The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

After 23 years in the USAF and only having them mandate use of EP a couple years after I came in, my hearing is crappy at best.

I currently use foam EP, like I used in the military, but after a few hours of use my ears are sore. I'm in the market for something better, more comfortable, etc etc, plus I wish to protect what little hearing I have left.

Not looking for a headset, wore headsets for too long in the military, after a while it feels like your head is in a vice.

So looking for opinions and suggestions. What do you use and why do you like it etc.

I've got some sonic ear valves plugs that I've had 45 yrs. Real comfy. If I' am shooting pistols or lots of rounds I'll use the headphones. They are more protection.

These are mine custom fit so no pain.

ffuries wrote:After 23 years in the USAF and only having them mandate use of EP a couple years after I came in, my hearing is crappy at best.

I currently use foam EP, like I used in the military, but after a few hours of use my ears are sore. I'm in the market for something better, more comfortable, etc etc, plus I wish to protect what little hearing I have left.

Not looking for a headset, wore headsets for too long in the military, after a while it feels like your head is in a vice.

So looking for opinions and suggestions. What do you use and why do you like it etc.

Can't help you Mike, I can't tolerate anything stuck in my ear canal. I use an electronic headset purchased from Cabelas. It is nice having the volume control. With them on high, walking on leaves sounds like a bull elephant is trampling the landscape.

If you can find a brand named ‘Spark Plugs’ that’s a tie die looking color. Those are the best foamies. The custom fit ones are worth their weight in gold if you’re using them a lot. If it’s every now and then, then no. Muffs are best become uncomfortable after 15-20 minutes for me. Plus they get in the way when shooting rifles.

Talked to my ENT they go through DefendEar brand custom fit @ $160.00 or so.

https://www.earplugstore.com/custom-mol ... oting.html

WHAT???

millman wrote:WHAT???

That's what I said, concidering I just bombed a hearing test, I thought I misheard her........NOT!

I bought a "make-your-own" custom earplug kit at work for $7 on clearance several years ago. I found them in one of the pockets of my range bag after thinking I'd lost them over a year ago.

Midway has this kit, I believe this is what mine are:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/20991 ... b-silicone

These are the ones

Hearing loss is no fun, the last time I was checked while getting my new aids a few years back I still had about 30% left.
Love my hearing aids but can only wear them in the evenings when I'm home and on weekends. To loud at work and I tried using them during lunch time and I can't hear anything at all for a couple hours once they're removed. During times that I don't have them I read lips, after about 25 years you pick that up pretty easy. I haven't watched TV for the past 20 years except for a movie now and then using a head set. I also deal with severe tinnitus that my dad also fought all his life.
At the range I use a set of head gear like Steve mentioned with a volume control, if not I'm totally deaf and lost to what's going on around me. I don't like the head gear either and will order up some of this form to your ears that's been mentioned in this posting. Ebay is full of them pretty cheap.
Whatever you find use it or don't shoot at all. Take care of your hearing, I stress that to my son everyday while praying he never has to suffer with tinnitus in his life time.

I have custom molded ear plugs. Best thing ever. light, comfortable, and easy. And they weren't that expensive either.

Hearing protection?

Hell yeah I just turn mine off and it saves my hearing..

Looks a whole lot like mine Sonny, $4,000 worth of my hard earned money ...

Jbob wrote:Looks a whole lot like mine Sonny, $4,000 worth of my hard earned money ...

Mine were $3500 but workers compensation paid for them plus I get free batteries for life.

Sonny wrote:

Jbob wrote:Looks a whole lot like mine Sonny, $4,000 worth of my hard earned money ...

Mine were $3500 but workers compensation paid for them plus I get free batteries for life.

Mine $4,000 came out of my pocket but I'd give it again and probably will in the future. Son and I were heading to the range a while back and once we were finished shooting I went to the truck to put my aids in. That's when it hit me I'd placed the carrier on the bed side before leaving home. They hung on for the first half mile before falling off.... I found one of them that evening and then rain moved in so the second was lost forever. My Erie home owners insurance covered it and my doctor said he'd never heard of any insurance doing that before. My guess is they may have seen my 30 years with no claims and said lets cut him a brake.

Ten years on the railroad and twenty plus years in aviation have impacted my high frequency hearing. Ear plugs only do so much to protect ones hearing from the very loud sounds made by steam locomotives and diesel electric locomotives. In fact, eat plugs barely do anything in that environment. Aircraft engines really put out a lot of high frequency noise that only a proper noise canceling headset will block. David Clarks were effective but uncomfortable after a couple of hours. You’d have to take them off for a couple of minutes for the pain to go away. Wearing those was like putting your head in a vise.

awalker1829 wrote:Ten years on the railroad and twenty plus years in aviation have impacted my high frequency hearing. Ear plugs only do so much to protect ones hearing from the very loud sounds made by steam locomotives and diesel electric locomotives. In fact, eat plugs barely do anything in that environment. Aircraft engines really put out a lot of high frequency noise that only a proper noise canceling headset will block. David Clarks were effective but uncomfortable after a couple of hours. You’d have to take them off for a couple of minutes for the pain to go away. Wearing those was like putting your head in a vise.

Still have two pairs of DC headsets with the hush kits and extra thick ear pads (One of them is still in the box unused). Did have a ENC DC headset but someone relieved me of it during a deployment, never saw anyone with it. I was the only one in the unit with one. Everyone else had the ENC headsets by BOSE or standard DCs.

A lot of fire departments are now using aircraft style intercom systems with headsets to provide hearing protection and better communication between crewmen when on emergency calls.

Jbob wrote:Hearing loss is no fun, the last time I was checked while getting my new aids a few years back I still had about 30% left.
Love my hearing aids but can only wear them in the evenings when I'm home and on weekends. To loud at work and I tried using them during lunch time and I can't hear anything at all for a couple hours once they're removed. During times that I don't have them I read lips, after about 25 years you pick that up pretty easy. I haven't watched TV for the past 20 years except for a movie now and then using a head set. I also deal with severe tinnitus that my dad also fought all his life.
At the range I use a set of head gear like Steve mentioned with a volume control, if not I'm totally deaf and lost to what's going on around me. I don't like the head gear either and will order up some of this form to your ears that's been mentioned in this posting. Ebay is full of them pretty cheap.
Whatever you find use it or don't shoot at all. Take care of your hearing, I stress that to my son everyday while praying he never has to suffer with tinnitus in his life time.

I took an antibiotic about 4 months ago that resulted in tinnitus. It messed me up in a number of other ways as well. I typically have used Walker Razor Slim electronic ear muffs, but the ringing in my ears was louder for about 3 days after shooting using them. I think I'm going to have to step up the hearing protection. I sure don't want this ringing in my ears to get any worse than it no doubt naturally will over the rest of my life. I'm only 28.