at the shooting range, but not much of anything on people using them hunting.
 
No clue on the 3M ones, but I have read good reviews as well. I've used the Walker Silencer (non rechargeable ones) for the last 2 years. Really like them for shotgun hunting, but they lack when shooting a braked rifle. They somewhat protect against my braked Dasher, but one shot out of my 300 WSM and I had to grab the muffs. The new silencer 2.0s may be better? If you get the 3Ms let us know how they do!
 
I tried a set of SoundGears in ear aids..the one resembling real hearing aids...if you have hearing loss as bad as mine..they won't work..only adjustable for people that DONT have hearing problems/loss...three stages..
My audiologist had a standard low cost set if aids set up for me..foamed my ear canals..all electronics completely adjustable..set to your hearing needs..
I've shot with mine several times..guns goes off..maybe third volume..but I can hear the bullet strike the rock pile at 400 yards..
If you've ever cracked an egg for breakfast..i crack mine on edge of ss sink..i can't hear the egg crack..fast loud noise reduction..adjustabke to below most market aids..mine were $750..use them for work also...
Hammers hitting anything are reduced to nothing after initial contact..then sound comes back up slowly..
Again..these are a standard hearing aid with electronics..but work
 

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Well I broke down and ordered a pair. So when I get back from guiding elk hunters at the end of the month I'll give an update.
 
Well here is the update. I don't really like them, but they work. They come with a bunch of different tips, but the foam ones are the best hearing protection so I used them. Apparently my ears are not the same because they fit my left ear fine but I find they are hard to put in my right and not as comfortable. As far as sound goes, when you first turn them on you hear a slight electronic hum, that you don't hear after thirty seconds or so (I assume it is still there but my brain tunes it out). Sound is clear and natural, and high is MUCH louder than I can normally hear, clients walking behind you are always loud, with these they sound like a herd of buffalo. Low is noticeably but slightly lower than my hearing while medium is about normal. I can tell direction with them just fine. They are absolutely useless in the wind, they make little foam wind filters for them but I didn't have any so I can't say how they work. They feel like ear plugs in your ear so since I have worn ear plugs so much over the years my brain thinks I shouldn't be able to hear stuff, but I can, which takes a little getting used to. As hearing protection they work fine, not quite as good as good quality foam plugs, but I had a 13 year old kid fire a muzzlebraked 30-06 while resting over my shoulder and it never felt loud like it would hurt my ears. Also shot my 7mm STW with the muzzle brake a half a dozen times with them in, cuts off instantly but you can hear people talking a split second later, and like I said, maybe not as good as really good plugs or muffs, but I believe good enough to protect your ears, better than some muffs I have put on and certainly better than nothing or trying to stick your finger in your ears while looking through the binos to see a hit. Which is what I would be doing without these. As long as there is no wind I wore them, if the wind picked up much I had to take them out, other than that and the right one not being completely comfortable I have no real complaints. It just doesn't feel natural to have plugs in your ears and be able to hear. Oh, and it is hard to tell how far away something is when you have them on high, everything sounds loud and close. I feel like the noise of clients walking is made extra loud and I can't hear anything over it, but that is probably in my head.
So in conclusion, like I said in the beginning, I don't really like them, but they work and I will continue to use them as long as there is no wind.
 
I tried a set of SoundGears in ear aids..the one resembling real hearing aids...if you have hearing loss as bad as mine..they won't work..only adjustable for people that DONT have hearing problems/loss...three stages..
My audiologist had a standard low cost set if aids set up for me..foamed my ear canals..all electronics completely adjustable..set to your hearing needs..
I've shot with mine several times..guns goes off..maybe third volume..but I can hear the bullet strike the rock pile at 400 yards..
If you've ever cracked an egg for breakfast..i crack mine on edge of ss sink..i can't hear the egg crack..fast loud noise reduction..adjustabke to below most market aids..mine were $750..use them for work also...
Hammers hitting anything are reduced to nothing after initial contact..then sound comes back up slowly..
Again..these are a standard hearing aid with electronics..but work
I have mild hearing loss and a slight amount of ringing in my ears from a miss guided youth. I never wore hearing protection while hunting until I got my 338 Lapua AI with muzzle brake. Now I'm deathly afraid to touch that off without hearing protection but it is always a scramble to get plugs in my ears when a quick shot happens. So I tried the Sound Gear instant fit hearing protection. I liked the sound amplification and noise reduction but they were not comfortable to me. My ear canals are not normal and I had a hard time getting them to fit properly. So I bit the bullet and went to my ENT and ordered the Sound Gear custom molded digital platinum. The fit is perfect and I can wear them for hours without a problem. They have 4 modes and a volume control dial on each ear so you can adjust based on your hearing. I can drive around the woods with my window down and barely notice wind noise at all. I have shot a .45, .410, 17HRM and a 300WSM without a brake and they have worked great for me. The real test will be touching off the Lapua with muzzle brake. At $1200 they are painful on the wallet but so far for me it has been worth the comfort and ease of mind not having to worry about getting plugs in during the heat of the moment.
 
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