top quality electronic ear muffs

[Twilk73]

I have the old style 3m with gel they are low pro enough for a rifle. 
 

I mostly use the otto in ear plugs though when shooting pistols and I love them. All day comfort. 

Edited June 21 by Twilk73

[ReconNav]

On 6/17/2024 at 7:07 PM, Sarge said:

FYI, do way more research before spending hundreds on muffs. Sordins are often labeled as not good enough. They have one of the lower NRR's.

+1

 

The Sordins are lower profile for use with helmets, and set up for comms.  Smaller size means less hearing protection.

 

The SEAL/Delta team wannabes see their heroes wearing Sordins, pay extra for less protection, and then swear up and down they are the greatest, despite the objective evidence they provide reduced hearing protection.

 

Sordins only offer 21dB NRR, while Peltor 500s, and Walker XCELs, are at 26dB NRR.

 

There are some that want to argue that the Sordins perform well at certain frequencies, but again if you compare that data, at the various frequencies, to the larger sets, like the Walker's and Peltors already mentioned, the smaller Sordins under perform those.

 

If you're on a SWAT team, and need ear pro for use with a helmet and comms, pay for the Sordins.  If you're in a dirt pit shooting pistols at a match getting something with better protection.

[ReconNav]

On 6/17/2024 at 7:17 PM, RoundEye said:

 

The Peltors are good. If you don’t want to spend the funds on the 500s, looks at the 300s, or the 100s.  Maybe you don’t need Bluetooth or what not.  The gel cups are to primarily keep your head and ears cool as the standard foam cups can get pretty hot.

The 300s not only give up Bluetooth, but offer slightly lower NRR.  The 100s offer much lower NRR, at only 22dB.

 

Also, gel cups aren't just about  comfort, they also provide a better seal, so improved protection, if you use eye pro that doesn't push out the seals.

 

As a person who has hearing loss, and tinnitus, from my time in the military, I'm always looking for the best performance out of my earpro, so its gel cups on all my earpro.

Edited June 22 by ReconNav

[ReconNav]

On 6/17/2024 at 8:45 PM, shred said:

Peltor Tac 500's are great, until they snap at the headband, which they will, usually just out of warranty.  Check some of the reviews on the Peltor site as well as Amazon, it's a known flaw.

Yep, they should have stuck to the headband they use on the 100s.  I was very happy with them, until they broke, making them unuseable.

 

I've had H-L Impact Sports, H-L Impact Pros, Peltor 6S, MSA Sordins Supreme Pro Xs, Peltor RangeGuards, Peltor 100s, Peltor 500s, and now Walker XCELs.  All upgraded to gel cups, except the H-L models, as no one made gel cups at the time.

 

For pistol shooting, with no need for a helmet and comms, the Peltor 500 and Walker XCEL, both with gel seals, are the best.  Hopefully the Walkers last longer than the 500s.

 

Now that gel seals are available the H-L models, I should probably try the Pros again.  If I could get a decent seal, which wasn't happening with the stick foam ear cuos, they would offer more protection.

 

 

[moparnut88]

looking hard at the peltor tact 500 other than the breaking of the head gear any other issues? gel pad upgrades im sure are needed. the amps look awesome but out of the budget at the moment but ill def keep them on my radar for the future. seems like the tact 500 have a little better reviews than the sordins other than the headgear.

[ReconNav]

If you get the Peltor 500s, or 300s, get a headband cover.  Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/OPSMEN-Headband-Advanced-Tactical-Accessories/dp/B06WD8Z6BG/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sgoGQbq6yf-YGO79vbJk4fk2t55F4ZYTO2jBPNbfHIIxt_fwiE-P5YoAyI33VBTvS7kMPCTnquFgDXqZgJL9ibh4r-a6kZz3zhY5yLmNJ63jtuepSIoBImXUvYW4IQ-ry9Qtz66CH2auQjehR8pniezFLDYn6kfhiXDKL25L_BEskiMRw1xmes5I8IkB632o7ENt5MFex5tZP37uIgbWRw.gfBL0n0WRjfvdqXHe9pkMYNfSoaZRxMGAASBSilZZzo&dib_tag=se&keywords=OPSMEN&qid=1719099580&sr=8-9

 

The hard plastic headband can quickly get uncomfortable.  I had a cover similar to that one, for mine, and it was a huge improvement.

 

These are gel seals I used, and then transferred to a set of passive muffs, after the 500s broke:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B087D6P26P?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

 

 

Edited June 22 by ReconNav

[moparnut88]

1 hour ago, ReconNav said:

If you get the Peltor 500s, or 300s, get a headband cover.  Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/OPSMEN-Headband-Advanced-Tactical-Accessories/dp/B06WD8Z6BG/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sgoGQbq6yf-YGO79vbJk4fk2t55F4ZYTO2jBPNbfHIIxt_fwiE-P5YoAyI33VBTvS7kMPCTnquFgDXqZgJL9ibh4r-a6kZz3zhY5yLmNJ63jtuepSIoBImXUvYW4IQ-ry9Qtz66CH2auQjehR8pniezFLDYn6kfhiXDKL25L_BEskiMRw1xmes5I8IkB632o7ENt5MFex5tZP37uIgbWRw.gfBL0n0WRjfvdqXHe9pkMYNfSoaZRxMGAASBSilZZzo&dib_tag=se&keywords=OPSMEN&qid=1719099580&sr=8-9

 

The hard plastic headband can quickly get uncomfortable.  I had a cover similar to that one, for mine, and it was a huge improvement.

