20 Best Electronic Muffs For Shooting (2023 Updated)

Working in the steel industry is quite noisy. After trying different ear protection and not being completely satisfied, I found the 3E earmuffs. Best investment I made concerning my hearing. I’ve been wearing them on the job, for about 8 years.

Only had to replace them 1x, because a piece broke that allows the earmuff to slide up and down. And I’m happy to say when I go for my yearly hearing test, thankfully there is no change to my hearing.

The earmuffs have done what they are designed to do. And are apart of my every day PPE.

I’ve been using this hearing protection daily in my cabinet shop for probably five years. Not only do they reduce the noise levels of all the various machines I use during the day (some of them are very loud) but they’ve also held up to the rigor of being knocked around the shop much better than other sets I’ve used.

Hearing damage is irreversible, folks: don’t compromise on your hearing protection.

These worth the money you pay for. Unlike cheaper electronic ear muffs, these are actually stereo, meaning you identify the direction of where sounds come from, and do not completely cut off the sound when there is a loud impact, allowing you to maintain the situational awareness during an active shooting sessions.

I can hear things from miles away very clearly. Also, the gel ear cups make them extremely comfortable.

I’ve bought several pairs of the cheaper noise cancelling headset in the past, but they have not met my needs. A friend heard me complaining and showed me his MSA headphones. I immediately knew I would have to have a set of my own.

The price is on the high side, but I’ve probably spent that much on the throw away sets already. This proves a saying I’ve started telling other shooters: Buy once, cry once. Buy the product you really need, the first time.

Excellent quality, fit and finish. You can tell after handling it the first time it’s several tiers above average hearing protection. The functionality was great and again, although not torture tested, you can tell by feeling it its extremely durable.

Id say the main thing Id point out to potential buyers is purchase the gel inserts. Thats where the comfort level becomes exceptional. Like you hear often in the shooting community “buy once, cry once” and this is no exception.

Expensive, but most definitely worth it.

I’ve had these muffs for about 3 years now. I wear them anytime there’s a firearm in my hands and even if I’m working around loud power tools on home projects. I’ve taken several whitetail, countless waterfowl and tons of paper targets wearing them.

They do a good job of amplifying sounds until the shot and I’ve even heard whitetail sneaking up on me before seeing them because of these muffs. Being able to have a normal conversation at a whispering volume with someone seconds before the rapport of a 22-250 in the dead of the Canadian prairie winter without having to choose between hearing damage or spooking your quarry fumbling with hearing protection is absolutely invaluable for me.

I’m a musician so protecting my hearing is of utmost importance to me and now I don’t have to choose. Battery life for my use so far has been incredible. One set of good AAAs for the last 2+ years. A lot of people look at me funny for wearing muffs while hunting but I gave an extra set to a friend of mine last goose hunt and now he’s hooked as well.

They are surprisingly warm even in -20C (if you wear something UNDER the ear cups which I don’t, you’re not getting full protection) and the ONLY downsides to them so far are: – there’s not really anything to combat wind noise -you can’t hear your shot connecting with it’s target, or at least I can’t Long story short, they’re great quality and I’m very happy with them.

Wouldn’t go out without em now and hopefully will never have to. All of my guns except my 22LR have a ridiculously loud shot due to accessories, features or calibre and I’ve only ever bumped them slightly loose once (at the range) and I noticed it afterward.

Practice with them and it won’t be a problem.

I don’t know why the specs listed here for the Razor Slim earmuffs say “individual volume controls”, there is only one on/off/volume control. These muffs utilize a single volume control which controls left and right volume simultaneously.

I just tested the Quad Razor Slim earmuffs, and they appear to be stereophonic. (If you softly rub your finger on the outer case of the right muff, sound is amplified primarily on the right, and the same action with left side produces the same results on the left) That being said, it is difficult to discern from which direction noises are emanating with these muffs.

