Is our hearing protection working?

July 2022

For many people, not as well as it could be. Unfortunately, most shooters don't wear their ear pro the way it's designed to be worn. If a company tests its product and reports 32 decibels of noise reduction, we can assume they test it at its best – when it's worn correctly. If an in-ear plug isn't inserted well, or if muffs are worn against a hat or glasses arms, it won't give the advertised protection.

Even when hearing protection is worn correctly, it's still not enough. The science is far beyond my ability to explain, but you can find expert descriptions of hearing protection Noise Reduction Ratings and how to calculate the actual noise reduction they provide, and you can find charts of what organizations deem safe based on decibel level and time. If you look at the OSHA and NIOSH information, I'm sure you'll be convinced, but the long and short of it is if we're not doing everything we can, our ears will one day ring permanently, and we'll diminish our ability to hear.

This is why each of my students and everyone I can convince wears double ear pro – in-ear plugs and muffs. Ear plugs should be the main hearing protection because it's harder to get good protection from muffs.

For comfort and possibly better hearing protection, some shooters get custom-formed in-ear protection. They're much more expensive up front, but for some people this will be a worthwhile option.

As silly as it seems that we might not know how to wear an ear plug, it's far less silly than we'll feel if we do it wrong our whole lives because we thought we knew.

roll correctly
pull your ear or your scalp
insert fully
test it

foam plugs

I prefer the 50-count jars of Mack's Ultra-Soft Foam Ear Plugs. I like the tan color because sometimes I wear them in public and prefer them not to be visible.

Pros:

Foamies offer great protection, and they can be very comfortable. They're also very inexpensive if you're sharing with friends.

Cons:

They're disposable because they get dirty. They take longer to insert, and many ranges have poor range safety that fails to consider that.

baffle plugs

I like the corded 3M baffled ear plugs because they're comfortable and fast. I use them when I plan to remove my hearing protection multiple times throughout an event.

Pros:

They insert very easily and quickly for fast protection. They last a lot longer and can be cleaned. They lend themselves to being worn around the neck to be inserted when ready.

Cons:

Baffled ear plugs offer some of the lowest protection compared to other types.

electronic muffs

Electronic ear pro has a speaker and a microphone in each muff, so you can actually hear better than with just your ears. The knob adjusts the volume and the noise threshold where it cuts off all sound when the outside noise level goes above it.

Pros:

The sound amplification allows you to hear as you normally would without any hearing protection, even while you're wearing double ear pro, so people can still communicate (between gunshots).

Cons:

Electronic muffs offer less protection than standard muffs, and they're more expensive.

Check out the tips about interfacing comms and ear pro

Upgrading to gel pads instead of foam adds comfort, a better seal, and more protection. See more info about products in Gear recommendations.

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