 

These are gel seals I used, and then transferred to a set of passive muffs, after the 500s broke:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B087D6P26P?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

 

 

yep those are what ive already got in my cart. i also found some metal headband replacements for the comtacs but some listed them to fit the tactical 500 also? ever seen that? they were at least metal. thnks again!

[ReconNav]

50 minutes ago, moparnut88 said:

yep those are what ive already got in my cart. i also found some metal headband replacements for the comtacs but some listed them to fit the tactical 500 also? ever seen that? they were at least metal. thnks again!

I have not seen those.  Can you post a link? I might try to salvage my old 500s, if those might work.  Thx.

[moparnut88]

Yes I’ll try to find them and post a link. They were on Amazon listed for the comtac but also said they fit the tact sport? I haven’t been able to verify that but the clip that attaches to the ear piece looked similar. 

[IHAVEGAS]

22 hours ago, ReconNav said:

+1

 

The Sordins are lower profile for use with helmets, and set up for comms.  Smaller size means less hearing protection.

 

The SEAL/Delta team wannabes see their heroes wearing Sordins, pay extra for less protection, and then swear up and down they are the greatest, despite the objective evidence they provide reduced hearing protection.

 

Sordins only offer 21dB NRR, while Peltor 500s, and Walker XCELs, are at 26dB NRR.

 

There are some that want to argue that the Sordins perform well at certain frequencies, but again if you compare that data, at the various frequencies, to the larger sets, like the Walker's and Peltors already mentioned, the smaller Sordins under perform those.

 

If you're on a SWAT team, and need ear pro for use with a helmet and comms, pay for the Sordins.  If you're in a dirt pit shooting pistols at a match getting something with better protection.

 

Couldn't agree more. I like the sordins for shooting outdoors with relatively quiet guns, for indoors or matches with open guns and some long guns, no way. 

[ReconNav]

8 hours ago, moparnut88 said:

Yes I’ll try to find them and post a link. They were on Amazon listed for the comtac but also said they fit the tact sport? I haven’t been able to verify that but the clip that attaches to the ear piece looked similar. 

Having messed around with lots of different earpro, probably more than is rational, I can see the confusion.

 

Peltor has ear pro called the Tactical Sport (https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/v000324556/), which uses a more traditional headband than the Sport Tactical 300 & 500.

 

While most of them use very similar attachments to the earcups, there are often dimensional differences that make it impossible to use a headband from another set.  I found that out when I tried to cannibalize the headband from a set of cheap Peltor passive earpro, and the clips wouldn't fit the posts on the 500 earcups.

 

ETA: The RangeGuard headband clips will fit on the Tac 500s, but I didn't want to destroy one of my loaner headsets, to fix the Tac 500s.  I got an excellent deal on some Walker XCel 500s, from MidwayUSA, and have been using those for several months. 

Edited June 23 by ReconNav

[moparnut88]

17 hours ago, ReconNav said:

Having messed around with lots of different earpro, probably more than is rational, I can see the confusion.

 

Peltor has ear pro called the Tactical Sport (https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/v000324556/), which uses a more traditional headband than the Sport Tactical 300 & 500.

 

While most of them use very similar attachments to the earcups, there are often dimensional differences that make it impossible to use a headband from another set.  I found that out when I tried to cannibalize the headband from a set of cheap Peltor passive earpro, and the clips wouldn't fit the posts on the 500 earcups.

 

ETA: The RangeGuard headband clips will fit on the Tac 500s, but I didn't want to destroy one of my loaner headsets, to fix the Tac 500s.  I got an excellent deal on some Walker XCel 500s, from MidwayUSA, and have been using those for several months. 

Replacement Headband for Peltor Headsets with A44 microphone posts (srstactical.com)

 

wonder if these fit then? is it just the plastic welding that comes apart on the tact 500? if so could a good adhesive be used? like panel bonding adhesive used in the auto industry?"

[OldRunner]

On 6/21/2024 at 9:39 AM, generjoe said:

Pat Rogers 

Pat Rogers was the guy who steered me to Sordin's as well. They've been my go-to for years, for both work and shooting. I've used a bunch of different over the ear type's and I always go back to the Sordin's. I do like the Peltor and pro ears. I received a pair of the Safariland at work and the sound clarity in them was terrible. That's a sample of one, but I did check a few other people's and didn't notice any improvement.