Same as the other Walker’s electronic earmuffs with only dual microphones. My Howard Leight Impact Sport electronics muffs do a much better job as far as directional noise locating abilities. But they are less comfortable and the on/off/volume knob feels a little bit sketchy and does not operate as smoothly or conveniently as the Walker’s.

I bought these fory husband as they’d been in his watch list for ages and I don’t know much about shooting but if it makes him happy on his birthday, who am I to complain. So he shows me how they work, now we’re in lockdown so we put a scene on in the punisher with lots of loud shooting and turned it up loud (sorry neighbours) and I could hear my husband speak but muted gunfire in the background.

I took them off and was nearly deafened by the noise. I can see why he’s happy!.

Have a look around and you’ll find that these ear defenders come very highly rated. The service from Earshot communications was 1st class.

Bought these for shotgun use. Very comfortable and good protection whilst still being able to hold conversations. Very happy.

I really appreciate the amount of noise reduction these muffs provide. I use them while running my log splitter and while mowing. They fit over my hearing aids (with blue tooth) and glasses and still seal very well.

They do fit snug as others have mentioned. After a couple of hours of mowing with the muffs over safety glasses I do get pressure points along my temples where the glasses frame rides. I think any muffs would do the same thing and it does not happen with my regular (thinner) glasses.

I give these five stars and highly recommend them.

Ive been wearing hearing protection for decades. The best hearing protection Ive ever come across has been Foam Plugs NRR33. When your hands are dirty however foam plugs are difficult to take on and off over and over because they get dirty and the process is time consuming.

These ear muffs are not NRR37, compared to foam plugs (NRR33) which Ive been using for decades Id say these ear muffs are at most NRR29. BUT they come on and off quickly and the outside of them is the only part getting dirty.

For the right application they work great. I use mine for two things: when using power tools they allow quick and EASY on and off (over and over), I also use them for over the ear attenuation while playing drums.

in this application I use in ear monitors (ear buds) and these ear muffs on top – this works great in the recording studio. The attenuation is better than anything else out on the market made specifically for this application and is also much less expensive.

So for quick on and off while using power tools these muffs are great. And as studio monitors they work well also. Again they are not anywhere near NRR37. Id say NRR29 at best. Good deal, good price, easy to use.

I should have gotten these first, instead of that “not rated” cheapo brand I have. These are snug fitting and provide very good sound proofing. I have used these when on my riding mower and these provide much better protection than what I have used before.

I still use the cheapo brand for when I briefly turn on my circular saw, router, and such, but for longer term noise protection I will use these. I am thinking about getting more of these for harvest season and putting them in the tractors and combine.

so I bought these a few years ago for my wife and myself. I was under the impression that they would cancel sound and allow me to have a conversation while trying to instruct my wife. Well they do cut sound but not as well as I had hoped.

And when the range is hot I cannot hear the other person very well. I find myself shouting to get my words across. When noone is shooting ( range cold or minimal shooters) they do a excellent job regarding talking and hearing others talk.

But when there are numerous shooters they are no better than ear plugs in my opinion.

I bought my first long range rifle recently and realized I would also need a slimmer pair of muffs as we all know they interfere with the cheek rest. These were at a very reasonable price, and felt comfortable as well as light weight.

Its performance at the range is spot on, Im very happy about it. Not everything gets to be top quality AND affordable at the same time! I highly recommend these.

When originally purchased online, did not realize they were electronic. Nice bonus for a good price. Fit very tight at first, actually hurt my head. I pulled them apart and stretched them almost straight out then back.

Now they fit fine and are comfortable. I forget I am wearing them while shooting.

Awesome earmuff. Slimline but good hearing protection. I only have a small head, so the adjustable band is excellent for a good snug fit. The foldable design means they tuck up nice and small so you can turf them in a little bag.

Nice!.

Previous to this, I was using the Howard Leight by Honeywell Impact Sport doubled up with earplugs and this is a huge step up from that. This is a must have, especially for indoor range shooters. I still like my sport versions for outdoor shooting, but for indoor (especially with higher caliber munitions) this made a big difference.

