Ear protection

[Cosd]

What do you guys use?

 

I know the electronic ones are probably the best but I just don't fancy wearing them.

 

Anyone use the plug type? Are they any good?

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Howard-Leight-Reusab...id=p3286.c0.m14

[Catamong]

They can be uncomfortable to wear after they've been in your ears more than a few minutes, and no plug however well made offers the same level of protection as ear muffs, as the noise always seems to "leak" down the side of the plug because the fit is never perfect.

 

Muffs have a couple of extra benefits, they keep your ears warm in Winter, and the metal band that goes over your head offers some protection against falling clay fragments.

 

Cat.

[Nial]

Muffs have a couple of extra benefits, they keep your ears warm in Winter, and the metal band that goes over your head offers some protection against falling clay fragments.

 

 

You're also less likely to forget to put them on.

 

I've got a pair of these which are so good I forget I've got them in...

 

http://www.molevalleyfarmers.com/pd5_SHOOT...EFIRE-VALVE.htm

 

Yesterday I shot 50 cartridges, went and got another 25 then afterwards realised my ears were ringing.

 

I'd forgtten to put them back in.

 

 

Nial.

[THEINVISIBLESCARECROW]

Foam plugs.

Earsoft36, Superfit36, Superfit33.

 

Have a look at this

 

http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/ind...showtopic=68659

 

When your job requires the best, when you shoot & ride a m/bike & have been looking for the best ear protection since th early 70's then you will know the answer.

Going deaf is a slow & permanant thing.

Choose wisely or learn to lip read.

 

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xmS3LgfdT7E

[THEINVISIBLESCARECROW]

They can be uncomfortable to wear after they've been in your ears more than a few minutes, and no plug however well made offers the same level of protection as ear muffs, as the noise always seems to "leak" down the side of the plug because the fit is never perfect.

 

Muffs have a couple of extra benefits, they keep your ears warm in Winter, and the metal band that goes over your head offers some protection against falling clay fragments.

 

Cat.

For constant industrial impulse noise I use Peltor muffs, far too large for shooting though, not found anything to touch them.

I allso use earplugs with them. Given the choice of muffs or plugs I'll go plugs (quality ones not rubbish)

Did you realise muffs if there not good enough act as a sort of echo chamber for noise that does get through.

Think of a shotgun fireing 70,000 carts in an 8hr shift then multiply x24.

If you work in noise you find the best very quickly before it's too late.

[Admiral Von Tirpitz]

I wear no plugs for rough shooting, but foam plugs from Boots for clay shooting, I cannot get on with proper ear protectors, they just get in the way. However a lot of people say that I don't hear that well, so it could be the reason. I can still hear what I want to hear though.

 

But I would recommend proper protection rather than foam pads, they are not ideal, unless you like saying pardon?

[THEINVISIBLESCARECROW]

I wear no plugs for rough shooting, but foam plugs from Boots for clay shooting, I cannot get on with proper ear protectors, they just get in the way. However a lot of people say that I don't hear that well, so it could be the reason. I can still hear what I want to hear though.

 

But I would recommend proper protection rather than foam pads, they are not ideal, unless you like saying pardon?

 

 

Foam pads ?

Without those foam pads I would of totaly lost ALL of my hearing within 5 years.

Do you understand how noise damages your hearing & about different frequencies & there effect & how noise travels & lots more.

A lot of people say you don't hear that well but you hear what you want.

Ummm, it won't be long before you need an hearing aid.

Quite a few of my fellow workers now rely on hearing aids, I have tinitus, luckily I know what I'm talking about.

And before you smirk about tinitus, I've kept my hearing after 35yrs of total noise abuse, I'm not lucky, I'm not stupid either.

[Cranfield]

http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/ind...showtopic=66542

[JonnyR]

Hi,

 

I quite like being able to hear so I have spent some money on;

 

Sordin Pro X muffs - nice low profile, great sound, long battery life and a waterproof battery chamber. downside is they are dear - in excess of £150 so about the cost of 1000 shells. Good value in my opinion. Had some Peltors - didn't last 12 months . Sordin's are superb, Great on the game field as well as clays. A farmer friend of mine as so impressed he bought some and we all know what farmers are like for spending money - he must be down to his last £XX Million! He uses them wen watching the telly, cos he so deaf!

 

In addition I had some Green Leopard custom moulds made, not electronic but have the same valves as Sonic IIs. I can wear them all day even when it is sunny and too hot to wear the Sordin's, which is why I bough them. All in all spent about £220-£230.

