The Bottom Line
That's about how I feel about Shooter's Hearing Protectors: They help (and undoubtedly they help much more than cotton balls), but I don't like to use 'em, and they may be hard to get hold of when it comes time for removal.
Pros
- They help block loud noises, thereby protecting your hearing.
- Made of silicone, which is soft and long-lasting.
- Designed to "eliminate 'plugged-up' feeling" that some folks experience with other earplugs.
- They come in a nice plastic box with ball chain.
Cons
- I find them very uncomfortable.
- I can't wear them for very long before I must remove them.
- May be a little tough to get hold of to remove from your ears.
- They don't block loud sounds as effectively as other forms of ear protection.
Description
- Silicone earplugs designed to let your ears breathe and let in low-level sound while blocking sudden loud noises.
- NRR (Noise Reduction Rating) 18
- Silicone is soft and form-fitting.
- Comes with clear plastic box case and ball-type keychain.
- A low-tech (and battery-free) way to get high-tech results comparable to electronic earmuffs.
- Theoretically, low-level sounds will get past the internal diaphragm, but loud noises won't.
Guide Review - Shooter's Hearing Protectors Earplugs
Don't say "it's only a 22," or "I don't need ear protection for shotgun shooting." That's just plain silly, and it's a fact that any sudden loud noise (gunshot) can and will cause permanent hearing loss.
That said, it's always nice to be able to hear normal-level sounds in between shots. Many models of electronic earmuffs have been created to allow just that. But Shooter's Hearing Protectors are earplugs which attempt the same thing without batteries or circuitry. They are also meant to be more comfortable by keeping you from feeling "plugged-up."
Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way for me. I really wanted them to be wonderful... but they weren't.
My first impression, which recurred each time I used them, was of discomfort. They just don't feel good, and in fact they cause discomfort amounting to pain after just a short time.
They are meant to feel better than regular earplugs by allowing some ventilation, but I find other earplugs, especially disposable foam compress-and-expand types, to be much more comfortable.
The diaphragm designed to block loud noises is not always fully effective. And I sometimes had trouble getting hold of the earplugs to remove them from my ears.
In addition to the shooting range, I tried them at a rock concert. The sounds buzzing past the diaphragm were aggravating, and I traded them out for disposable foam plugs.
This is a well-made product of good quality, but in the end, I'd rather use earmuffs (electronic or not) or standard earplugs. I feel that muffs or regular plugs provide better protection while feeling much more comfortable.
- Russ Chastain