 

Almost anytime I'm using them from May to mid-October, it's in temperatures over 110 deg's and they all get uncomfortable quick. The Sordin's with Gel earcups are definitely my favorites. If the environment is really loud, I'll use foam earplugs underneath. I'd like to use the in ear electronic ones, and avoid all the sweat in the ear cups, unfortunately, I can't get any to reliably fit/stay in my left ear.   

 

We were blessed to have known Pat & your post reminded me to order another set of Noisefighter Sightlines gel pads to replace a pair I mangled on my DEHP Sord Pro-Xs. 

[shred]

7 hours ago, moparnut88 said:

Replacement Headband for Peltor Headsets with A44 microphone posts (srstactical.com)

 

wonder if these fit then? is it just the plastic welding that comes apart on the tact 500? if so could a good adhesive be used? like panel bonding adhesive used in the auto industry?"

I re-glued a set of Tac 500's after they broke and they lasted a little while longer, but it wasn't a real fix and they broke again.

[ReconNav]

11 hours ago, moparnut88 said:

Replacement Headband for Peltor Headsets with A44 microphone posts (srstactical.com)

 

wonder if these fit then? is it just the plastic welding that comes apart on the tact 500? if so could a good adhesive be used? like panel bonding adhesive used in the auto industry?"

Those might fit, but that's a pricey way to go.  You can often get complete Walker's XCEL 500BT sets, on sale, for about that price.

 

I hit the range after work, and realized I had never checked to see if the headband clips on the passive set of 3M earpro I use when shooting solo would work with the Tac 500s.  So I checked when I got home, and sure enough they do.  

 

This is the set I tried:  https://www.amazon.com/3M-90565-4DC-PS-Pro-Grade-Earmuff/dp/B01MXYJ2QP/ref=mp_s_a_1_3_pp?crid=112YUT1F7XCCM&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.VtRJT9LQDL8N6BKGE7_JI39KGgWmZZDSjCXDF3cXvHh3vKjz1plp49Mci5f8IRnziD0dAXARB4KlG_gurK7C2Hm2owNSclBuWM6PtesR__LuJY7bZoeuf4L8Pjes-996pJ0sJB7-xoXpTZWHgj1AoTyFlosKt79S0hBn0kTQGM6ivr1_1R0pQjIJW6wWMVXp9qTURRjP4t17wyuGPrq5SQ.bKdu1hVcfvaIfd8aEUeOMCNlcMEhqdW0XFC34eXhVJQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=3m+hearing+protection+ear+muffs&qid=1719273520&sprefix=3M+hearing%2Caps%2C421&sr=8-3

 

You could buy a set of those for less than half the price of that heaband, and just use the headbanc , and toss the earcups.  I Mau do that with the 500s that have been collecting dust since the headband broke.

[moparnut88]

59 minutes ago, ReconNav said:

Those might fit, but that's a pricey way to go.  You can often get complete Walker's XCEL 500BT sets, on sale, for about that price.

 

I hit the range after work, and realized I had never checked to see if the headband clips on the passive set of 3M earpro I use when shooting solo would work with the Tac 500s.  So I checked when I got home, and sure enough they do.  

 

This is the set I tried:  https://www.amazon.com/3M-90565-4DC-PS-Pro-Grade-Earmuff/dp/B01MXYJ2QP/ref=mp_s_a_1_3_pp?crid=112YUT1F7XCCM&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.VtRJT9LQDL8N6BKGE7_JI39KGgWmZZDSjCXDF3cXvHh3vKjz1plp49Mci5f8IRnziD0dAXARB4KlG_gurK7C2Hm2owNSclBuWM6PtesR__LuJY7bZoeuf4L8Pjes-996pJ0sJB7-xoXpTZWHgj1AoTyFlosKt79S0hBn0kTQGM6ivr1_1R0pQjIJW6wWMVXp9qTURRjP4t17wyuGPrq5SQ.bKdu1hVcfvaIfd8aEUeOMCNlcMEhqdW0XFC34eXhVJQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=3m+hearing+protection+ear+muffs&qid=1719273520&sprefix=3M+hearing%2Caps%2C421&sr=8-3

 

You could buy a set of those for less than half the price of that heaband, and just use the headbanc , and toss the earcups.  I Mau do that with the 500s that have been collecting dust since the headband broke.

thats good info. it makes sense to share parts for cost from a manufacturing standpoint. maybe that will help others fix up there old ear pro. thnks for the link and info! i have got my set of tact 500 and gel pads ordered. supposed to be here thursday. if so ill use them in my local match that evening on the indoor range thatll be a good test for them

[ReconNav]

11 minutes ago, moparnut88 said:

thats good info. it makes sense to share parts for cost from a manufacturing standpoint. maybe that will help others fix up there old ear pro. thnks for the link and info! i have got my set of tact 500 and gel pads ordered. supposed to be here thursday. if so ill use them in my local match that evening on the indoor range thatll be a good test for them

I'm sure you'll like them.  Also, you will probably get lots of use out them before any problems with the headband.  I went a little over three years, of heavy use, with mine, before the headband broke.