I need to maximize my hearing protection,

[Holliday89]

I wear Pro-Ears promag plus that the web site says is NRR33

I also wear custom molded ear plugs that are around 30 to 33 NRR.

Giving me around a NRR of 63 to 66.

The custom molded plugs are from

www.Earinc.com

1-800-525-2690

they can help you find a local provider in you area.

[Greg Bell]

Big_Kahuna

I'll trump your NRR32 with these NRR33's

NRR 33dB-Highest NRR available. THE WORLD'S SOFTEST EARPLUGS. Self-adjusting foam provides low pressure with excellent attenuation. Dermatologically safe foam is non-irritating to the skin.

I do plan to start doubling these up with my Pro-Ears

Edited October 2, 2008 by Greg Bell

[Flexmoney]

Don't forget the part about...making sure your mouth is closed. For real.

[austinkroe]

Don't forget the part about...making sure your mouth is closed. For real.

In addition to it keeping the noise level down it also prevents you from looking silly in action photos. Two for one kind of thing.

Don't forget the nose too. The eustachian tubes connect your nasal cavity to your ears. Ok, so plugging your nose and your ears is completely unreasonable but I was just trying to make the point that sound waves get to your eardrums from more places than your ear canal.

[yoshidaex]

Online article regarding double ear protection

in short, ear muffs on top of foam ear plugs will net you an additional 4 db of NRR of the highest rated NRR device you have.

7 db NRR if you have a custom fitted ear plug.

don't be fooled into thinking a NRR 30 ear plug and a NRR 30 ear muff will net you a NRR of 60.

[big_kahuna]

Big_Kahuna

I'll trump your NRR32 with these NRR33's

NRR 33dB-Highest NRR available. THE WORLD'S SOFTEST EARPLUGS. Self-adjusting foam provides low pressure with excellent attenuation. Dermatologically safe foam is non-irritating to the skin.

I do plan to start doubling these up with my Pro-Ears

OK Greg,

I'll see your NRR 33's and raise you NRR 34's

the manufacturer boldly states that these are the World's Finest Earplugs

Their ad copy states: "Rated NRR 34, and blended from the purest beeswax, cotton and lanolin, this advanced soft-moldable ear plug forms to and seals your ear canal each time you insert it, to give you [ your own ] Personal Custom Fit that Blocks-Out { FAR MORE SOUND } than any other ear plug can!!!"

Disclaimer:

This is not an endorsement, I haven't used these beeswaax/lanolin/cotton earplugs. In fact my post only proves that I have basic familiarity with Google search and have a sense of humor. I have used the lame-@$$ pathetic NRR32's that got trumped... and they seemed to work pretty good.

[rvb]

Don't forget the part about...making sure your mouth is closed. For real.

In addition to it keeping the noise level down it also prevents you from looking silly in action photos. Two for one kind of thing.

Don't forget the nose too. The eustachian tubes connect your nasal cavity to your ears. Ok, so plugging your nose and your ears is completely unreasonable but I was just trying to make the point that sound waves get to your eardrums from more places than your ear canal.

You want him to close his mouth AND put plugs in his nose? HSMITH seems like a perfectly nice fella, why are you trying to kill him?

Might be ok for those turn-n-burn classifiers but you GOT to breath sometime on those long field courses. You're just cruel!

-rvb

[HSMITH]

Thanks guys.

Hiro, I was aware of the very limited effect double hearing protection provides but that is great information to get out there. It sure would be nice if 30db nrr and 30 db nrr made 60 db nrr but it isn't even in the ball park and we wouldn't be having this discussion if it worked that way.

Flex is making a good point about the mouth being Open, I need someone to video me from downrange to see what I am actually doing because I have no idea Not a big deal as long as they hold perfectly still, seems those are the targets that give me the most problems hitting Any voluteers? Pays good, a couple Miller Lites at least.....

Two more matches this year, I will shoot both in Open and suffer through it as my 6" Limited gun is visiting a friend, 5" guns just don't cut it anymore and the new Production gun I picked up is brand new to me (and I am straight LOL).

Thank you all for your efforts to help and keep spirits up. This really is a great place!!

[Jeff686]

Remember that dB are on a base 10 log scale.

3 dB is actuall 2x (double) the sound pressure level

Going from 30dB to 33dB protection, you've actually doubled the blocked sound.

As stated above in a previous post, when you double plug, you don't add the dB, but you have doubled your protection!

