By the author of Dear Diary: It’s Me, Jessica
I wanted to take a moment to discuss how important our hearing is. We often take it for granted but the other day I was doing some home repairs requiring the use of power tools. Hearing protection has come a long way from the simple foam ear plugs or ear muffs. I have those too, but I also have some more advanced hearing protection. We will start with the simple and then move on to the more complex.
The Simple
The old standby, foam earplugs
They are cheap, $19.99 for 200 pairs. They do not require any energy source. You can put them in your pocket, keep extras in your car, range bag, BOB, etc. The downside is it can be difficult to hear others talking, other sounds you might want to hear, like that big ten-point buck coming up the game trail from behind you, or that mutant zombie biker with the under-the-barrel-mounted chainsaw (yes, someone made one of those) coming around the corner. Also, be sure to keep your ears clean.
There are also the silicone earplugs
Like the foam earplugs they are cheap at $24.95 for 100 pairs. I have a few pairs of these.
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Slightly more expensive at $9.77 for a single pair. These are better for people who do not like putting things in their ears. It is debatable if they are more comfortable than the earplugs. They can become uncomfortable in hot conditions. I have a pair of these that I put on when using power tools.
Like earplugs, while they work well, you cannot hear other sounds you might want to hear.
What I consider a step up from simple earplugs or earmuffs are SureFire EP4 Sonic Defenders. They use a passive noise reduction system that allows for low-level hearing but filters out louder sounds. I have used these and have three pairs. They work. And they are very comfortable. On my way home from the shooting range, in the car, I only then realized I still had them in my ears.
A Little More Complex
Electronic ear muffs
They have electronic microphones that allow for normal, conversational hearing but once a decibel threshold is met, the microphones actively cut off within two milliseconds. I could hear a chipmunk outside, then clap my hands and the sound of the clap was cut off. You can still hear range commands, talk with others and still protect your hearing. I have a set of these. There is a hiss like noise from the microphones. They require 2 AAA batteries that were included.
A few years ago, I got a set of these. They operate in the FRS frequency band but are not very powerful. The company says it has a three-mile range. Maybe under ideal conditions, flat terrain, no hills, no trees they might. But they work well at the shooting range, or if you had to communicate with someone on the second floor of a home. Like the other electronic ear muffs allow for communication but cut off louder noises. They, too have a slight hiss. Might be a little bulky, but they are reasonably comfortable. It features a 2000 MAH rechargeable lithium battery, providing approximately eight hours of use.
Complex
Bluetooth ear protection
Last year I got a pair of these. They work! Very comfortable to the point I did not remove them when the range went cold. No hissing. Bluetooth compatible. I used them while on the rowing machine, connected to my computer, watching a movie, and could hear over the rowing machine with no problems. I also used them connected to my phone, and people on the other end could hear me clearly. I have not tried to use them with the phone and at the range at the same time. The rechargeable battery has 15 hours of runtime. Not cheap at $160! But I do feel they were worth it.
What about you?
These are the hearing protection items I have personally used. What hearing protection have you used? What is your favorite? What features do you look for in hearing protection?
Let’s discuss it in the comments section.
About 1stMarineJarHead
1stMarineJarHead is not only a former Marine, but also a former EMT-B, Wilderness EMT (courtesy of NOLS), and volunteer firefighter.
He currently resides in the great white (i.e. snowy) Northeast with his wife and dogs. He raises chickens, rabbits, goats, occasionally hogs, cows and sometimes ducks. He grows various veggies and has a weird fondness for rutabagas. He enjoys reading, writing, cooking from scratch, making charcuterie, target shooting, and is currently expanding his woodworking skills.
6 Responses
Great overview 1stMJH!
I have recently purchased a pair of Loop Quiet 2 Ear Plugs and a pair of Loop Engage 2 Ear Plugs and have been pretty impressed with their performance. Comfortable and non electronic. Not cheap cheap but not too expensive and they periodically go on sale. I am trying to protect my hearing as best I can–even wearing foam at the movie theater and always at concerts of any kind. Tempting to wear at weddings….and church but that’s for a totally different reason ; }
Cautionary tale–My mom was an audiologist so I was taught early on to always protect my hearing. My kids took the lessons to heart, my husband of many years–not so much. Concerts before we met, concerts after we met. Later on, working with power equipment and mowing/tractor for hours. His use of hearing protection was spotty at best. So now, he is experiencing the early phases of hearing loss. It’s a little humiliating for him (and a number of his friends in the same boat!).
Keep up the good work–these articles are great for forwarding!
I wear hearing aids and I worry about them dying if we get hit by an EMP. ID DEFINITELY go for the Bluetooth aids and keep them in a faraway bag. I should probably be keeping my hearing aids in a Faraday bag at night too. However there’s no clue when we will get hit and I’m deaf without them
I use these when working next to my generator. It can be tiny but it’s loud as heck.
I have sonic defenders for hunting, besides protecting the ear i also hear a lot better. The two batteries are worth the bother and if you are handy a cable with a powerbank and a voltage regulator it is an asset….
Hearing is a thing underestimated, you knew the value once it is gone….
Would be able to suggest headphones that cancel out the BOOM BOOM BASS crap music?? I live in an apartment and I want something to block out that crap.
I wear earplugs. Do you think if I can’t find good noise cancelling headphones, are there headphones that go over earplugs????
Been using these for eight years.