Good electronic ear protection under $100?

[FalconSolid]

I'm hoping to buy my first set of electronic earmuffs for shooting soon.
I'm the type that puts a fair amount of research into a product before I buy to ensure a good value, and that it fits 'me.' I'm okay with spending money when it's worth it, but I'm usually on a budget or try to keep things reasonable.
Many people on YouTube recommend the 3M Peltor Tactical Sport earmuffs. These seem like great ears, but are a bit steep for what I'm looking for right now. Keeping these in mind.
There are also a ton of positive reviews for the Howard Leght Impact Sport, as well as some fair criticism.
The Opsmen earmor M31 earmuffs are the other pair I'm eyeing at a decent price point. I haven't seen more than a couple reviews one way or the other, but these appear to be pretty good.
My question to the community, especially to anyone who owns either or both of these specific brands of ear protection is - which one gets the solid recommendation?

[cjd3]

I have an older pair of the tactical sport. I like them, but they don't stay on firmly enough when I've shouldered a rifle(EDIT: Especially prone). I bought a pair of custom molded hunting ear plugs (non electric) and I like them a lot for general range use. However, when a guy with an SBR or muzzle brake is next to me, I double up and put the peltors on over the ear plugs.

My opinion, if you are going to go out a lot, get a quality set like the Peltors, and have back up foams just in case. Just like eye pro, don't skimp. Buy once, and cry never since you can't replace your eyes and ears.

[alamo5000]

I think you need to take into account more factors.

For example I do several types of shooting (as does everyone here). Pistols, I love my SBR, but I also love prone shooting off of a bipod. Typically it's the latter that has given me trouble with certain muffs. Some muffs are big thick fat designs that don't lend well to my positioning when I shoot prone. When I get down there with my cheek and eye and all that if my muffs are banging around on the stock it gets annoying.

End of the story is make sure you get the right tool for the job. If you are like me your muffs can work for A and B but not so good for C. But if you get some for C it will work with A and B too.

I would say start with that and then narrow your choices down according to need and get some input based on your trial and error and your own weeding out process.

[GOST]

I would recommend not going budget on your ear pro. I use Sordin Supreme Pro X and to me they are one of the best shooting investments I've made. Most of my friends use budget electronic ear pro, and they will admit that there is a big difference between their's and mine. For me it is well worth saving up a little extra to get the desired ear pro.

[Jerry R]

+1 ... What Ghost said. And, welcome to WEVO.

[gatordev]

+2.

[Default.mp3]

If you have decent IEMs, you can try using this with your phone, along with passive muffs: http://www.essency.co.uk/gunshot-suppressor-android/

[FortTom]

I would recommend not going budget on your ear pro. I use Sordin Supreme Pro X and to me they are one of the best shooting investments I've made. Most of my friends use budget electronic ear pro, and they will admit that there is a big difference between their's and mine. For me it is well worth saving up a little extra to get the desired ear pro.

Funny, I just ordered a pair a couple of days ago. Left mine on the bench, and by the time I got home and realized it, I went back. Some lizard stole my freaking muffs. Some folks don't recommend it, but I use foam plugs with my muffs, too. GOST, did you steal my freaking muffs?[:D] $258 at Amazon w/free shipping, they're great but a little on the expensive side

I have some significant hearing loss from the MIL and some "factory ear" during my engineering gigs. GOST is right, I know they are a bit expensive, but you can't get that hearing loss back at any price. I also second his advice, and I don't think you can get a better value for the money. Some times saving money is not really a good idea, especially for eyes and ears.

One last thing, I don't know about anyone else, but when I started using electronic muffs, it took me a bit to get used to them, but not enough to cause any real concern.

FT

[GOST]

FT it may have been my wife, she got mine for me since I'm to cheap.

[FortTom]

FT it may have been my wife, she got mine for me since I'm to cheap.

Might as well keep them now, the replacements should be here today or tomorrow. [:D]

I bet you one thing though, if I have to tie them to my arm, I won't leave another pair at the range.:mad:

[Calico Jack]

Impact sports paired with sonic defenders.

[FortTom]

FalconSolid,

I realize that we all failed to recommend $100 or under electronic muffs, but it's not because we don't understand that people have priorities, and that also includes personal budgets. I think most of us can at least agree on that much.

I just don't want to see you get a pair of low end muffs, and then realize that they're really not that much better than a pair of $80 standard muffs. Then try them against a pair of premium muffs, and be let down, and also out $100 bucks for the cheaper pair, and will still want better muffs. That's all. I've made similar mistakes like that before. And sometimes I still pick the budget item, and they work beautifully. I don't think so much for electronic muffs though.

I think few others recommended the more wallet friendly versions, because we've all tried different price ranges, and were getting true and measurable value for our money when coughing up the dough for the "premium" electronic muffs. I know for me it was worth the extra cash, and if you can squeeze it out will be well spent, and you'll appreciate the difference. For a much better explanation of what I tried to say, go here: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=msa+sordin+pro+x+review&view=detail&mid=8AEEB85A118CCAA9589D8AEEB85A118CCAA9589D&FORM=VIRE

Good luck, no matter what you choose to do.

[:D]FT

[FortTom]

FT it may have been my wife, she got mine for me since I'm to cheap.

Cool. I hope the head and crab lice I had crawled into the electronics, which results in a short and flames shooting in your ears!...[:D]

[poimen]

I like my Howard leights. They fit pretty good and they do a good job.


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[FalconSolid]

FalconSolid,

I realize that we all failed to recommend $100 or under electronic muffs, but it's not because we don't understand that people have priorities, and that also includes personal budgets. I think most of us can at least agree on that much.