 

Like most things, do your research, buy the best you can afford and they should last. Once you're deaf that's it, no going back. Most of the old boys I shoot with are pretty bad but not necessarily down to shooting - tractors, combines, chainsaws etc etc.

 

cheers, Jon.

[Cosd]

OK, firstly thanks for the info so far.

 

I'm going to ask a real silly question and please ignore my ignorance; I will reiterate, out of choice I would rather not wear full size headphone/earmuff type protectors, just a personal preference no other reason. Am I missing something because I don't understand? If you push something in your ear that blocks the ear canal (ear plug protectors), won't that protect you from the shotgun noise/damage? The more dense the more protection?

 

People who wear ear protection in their jobs don't all wear the ear muff type or am I wrong?

[libs]

I have been told my specialist inner ear surgeon who operated on my ear drums around 8 years ago that it will be highly unlikely gunshots could damage my hearing. Apparently the scaring left by his handy work has made my eardrums stronger and less willing to submit lound noise! So thoese foam ones, as i do get tempory tinitis(spallingzplsease) shooting without for too long. and they have no effect on mount!

[THEINVISIBLESCARECROW]

Your ears work in a combined way for you to hear, noise damages little hairs, they lay flat with loud noise & slowly stand back up, hence after a bit of ringing in you ears your hearing returns to normal.

NOT !!!

Damage is slow & painless, your hearing goes bit by bit, frequency by frequency.

You allso hear by vibration, in more than 120db & wearing thick gloves i can cool hot metal tongues & hear the water boil through vibration.

The one hammer I work on hits around 70,000 blows a shift & each of these emit over 120db's + multiply that by 24 hammers.

Some doctors & ear specalists, ear defender sellers know all about hearing loss simply because they read all about their job & look into damaged ears.

Have a read, the techy bits on the sides of ear plug box's, what frequencies they supposidly protect, verry worrying. I've tried some SNR 39 plugs, only tried them once, according to the blurb they were the best.

I really do smile at some of the talk about hearing protection.

What is sold in the high street may be verry good protection but I ask myself one question.

Are they liable for damages if you go deaf through impulse noise, do you stipulate the protection is for gunfire & will your protection protect me from deafness & hearing loss.

Get it in writeing a guarentee to protect from gunfire, impulse noise.

Why do industry supply earplugs, why do they supply cheap throw away plugs, why do they not save a hell of a lot of money by supplying reuseable plugs.

Another question & I wait eagerly for an answer from an expert.

Outside haveing a fag or just on the sarnie break away from noise I leave my plugs in & muffs on, I can have a normal conversation, talk a bit loud but natter reasonably normall, how can my protection cut out all the noise yet I still hear normal levels of noise such as speach.

I know why some guys remove their plugs, poor hearing through hearing loss & they think the plugs are blocking out noise so to talk normally they remove them, they don't fit them properly to start with.

Whatever plug or muff you use fit properly & use every time you fire your gun.

[Cranfield]

Anyone thinking of live quarry shooting with the large "ear muff" type protection, should try plenty of fast gun mounting first, from all angles (whilst wearing them).

I was always hitting mine with the gun, which is why I wear "in the ear" protectors.

 

"Ear muffs" are fine for premounted shooting.

[Ferret Master]

Really count myself lucky that the shape of my head seems to mean that I never bang the stock on my ear defenders while mounting.

 

FM

[THEINVISIBLESCARECROW]

Have a look on youtube, there's a few ear plug // hearing protection vids to help you choose.

Here's one of them.

 

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=cw3GTSoKeCE

[Radders]

As a trainee Ear Nose and Throat surgeon i'm impressed with the level of understanding people have here.

 

Fact is that noise induced hearing loss is no joke.

 

The other day my shooting instructor caught me balacing my gun under my arm pit whilst trying to put my earmuffs back on.

He said "how much did that gun cost you"

"over a grand"

"well you wouldn't want to drop it for some £20 ear muffs"

 

he recommended some in ear ones fitted for your ears as you can put them in one by one.

Not sure about those

 

Noise reducing ear muffs seem the best idea and as someone has said they keep your ears warm in winter and you can wear them over a flat cap.

 

Once again - hearing loss is no joke.

[sodit]

Have a look at the "Howard Leight Impactâ„¢ Sport Earmuff" electronic earmuff from www.cabelas.com store in the states, I have a pair and they are very good. I also use the pro 9s from napier in the hotter weather and they are good as well. Look a bit like a cyberman but being deaf is no joke. Also from what I understand its better to wear muffs as noise is absorbed behind the ear as well, but possibly a bit of a moot point as you have a sodding great cannon going off resting against your cheek!!