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what ear plugs do you use?


joedodge

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I use the Flents Quiet Time foam ear plugs from WalMart. They are plenty quiet even when shooting my Open gun and are very soft and comfortable. Wearing muffs in the Virginia humidity was becoming very uncomfortable for me because I would sweat profusely under the muffs. I also do not like to wear muffs when shooting rifle or shotgun due to the cup contacting the stock and occasionally breaking the seal.

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I have used Foam, Military Surplus, Surefire and a few others, I now use the custom molded ones and will never switch back. I have two pair, one has the filter, one doesn't. The pair without was bought before the filters were available. I highly recommend them.

That said, if you are ROing certain open shooters you may want to wear muffs over your plugs.

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With just the plugs in, its still hard to hear. With electronic muffs and the filterede plugs I can hear fine and it really blocks the noise. Also I like the filters because with solid molded plugs, NO air gets in or out and that gives me a headache. That alone is worth the prices of filters to me

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With just the plugs in, its still hard to hear. With electronic muffs and the filterede plugs I can hear fine and it really blocks the noise. Also I like the filters because with solid molded plugs, NO air gets in or out and that gives me a headache. That alone is worth the prices of filters to me

Yup my reason too the plugs make my head feel stuffy without the filter

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I went with the molded plugs as well. No filter. They work very well on all but the loudest guns then I put non electronic muffs on. I like muffs when its cold as well. The plugs are great when its too hot for muffs.

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Joe I have a pair of the insta mold custom molded ear pugs. I purchased a set with filters in them and wear them under my pro ears. You can find them set up at larger shooting events.

Same here except I don't have the filters in them. I double up and use these under my Impacts. I can still hear fine with the combo for both SO'ing and hearing range commands if I'm shooting as long as the other person is close. Personally I prefer the extra quietness as it helps me concentrate better. Other people talking / laughing near the line is distracting to me.

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http://www.protectear.com/

I love mine. No need for anything above this unless you are firing your .50BMG with a muzzle break.

I see they don't have any prices listed on their website? What did you pay for them?

My First set was free, through WCB/OSHA as I travel into noisy construction sites. Full pop including hearing test is 130.00. If you have it on medical, the co pay of 50% makes it very attractive.

I use Vented Convertible's when shooting anything up to a .338 Bigger than that, And I go with the Non Vented for that little extra protection.

I like the custom colors. Purple for general purpose, and BLACK for blackout all sounds.

The best part about them is a perfect fit, no sweaty clammy ear cups in summertime (gross makes me want to puke) and total movement of your head independant of your body without losing the seal and effectiveness of your hearing protection. Which is something muffs cannot do.

I also use the vented on long drives/plane rides to reduce fatigue.

Edited by Got Juice?
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My wife made me go to an audiologist. She said that my favorite word was becoming "huh". While there I asked the doc about ear protection for shooting. He said that I should use both disposable ear plugs and ear muffs together. The explanation he gave me was that all sound is not sensed through the ear canal. Some is actually sensed from around just outside of the ear. Plugs of 22db rejection or greater were recommended and headsets of 28db rejection over the top of that. To insert the ear plugs I was told to roll them up as tight as I could get them, insert them all the way in, then pull them back away from the eardrum just so they were not touching. When I'm ROing I can't use both. But when I am just shooting I try to.

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Howard Leight Matrix (Matrices?): http://www.howardleight.com/earplugs/matrix

http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/noname4.html

Use 'em for motorcycling, too, because they allow the pressure to equalize through elevation changes, which didn't happen with the expanding foam plugs or the molded ones.

I use only these shooting non-Open outdoors. Shooting Open or indoors, I use 'em with muffs, normally Peltor Tactical Pros.

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A suggestion

Because ear canals vary you may have to try several brands of the disposable types to get a perfect fit.

I was able to have Howard Leight send me a mini tackle box with 12 different corded and uncorded plugs.

I implied that I was the safety officer at my company and...

Anyhow I settled on the Howard Leight Quiet® uncorded. NRR 26.

They are washable and reusable. They are more of a tapered silicone foam type rather than the compressible foam type [which I hate].

Once I found the kind that fit me I bought a case at Grainger.

Rifle I use both plugs and muffs.

Very comfortable for me. Some times I even sleep with them.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/HOWARD-LEIGHT-BY-SPERIAN-Reusable-Ear-Plug-5FV22?Pid=search

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