Ear Protection

[Harty]

well got home from the station this arvo and i notice that my ears are ringing quite badly, i think it might be time to get some hearing protection, ive heard of some in ear electronic items that let you hear conversation and surrounding noise, but anything over a certain decibel they cut out, i thought they might be good in a hunting situation. does anybody use them or something similar?

i dont usually wear hearing protection, but today with three of us and plenty of rabbits about the ears definately copped a floggin.

[rangefinder]

Any protection is better than none and yes I had some for hunting that block out loud noise and let you hear low level noise which is vital to hunting sometimes and they were great.

[Zardez]

Just foam expanding plugs are fine, bout 30c each, could buy some in ear noise cancelling ones for about $200 or ear muff type with the >85Db cut out at bunnings for <$50

[Brendan Mc]

I have the leccy muffs when they are tuned on I can hear conversations 50m away and when someone shoots it cuts the noise out.

If you do get some make sure they are slim fits as some stocks will hit on the standard one's and it annoys the begeezus out of you.

Next set I get will be slim fits as the one's I have now hit the stock every now and then when I shoulder the gun, I use standard ear plugs for rifle shooting and the electric one's for pistol shooting, the electric one's are good on the shooting line as you can hear the RO no problem and then cut out the noise when shooting.

[len]

I have the camo model of these

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0037716228022a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCH_all&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&Ntk=Product_liberal&QueryText=walkers+game+ears&sort=all&Go.y=11&N=0&Nty=1&hasJS=true&_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.form23&Go.x=20

[The sloman]

The industry standard are made by Peltor they have many styles and models, if you do not want to rely on batteries have a look at Sure-Fires range of audible diaphragm models. I have used them with some good results thus far.

[MR243]

look in the SSAA magazine there are a pair of electronic ones for 90 bucks and i was told they work very well, i will be ordering a pair soon.

[Jock]

Mate,

I just use those Plugs with the hard plastic band, that hang around your neck.

[len]

Bunnings sell their own orange electronic muffs I know a couple of people who bought them as they were cheaper then the rest they didn't work for very long - I would not waste my money on them

[Harty]

ok good, i have a pair of behind the head peltors for the range, but when i use them for hunting i either knock em off when shouldering or i smack em into the butt. ive used the foam ones but they are #### for hunting as you hear nothing. i might give the ones that you are using a try jock, but will keep an eye out for some inner ear elecrtonic ones.

len i couldnt look at your link for some reason. but thanks

[Curly1]

Harty, the electronic Peltors are probably the pick of hearing protection. The ones that Jock posted are also reasonably effective at blocking the noise out. You could also go the whole hog and get custom made earplugs like Sonomax but the main thing to remember is to have something and remember to use it.

Damage to your ears is cumulative and irreversable so whenever possible use hearing protection.

I didn't for many years of operating heavy machinery and shooting and believe me on one thing TINNITUS IS NO BLOODY FUN and nor is borderline deafness (except when the missus asks me to do something )

If you don"t know what tinnitus is it's a constant ringing sound in your ears just like the temporay ringing you've experienced but it NEVER goes away.

It's a bit like overexposure to the sun; by the time you notice it's too late.

Cheers.

[len]

I checked the link and it worked for me