Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters In Ear Hearing Protection Recommendations

I couldn't decide in which forum to post this topic and figured this was as good as any. I am seeking any in-ear hearing protection device recommendations. My desire isn't to have this thread drift off into "well I use foam" and "I use passive" or "I use a combination of foam and passive at the range" ad infinitum. I would specifically like personal recommendations based on personal experiences of individuals with respect to in ear hearing protection only.

I will start from my own experience. I have and have had for a couple of years the Walker's Silencer (non blue tooth). I am not impressed. When they do work, I am impressed. However, after owning about half a dozen pairs of these I have come to learn that my multiple exchanges of these has probably not been because of "faulty" devices; rather, it has been because they devour batteries like a bum devours a baloney sandwich. So far, based on what research I have done, I am leaning towards the Otto Noizebarrier

I am going to be buying replacements as I am done with these Walkers. I would appreciate the input from others as to either what works for them/you or which you believe are brands to avoid. Thanks in advance.

Interested also. Tired of muffs and plugs.

I Have been using Walkers Game ears with the behind the ear adjustment with custom molded earplugs for about 8 years.They work very good and the battery is a common hearing aid battery that seems to last almost 5 days and are cheap to buy.The only down side is the ear pieces are kind of clunky.I wish I could find something that just fits in the ear and works.

I have used the Etymotics and the Peltor tactical electronic "earplugs"

The ETY are the way to go, by a good margin.

The Peltor tactical (the kind that recharge in their own little container) are... fine. Not bad. Way more wind noise than the ETY and the sound reproduction is slightly strange both in terms of tone (you don't hear all sounds equally) and in terms of sound direction. Hard to explain but basically the apparent direction from which sounds are coming from is noticeably changed vs not wearing plugs

The Etymotics are initially annoying because you have to put in and take out the batteries to turn them on and off.

Still, the ETYs are the way to go. Hardly any wind noise and very accurate sound reproduction in terms of apparent direction and tone, etc.

The only annoyance for both is if you have to talk to someone for a long time, they sort of magnify the sound of your own voice in your ears in a strange way.

The ETYs work the way you "think" they should. They really are just like not wearing plugs at all, except for the annoyance if you're talking a lot. I guess that's why they're $300.