[Flexmoney]

Closing the mouth puts ya at breathing thru the nose. Breathing thru the nose...might fog the glasses.

So, at some point, you might have quit breathing thru your nose to keep from fogging the glasses (consciously or not).

I guess we can't get away from talking about glasses here (fit to the face and how the ear pieces interface with the muffs).

[JThompson]

H, You using the Pro Mag Plus? There are several plus Dims only the Mag Plus has a NRR-33.

[HSMITH]

In ear plugs are 33 rated, my Dim + ears are 28 rated I think.....

[JThompson]

In ear plugs are 33 rated, my Dim + ears are 28 rated I think.....

You could go to the NRR-33 Pros, but I'm not sure it's going to make much dif for you. I understand where you are coming from... I getthe same from 50s. I found out I was flinching with each shotand it was like asmall violent spasm that gave me an instant headache starting at the basil skull and then moving up. I even got some nausea. Is it possible you have the same issue?

Edited October 6, 2008 by JThompson

[HSMITH]

Not that I am aware of.

[SharonAnne9x23]

it is a combination of things. I wear custom molded ear plugs. 33db earmuffs, large glasses, a hat or visor and i keep my mouth shut. the glasses and hat/visor deflect sound impulses away from the face reducing bone conduction. Of course the muffs must fit well but the temples of your shooting glasses must be thin or flat so as to not break the muff seal to your face.

The Peltor Bullseye III looks to be their best. I have not used the blue reusable plugs but they look interesting.

Has anyone tried the Bose active sound dampening muffs? They supposedly put out a reverse of the incoming sound wave to cancel it out.

[6-shot]

Howard you might try some custom molded plugs ,I know they helped me . My hearing is pretty bad after 15 yrs in construction and too many years of shooting with no hearing protection (hunting). A friends wife is an audiologist(sp) and she made us custom fit plugs and they seemed to be better than the foam disposible ones. If you can't find someone to make you some try a safety products store you know hard hats, safety vests ,safety glasses and such ,they may be able to tell you where to get them made. Hope you find an answer to your problem.

Scott

[shred]

I find how well the ear cups seal over my glasses temples is far more important than 2 or 3 NRR points. I also went with passive muffs since the active ones still sounded like they were letting a lot of sound in, even if they weren't.

[Ms. Kitty]

My .02 -- Check with your ENT....My ENT has an Audiologist on staff who recommended Insta-Mold Ears. She made a mold of my ear, much like the "Ear Lady" you see at local matches, and then the "Ears" are made out of soft silicone from that mold. Because the finsihed product is smaller than "the conventional ears" (for lack of a better word) made at the matches, it allows for a better seal when used with "muffs." IMO

Insta-Mold Silicones

Insta-Mold manufactures two kinds of "on-the-spot" silicone impression putties called "Original" and "FeatherWeight."

The "Original" material is specifically marketed for quick earmold production and is designed to be used within our recreational/industrial accounts. It cures as a result of mixing drops of catalyst into a portion of putty. It creates a finished product that upon removal from the ear, can be coated with our Insta-Seal Koter immediately. This material provides excellent attenuation (NRR 30) and water repellence.

The "FeatherWeight" material is specifically marketed for earmold production within a clinical setting such as a medical office or hospital. It cures as a result of mixing equal portions of two types of putties. It is very durable, floats, and can be coated with our Insta-Seal Koter 2-3 hours after the mold is removed from the ear. If you work in a clinical setting or do not require a quick turn-around time, we recommend the Insta-Mold "FeatherWeight" material. (NRR 29)

Both room temperature cure silicones are resistant to shrinkage and can be boiled or frozen without concern of losing their memory once an earmold is produced. They have fantastic intrinsic properties which are reinforced with the highest level of Hydrophobic (water-repelling) Siloxane groups. The net result is greater water repellency and water protection which cannot be compared to any other available silicones within the marketplace!

"Insta-Mold's Heat-Curable silicones are sold through hearing aid companies and ear mold labs throughout the world. Many of these labs also use and distribute Dur-a-Sil Equal, a specially formulated ear impression material for manufacturing specialty ear molds and hearing aids.

With the ability to market these silicones in a variety of viscosity, specific gravity, Shore 'A', tensile strength, elongation, tear strength and/or color, we add a degree of uniqueness and identify ourselves as the only silicones which are custom formulated, manufactured and designed within one facility. We can even make the silicone change colors due to body or climatic heat, and/or "glow-in-the-dark."