I just don't want to see you get a pair of low end muffs, and then realize that they're really not that much better than a pair of $80 standard muffs. Then try them against a pair of premium muffs, and be let down, and also out $100 bucks for the cheaper pair, and will still want better muffs. That's all. I've made similar mistakes like that before. And sometimes I still pick the budget item, and they work beautifully. I don't think so much for electronic muffs though.

I think few others recommended the more wallet friendly versions, because we've all tried different price ranges, and were getting true and measurable value for our money when coughing up the dough for the "premium" electronic muffs. I know for me it was worth the extra cash, and if you can squeeze it out will be well spent, and you'll appreciate the difference. For a much better explanation of what I tried to say, go here: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=msa+sordin+pro+x+review&view=detail&mid=8AEEB85A118CCAA9589D8AEEB85A118CCAA9589D&FORM=VIRE

Good luck, no matter what you choose to do.

[:D]FT


Thank you FT and all of you for offering advice!
:P

[UWone77]

FalconSolid,

I realize that we all failed to recommend $100 or under electronic muffs, but it's not because we don't understand that people have priorities, and that also includes personal budgets. I think most of us can at least agree on that much.

I just don't want to see you get a pair of low end muffs, and then realize that they're really not that much better than a pair of $80 standard muffs. Then try them against a pair of premium muffs, and be let down, and also out $100 bucks for the cheaper pair, and will still want better muffs. That's all. I've made similar mistakes like that before. And sometimes I still pick the budget item, and they work beautifully. I don't think so much for electronic muffs though.

I think few others recommended the more wallet friendly versions, because we've all tried different price ranges, and were getting true and measurable value for our money when coughing up the dough for the "premium" electronic muffs. I know for me it was worth the extra cash, and if you can squeeze it out will be well spent, and you'll appreciate the difference. For a much better explanation of what I tried to say, go here: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=msa+sordin+pro+x+review&view=detail&mid=8AEEB85A118CCAA9589D8AEEB85A118CCAA9589D&FORM=VIRE

Good luck, no matter what you choose to do.

[:D]FT

Well said FT.

[KW900A]

I like my Howard leights. They fit pretty good and they do a good job.


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X2 on those, they work good around noisy machinery for me (discbine and a open cab tractor running 2100 RPM). Never used them shooting however, I think I paid $125 for them a few years ago.

[Slippers]

The howard leight impact sports have two issues for me: discomfort when wearing them for more than an hour and they don't seal very well around shooting glasses. I always had to double up with them unless shooting suppressed (in which case I'd rather wear surefire sonic defenders anyway).

I have a set of older sordins, and they suck. They're very comfortable, but the gel cups are fragile. After paying for a second set which didn't last for more than a few months, I gave up on them. The noise reduction is also worse than the howard leights, in my opinion. I also found them very hissy/scratching in terms of audio quality.

For the past year I've been using surefire ep-7 sonic defenders, which work for almost everything except muzzle brakes or when shooting under roofs or enclosed spaces. For over-ear I have a set of peltor tactical sports with the gel cups. They're not as "low drag" as sordins, but for $100 (muffs) + $40 (cups) they are very comfortable all day long, have great noise reduction, and the audio quality is an order of magnitude better than the howard leights. They're bigger, which may be an issue for some people depending on your physiology and cheek weld. I personally don't have any issues shooting prone with them, though.

[KW900A]

The howard leight impact sports have two issues for me: discomfort when wearing them for more than an hour and they don't seal very well around shooting glasses.

Maybe this also goes in the 'you get what you pay for' segment. They get uncomfortable for me after awhile with my sunglasses also, but I just accepted it as what happens when you wear earmuffs with something sandwiched under them. Do higher end ones curb that? If so, I may go shopping also. I'm coming up on that time of year with a lot of seat time, tis the season. Hell I still wear earplugs a lot since I can tolerate them for hours on end.

[Slippers]

Maybe this also goes in the 'you get what you pay for' segment. They get uncomfortable for me after awhile with my sunglasses also, but I just accepted it as what happens when you wear earmuffs with something sandwiched under them. Do higher end ones curb that? If so, I may go shopping also. I'm coming up on that time of year with a lot of seat time, tis the season. Hell I still wear earplugs a lot since I can tolerate them for hours on end.

In my experience, yes. My old sordins and newer peltors are very comfortable with the gel cups. No issues with my glasses. Some of this will depend on the frames of your glasses, too. My shooting glasses are very slim at my ears.

Part of the reason the howards are uncomfortable (for me) is that they are very shallow, so they press on my whole ear slightly, rather than only the cushion around my ear.

[KW900A]

I will have to consider a set of gel cups then, I wear Oakley flak jackets, which are bulkier on the side than most metal frames. But they take the abuse too, the day to day abuse and the I-left-them-within-reach-of-two-toddles abuse [BD]

[FortTom]

I will have to consider a set of gel cups then, I wear Oakley flak jackets, which are bulkier on the side than most metal frames. But they take the abuse too, the day to day abuse and the I-left-them-within-reach-of-two-toddles abuse [BD]
KW,

Gel cups, at least on the Sordins are absolutely great! I wear different glasses for different conditions, Oakley, Wiley X, and even my wire frame personal transitions corrective lenses (They meet the OSHA standards of the previous two). The Sordin PRO X Supremes come with them already installed. The difference in comfort, as to the issue of having your glasses being shoved into the side of your head, is amazing. I can't speak for other brands of muffs, but I'd bet that you'd have similar results. For me they eliminate the most annoying aspect of wearing muffs.

FT[:D]