I no longer need to double up protection and can hold a conversation/hear range instruction without risking my hearing. I highly recommend these. Only draw back is these are a bit larger, so for percision rifle shooting it may interfer with your stock.

That said for pistols and even normal shotgun use, these are perfect.

There are only two electronic ear muffs that provide a 29dB noise reduction, these Howard Leights and Pro Ears (which are $100 more). I have several of both types, they work the same. My pictures are of the yellow and also a black Howard Leight unit and the pink unit is a Pro Ears.

The military desert colored one is USGI and no longer made by Silencio, but it was the first of such high end products. Note the battery compartment access, the switches and the one failed (repaired) joint.

This HL brand has a metalIc head suspension, likely better durability altho Ive had one set fail at the plastic hinge connection at the ear cup. The Pro Ears version is a plastic head suspension and the pads are cushier, but ive had the electronics get sweaty and corrode green, destroying a few units.

Neither choice option is perfect, but the Howard Leight version is priced way lower. Either choice, get a 29dB as youre damaging your hearing otherwise, certainly true in any indoor shooting environment (above.

22LR) Understand that the 29dB rating is the noise reduction capability even if turned off or no batteries. This is the key to rating the sound reduction capabilities. The electronic portion of the dB reduction is irrelevant for you and me, its stated for scientists and lawyers.

Pish posh mumbo jumbo. All you hotta know is 29dB, and theres only these 2 options. They are great for instructors and their students, allowing for unimpeded communication which is so critical.

I’m a Walker fan when it comes to protective headset, so purchasing this product was a no brainer for me when it came out. I have 4 other pairs of walker headset and this was my 5th purchase. The sound is excellent and can come close to high end headset such as Ops Score AMP (which I owned a pair).

The fitting is perfect on my ear and it’s felt comfortable with the gel cup. The headband doesn’t head up and keep your head relative cool in hot weather condition. Overall, it’s a brilliant product, however, there a few things that can be tweak.

The active dynamic sound suppression system work~ish. The reason for that is while it’s great reducing the sound when a loud decibel is detected, at the same time it’s make it impossible to have a conversation with someone if the active dynamic sound suppression system suppressor the sound during a conversation.

I can’t say it rugged enough around high producing decibel such as M777A2 155mm medium towed howitzer because one round from the howitzer made the left ear cup full of static and it remain that way. There are time where I turn the device on and it’s gone but for the most part the static is still there.

Today when I was using the Bluetooth, I noticed the button has retracted into the device. My guess is being around high producing decibel long enough and it will shake this headphone apart resulting in the recessed Bluetooth button.

Although the device doesn’t work anymore, I still wear it because it’s comfortable. I just wish it was more durable.

3M Peltor Wireless Attachment, fulltimeuser review Longuseduration speaker comfort is better than a bluetooth earbud blocking ones ear canal. Speaker is a significant really useful feature to add to an insulating earmuff the signal speaker to noise ratio is excellent as noises are effectively insulated outside the ear muff, for clear nonoise listening, I dont need the Mic as much.

MicroUSB connector not up to the durability of the rest of the unit, its susceptible to internal circuitboard separation after just a few months of use, susceptible point of failure while rest of unit still well cared for.

Means the unit cant charge anymore, so an expensive waste of an otherwise functional bit of kit. An issue affecting 2 two new units where the speaker even on full volume is very quiet when connected to either iPhone or Mac.

I persisted and Ive somehow managed to rectify this issue of the quietspeaker at full volume with 2 new Peltor units, with some combination of 1 switching to the Peltor device in Mic Input mode makes speaker lower qualitysounding but a lot louder and back to Peltor device in Sound Output Mode.

2 Switching Peltor device off, waiting many minutes, and switching back on again. 3 Pressing the button for voice redial, Siri. Thank goodness a combination of the above worked, I was going to try fully recharging the battery and or draining the battery, but thank goodness the above fixed it.

