Hearing protection, what do you use?

So I go to the range at least twice a month. I normally wear hearing aids when I'm not wearing hearing protection. I use electronic hearing protection that will allow me to hear things but will also cap the loudness. I've tried several and trying a set of these axil Xcor currently in my shop. I like that they enhance sound level as I need hearing aids. But when I shut them off they don't seem to be blocking the noise the advertised 29 (maybe the min 19 ) decibels. So that's what it appears. I will have to take to range to confirm, side by side. These were very expensive for what I thought.

What do you use? I appreciate the input.

Allen
 
I've got about 3/4 of a box (100 ct) of these. While I was still working, I drove a motorcycle to work and back, a little over 80 miles a day.
The engine sound didn't bother me, but the wind whistling in my helmet did.
I've got 30+ years of using these ear plugs

I use (still do when on the freeway) these, they work really well. The best I found in the foam style plug, after trying many.
I...should use them when shooting a couple of my guns. Like my Lelya.


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Mike
 
I've got about 3/4 of a box (100 ct) of these. While I was still working, I drove a motorcycle to work and back, a little over 80 miles a day.
The engine sound didn't bother me, but the wind whistling in my helmet did.
I've got 30+ years of using these ear plugs

I use (still do when on the freeway) these, they work really well. The best I found in the foam style plug, after trying many.
I...should use them when shooting a couple of my guns. Like my Lelya.


View attachment 374986

Mike
I don't like them at the range as they don't seem to give me enough protection. I will wear them under something like this at the drag races when the nitro-funny cars run.
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Allen
 
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A lot of the guys at the range have some type of electronic ear protection and able to talk a normal tone of voice when the range is hot. I like this. If im wearing straight ear plugs I cannot hear the range master when he asks me something until I pull one plug out, of course that's when someone just happens to shoot. 😵‍💫

I have a set of walkers just like the set you have, but they are wearing out. I get a lot crackling noise now when I have hooked up to my phone, for the fx chronograph. Part of the reason for a search on a replacement. This unit is also great when looking thru scope. No head gear to get in the way.

Allen
 
I don't like them at the range as they don't seem to give me enough protection. I will wear them under something like this at the drag races when the nitro-funny cars run.
View attachment 374987

Allen
Some...are better than others !!
Plus, are you inserting them "properly"?
MOST people that I see using foam ear plugs...DO NOT insert them properly !!
So, there IS that.

I also attend the NHRA drag races. And yes, this particular brand, version (33 dB reduction), does a VERY good job of quieting a Nitro engine. Been there, done that !

If you use the lesser plugs, that only reduce the sound by 10 or 15%, then yes, I agree. These ARE different.

Mike
 
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For the air rifle, I have not been wearing ear protection. It’s not that loud.

For the PB revolver, I always wear old-fashioned ear muffs (Peloti?) whose sound reduction is rated to be 30 dB. I tried a set of modern electronic muffs that I couldn’t stand even wearing a few minutes at home because they had hard pressure points. No adjustment would make it better, so I returned them.

Another obvious difference was that the slim-profile modern ones were rated to reduce sound by much less, 20 dB if I remember correctly. I could immediately tell even without looking at the numbers. I decided that the selective sound reduction was not worth the tradeoff of less absolute sound reduction. YMMV.
 
I have a profound hearing loss, and I wear hearing aids. If I'm at the range alone, I don't use any protection. All my air rifles are suppressed, and the dB level is less than harmful. If others are shooting, I wear muff type protectors. Depending on the noise level, I sometimes wear them over my hearing aids, and sometimes I remove them. If I'm shooting a CF rifle or shotgun, I use both solid rubber plugs and muffs.
 
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I don't like them at the range as they don't seem to give me enough protection. I will wear them under something like this at the drag races when the nitro-funny cars run.
View attachment 374987

Allen

I have those in olive drab, I wear them when hunting, they really help amplify game but remove the sharpness of a gunshot.
 
I have a profound hearing loss, and I wear hearing aids. If I'm at the range alone, I don't use any protection. All my air rifles are suppressed, and the dB level is less than harmful. If others are shooting, I wear muff type protectors. Depending on the noise level, I sometimes wear them over my hearing aids, and sometimes I remove them. If I'm shooting a CF rifle or shotgun, I use both solid rubber plugs and muffs.
That's one thing I'm trying to prevent is profound hearing loss. I think the majority of my hearing loss is from working in a enclosed concrete shop. So not only is the the noise loud it bounces constantly. I just started going to the range and the gun shots are loud. Currently when I shoot I have the walker razor xv. Then I also have the ear muffs sitting on the table so I can put those over the razors when I'm looking at the gun, loading the mags, talking to someone, anytime where my cheek is not against the cheek rest.

Allen
 
For the air rifle, I have not been wearing ear protection. It’s not that loud.

For the PB revolver, I always wear old-fashioned ear muffs (Peloti?) whose sound reduction is rated to be 30 dB. I tried a set of modern electronic muffs that I couldn’t stand even wearing a few minutes at home because they had hard pressure points. No adjustment would make it better, so I returned them.

Another obvious difference was that the slim-profile modern ones were rated to reduce sound by much less, 20 dB if I remember correctly. I could immediately tell even without looking at the numbers. I decided that the selective sound reduction was not worth the tradeoff of less absolute sound reduction. YMMV.
I just realized why these new ear buds are so different. Most of all the ear buds and ear muffs listed have a sound reduction of 25 dB or way less. My new ones have a rating of 29 NRR. My old walker razor xv ear buds as cheap as I got them are rated at 31 dB noise reduction rating! I did not think 2 db was noticeable. And here (hear 👂?) I am trying to replace them with something better. So far they prove to just be more expensive. 🤪

One of the big pluses with the Razor xv is that it has a useful app that you can download on your phone for the headsets (ear buds) even though there are buttons for the headset that are easy to forget, the app has a very easy to use screen that you can adjust the volume, auto off time (this part was buggy on mine), removal of ambient noise, as well as 4 modes of hearing, enhancement, universal, clear voice, high frequency boost, and power boost.
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Maybe I should just think about buying a new pair of razor xv to replace the old ones. But first I will give these Axil xcor a try at the range to be sure i dont like them. I maybe just not using them correctly?

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Allen