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Hearing protection - narrow ear canals


Genghis
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I’ve always used over-ear protection for shooting, but this last year I’ve really increased the amount of shooting I’ve been doing. Sometimes the over ear types interfere with my gun mount so I’d like something more compact.


I tried the below but I have really narrow ear canals and even the smallest size tips that they provide won’t hold the plugs in my ears.

 

https://www.beretta.com/en-us/shooting-gear/safety/hearing-protection/beretta-mini-headset-comfort-plus/

 

Does anyone here have a similar issue and have any recommendations?

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I used to have some Emtech ones where they pour some stuff in your tab to make a mould to fit perfectly.  Only thing is that your tabs get bigger and they drop out. OK if you want to get new ones regularly. 

They were good though

https://www.emtechlaboratories.com/hearing-protection👍

2 minutes ago, harrycatcat1 said:

I used to have some Emtech ones where they pour some stuff in your tab to make a mould to fit perfectly.  Only thing is that your tabs get bigger and they drop out. OK if you want to get new ones regularly. 

They were good though

https://www.emtechlaboratories.com/hearing-protection👍

https://www.emtechlaboratories.com/hearing-protection

Edited by harrycatcat1
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I have Emtechs that are 30 plus years old and still fit without falling out. As to their current efficiency, I do not know. I am deaf now but the cause of that was having 2 strokes, thankfully deafness was the only thing that it left me with.

I now have electronic CFG's. I too have narrow ear canals and I keep getting a whistling from the left earplug. They have been back once and were fixed, but after a couple of uses, the whistling is back. If I turn down the volume level, it stops, so I will live with it. The only other issue is having narrow ear canals, any 'in ear'  plugs will push down and compact any ear wax. I therefore have to regularly put olive oil in both ears to keep the wax level down.

I have had Cens electronic, which I no longer use. Their after sales service is rubbish compared to the after sales of CFG. Talking to the Emtech guy at the Game Fair, they are still going strong and supply a lot of Police Forces with their ear plugs for use by Police motor cyclists.

Edited by Westley
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45 minutes ago, JohnfromUK said:

Same for me.  Still fit perfectly as far as I can tell.  Not cheap, but been a wonderful 'investment'!

I paid around £60 for them, they ARE cheap compared to Cens, which for me, were NOT such a wonderful investment  !

Edited by Westley
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2 minutes ago, Westley said:

I paid around £60 for them, they ARE cheap compared to Cens, which for me, were NOT such a wonderful investment  !

Not sure what I paid for mine as it is so long ago, but your approximately £2 per year (so far) is fantastic value!  I guess I paid around the same.

I have tried active 'over ear' (MSA Sordin) which are great standing with others, but not (for me anyway) whilst actively shooting as they are hit by the gun stock.  Never tried active 'in ear' because I have been perfectly happy with the Emtechs.

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3 hours ago, JohnfromUK said:

Not sure what I paid for mine as it is so long ago, but your approximately £2 per year (so far) is fantastic value!  I guess I paid around the same.

I have tried active 'over ear' (MSA Sordin) which are great standing with others, but not (for me anyway) whilst actively shooting as they are hit by the gun stock.  Never tried active 'in ear' because I have been perfectly happy with the Emtechs.

I need amplified sound as I have come to realise that one of the side effects of being deaf is.............you can't hear  !

Cue the "PARDON, WHAT, ITS 2 O'CLOCK  brigade   !  🙄

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6 hours ago, JohnfromUK said:

Not sure what I paid for mine as it is so long ago, but your approximately £2 per year (so far) is fantastic value!  I guess I paid around the same.

I have tried active 'over ear' (MSA Sordin) which are great standing with others, but not (for me anyway) whilst actively shooting as they are hit by the gun stock.  Never tried active 'in ear' because I have been perfectly happy with the Emtechs.

I now use Jack Pyke electronic ear defenders but have never caught them on the stock 🤔 

It must be just me that my ears have got bigger 😳😳😳

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Thanks all for the replies. I had been considering CFG. I’ll be going to the shooting show in February so if they accommodate my size then I might just book in then.
 

22 hours ago, Ultrastu said:

Yeah .spit on the ear plugs they will slip in your ear holes much easier  .

Gross ,  I know but it works  

Even doing this it’s hard going to get them in. I really do have freakishly narrow ear canals - it‘s a family trait unfortunately.

 

9 hours ago, Westley said:

The only other issue is having narrow ear canals, any 'in ear'  plugs will push down and compact any ear wax. I therefore have to regularly put olive oil in both ears to keep the wax level down.

This is good advice, thank you. I’ve always had problems with wax build up - I have to use a silicone tool to ‘unscrew’ wax out of my ear because cotton buds caused me so many issues.

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1 hour ago, Genghis said:

Thanks all for the replies. I had been considering CFG. I’ll be going to the shooting show in February so if they accommodate my size then I might just book in then.
 

Even doing this it’s hard going to get them in. I really do have freakishly narrow ear canals - it‘s a family trait unfortunately.

 

This is good advice, thank you. I’ve always had problems with wax build up - I have to use a silicone tool to ‘unscrew’ wax out of my ear because cotton buds caused me so many issues.

I have a small screw top plastic container with some Vaseline in. A slight smear on the ear plugs prior to fitting and you will be pushing them back from the opposite side  !   😄

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I have narrow ear canals too but thought it were just me. Only time i wear in-ear plugs (bluetooth head phones really) is when i watch videos through my phone in Wetherspoons and dont want to disturb others. I just put a little saliva on them and screw them into my ears. A friend uses similar for shooting and smears vaseline on his.

For shooting i always wear old fashioned clam style.

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Emtec  for me. Bought many moons ago. Paid £60, so similar age to above users. I dab my finger on my tongue and smear on the plugs. 
If you have had plugs custom made they are going to fit your ear canals, however narrow. They are (obviously) the same shape as your ears, so one right hand thread, one left hand thread. You cannot put them in the opposite ear.

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On 07/08/2023 at 07:43, London Best said:

Emtec  for me. Bought many moons ago. Paid £60, so similar age to above users. I dab my finger on my tongue and smear on the plugs. 
If you have had plugs custom made they are going to fit your ear canals, however narrow. They are (obviously) the same shape as your ears, so one right hand thread, one left hand thread. You cannot put them in the opposite ear.

No-one has mentioned the Napier Pro range. I think that the Pro9 retails around £30. They are obviously much cheaper than any electronic ‘in ear’ or over ear device and are non intrusive when it comes to gun mount. I’ve found them better than any other ‘can’ type as they cut out all noise and for someone who wears glasses, this can be a problem with a complete seal over the ears.

They are great when shooting alone, but a disadvantage if one needs to converse or hear other sounds such as bird song etc.

Just a thought.

OB

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