Sound playback sometimes disconnects bluetooth from time to time, happens with iPhone 7 and Mac mini. MicroUSB cable is a little short, could do with being about a foot longer. Microphone stalk catches on shirt collar.

Considering a good bluetooth earbud is about 12, and the above susceptibility this wireless attachment is overpriced at 65. X3A earmuff reviewHas thinned out ear pads around the ear its a larger ear hole with a thinner ring than the X4A and X5A pads.

This means the X3A cup plastic sits quite comfortably with the plastic support understand closer against the skin. I fitted some unused X4A X5A pads Id previously bought which solved the issue. Shame the issue arises considering theyre all about the same 30 price point.

A bit more room inside the earmuff for insulation than the X4A, without the very largesticking out cups of the X5A.

I bought these for my grandson who has autism. While he needs this type of product, he is aware enough to know that hed outgrown the fluorescent green Kiddie type, so I went on the hunt to find a more acceptable type.

I contacted a few firms for advice, but wasnt happy with their responses until I contacted Safety Site. I explained my situation, and was amazed at the length they went to in explaining the attributes of various ear muffs, the explanation of the various db levels, and the effect this had on the weight of ear muffs a major consideration for a child, and they suggested a range of ear muffs even ones that they did not have currently in stock.

When I thanked them for their advice, even though they couldnt supply the suggested ear muffs they said that I could rely on them for advice, whether I purchased from them, or not. I was so impressed that I waited until the time that they had one of their suggestions in stock the ones Im reviewing here.

When I made my purchase, they said that if my grandson couldnt get on with them, then I could return them without a problem. He loves them, and theyre not too heavy for him. I would have no hesitation in buying from this company again I highly recommend them.

As with most 3M stuff, they’re not cheap, but they ate good quality. Fit the versaflo helmet perfectly and you can swivel them up and out of the way when not in use. By pressing the metal wire part towards your head using your palm, they click into position so the cups firmly seal around your ears.

Then, to remove or just prove a bit of ventilation, you pull the cups firmly away from your head and they click into the ‘ventilation’ position so they’re no longer pressing into the side of your head.

Noise blocking is excellent and they’re comfortable to wear for long periods. Definitely recommended.

I bought these to replace a pair of cheap electronic ear defenders. The cheap pair did not react quick enough to loud (shooting) noises so, I often turned them off. The Peltor are in a different league, they work perfectly! What else can one say! Expensive, yes, but what value one’s hearing? Highly recommended.

From bitter experience (I already have mild tinnitus), I am now careful about guns, angle grinders, race engines etc. These electronic defenders are comfortable to wear and allow normal conversation etc.

I used them at a 70 bird clay shoot last Sunday and found them excellent at taking the sting out of gun shots. Only downside was that, as I had them adjusted, they could bump the top of the gun stock.

Next time out I will adjust them to sit higher on my head and see if that gets them out of the way. They can be folded up into very little space but this loses the setting of the adjustment so I will find a suitable bag to hold them without folding them up once I have adjusted them for optimum fit.

I see an optional extra is a lead to connect them to an IPad or phone (mono only though) if you want to listen to music in between shots! At around 110 these were the cheapest Peltor Sportacs I could find, more usually over 130.

I’m going to go ahead and give these 5 stars although I have a couple of problems with them. I use my Peltors on the range and when I’m out hunting. When I’m at the range they are a dream. I can talk to my buddies with ease and not worry about my hearing getting diminished by the shooting because the high decibel filter works like a charm.

However when I’m hunting I need to take some special care, these aren’t great for wearing over anything except maybe a cap and when I start to sweat they can become cold and uncomfortable. The inside is not waterproof so I take special care to dry the sponges inside them after a day in the field.

The design is good and the stock of my gun barely touches them when I aim and I have never noticed it. The batteries last a long time but I always carry extra in my pack just to be sure. Overall I think these are great hearing protectors and better than most competitors.

I would however like to see accessories such as the converter for 3. 5 mm jack cable much cheaper, it feels very overpriced. 5/5 Recommend.