What’s The Best Ear Protection For Shooting? Top 10 Revealed

Get this. Research shows that the sound of gunfire is one of the most dangerous non-occupational noises most people have to deal with in their life. The best ear protection for shooting can be a life-saver!

Did you know that most firearm calibers fire decibels as high as 140 and more? If you like shooting or shooting is a part of your career, it is necessary to have the right protection.

A single shot without wearing the best ear protection for shooting can cause permanent hearing loss and other related complications such as ear humming, hissing, or tinnitus.

The fact that your previous shots never affected you negatively does not give you the guarantee that your next shot will be safe. Any sound above 85 dB is considered dangerous and given that every gunshot has an average of about 157 dB, it is needless to say that every shooter needs to have the best ear protection at all times.

HOW WE REVIEWED


We understand how important it is to keep your ears protected against damaging gunshots. We also know the joy that comes with finding the best product online as well as the pain that comes with spending your money on the wrong one.

For these reasons, we invested a lot of energy and time to research and come up with a list of the best ear protection for shooting to make the work much easier for you. Our focus was on products’ features, pros, cons, price, where to buy, as well as the noise reduction rating to help you land the best ear protection for shooting easily.

OVERALL PRICE RANGE OF THIS PRODUCT


Ear protection for shooting varies significantly in terms of the features and this affects the price of different products. We found out that some ear protection ranges between $12 and $100. Higher priced models have advanced features such as high efficiency in reducing the noise.

man shooting using shotgun and wearing earmuffs

Image by freepic.diller via Freepik

WHAT WE REVIEWED


Here is the list of the best ear protection for shooting that we reviewed.

  • Walker’s Razor Slim Electronic Protection Muffs
  • Peltor 97451 3M Tactical Sport Earmuffs
  • Fnova Professional Ear Defenders for Shooting
  • Howard Leight by Honeywell Impact Shooting Earmuffs
  • Pro For Sho Shooting Ear Protection
  • Walker’s Game Ear Alpha Quad with NXT Camo
  • Mpow 035 Noise Reduction Safety Earmuffs
  • 3M Peltor Optime 105 Over-the-Head Earmuffs
  • Homitt Sound Shooting Earmuffs with Noise Cancelling
  • Howard Leight by Honeywell Sport Electronic Earmuffs

1

WALKER’S RAZOR SLIM ELECTRONIC PROTECTION MUFFS

Features

The Walker’s Razor Slim earmuff stands out in terms of profile and features ultra-thin rubber cups.

The cups are easy and comfortable to wear even for long hours of use.

The noise reduction rating of 23 dB gives you the ability to shut off any sound in 0.02 seconds whenever the louder noise is more than 89 dB. The Walker’s Razor Slim muffs have a standard jack for connecting with most devices including your smartphone.

Pros

  • Comfortable

  • Great noise cancellation abilities

  • Ultra-thin rubber cups

  • NRR of 23 dB

Cons

  • Relatively expensive

  • Non-omni directional

  • WHERE TO BUY
  • WARRANTY
  • NOISE REDUCTION RATING (NRR)

2

PELTOR 97451 3M TACTICAL SPORT EARMUFFS

Features

The Peltor Tactical Sport electronic earmuff runs on digital chip technology. It features the ability to shut off any dangerous noise impulse.

It can amplify sound allowing you to hear any low-level sounds. This earmuff has a noise reduction rate of 20 dB. Its design is comfortable and fits all individuals. The ear cups are well-contoured to cover the ears perfectly and comfortably.

Pros

  • Compatible with other devices

  • NRR of 20 dB

  • ASIC chip technology

  • Comfortable

  • Ergonomic design

  • Contoured ear cups

Cons

  • Might appear tight

  • warranty
  • NOISE REDUCTION RATING (NRR)

3-month warranty

3

FNOVA PROFESSIONAL EAR DEFENDERS FOR SHOOTING

Features

The Fnova Professional Ear Defenders for Shooting are comfortable on the head, easy to fold when storing, and take pride in having the best de-noising effect.

It is designed for kids aged 5 years and above.

Its two layers of dampening foam give it a top noise reduction rating scale. In addition, it has high sealing cups and its double-shell technology aids in blocking high and harmful sounds.

The first shell of this ear defender filters out the sound wave prior to reaching your ears. The second shell filters the sound further to a maximum of 34 dB. This earmuff has padded swivel cups with an outline of soft foam, ensuring that your ears and head remain comfortable during the entire wearing period.

Pros

  • Comfortable

  • Padded swivel cups

  • Soft foams for comfort

  • An NRR of 34 dB

  • 2 layers of dampening foam

  • Double -shell noise filtering technology

  • Adjustable headband

Cons

  • Not ANSI certified

  • Uncomfortable if used continuously

  • WARRANTY
  • NOISE REDUCTION RATING (NRR)

2-months warranty

4

HOWARD LEIGHT BY HONEYWELL IMPACT SHOOTING EARMUFFS

Features

The Howard Leight Earmuffs feature a design ideal for handgun shooters. It is quality and superior safety-wise.

It comes with a distortion-free amplification feature that filters sound and blocks any sound with noise above 82 dB. Its headband is padded for extra comfort and is designed for a custom fit.

The earmuffs come with an external audio jack that doubles as an audio source and a stereo headphone. It is foldable for ease of storage whenever not in use.

Pros

  • Comfortable

  • Ideal for handgun shooters

  • Filters noise above 82 dB

  • Padded headband

  • Foldable

Cons

  • Runs on battery

  • Tight

  • Some users report control knob can get stuck in the on position

  • WARRANTY
  • NOISE REDUCTION RATING (NRR)

3-months warranty

5

PRO FOR SHO SHOOTING EAR PROTECTION

Features

Pro For Sho Shooting Ear Protection comes with a noise reduction rating of 34 dB. It does not require batteries to operate. It features a compact and lightweight design.

It is foldable which makes it quite easy to store this ear protection when not in use. The earmuff is made of high-grade foam that is soft and makes the muffs feel comfortable. It has been tested and certified by ANSI.

Pros

  • Lightweight

  • Compact and solid

  • Foldable for ease of storage

  • High-grade foams

  • VersatileNRR of 34 dB

Cons

  • Small size

  • WARRANTY
  • NOISE REDUCTION RATING (NRR)

3-month warranty

6

WALKER’S GAME EAR ALPHA QUAD WITH NXT CAMO

Features

The Walker’s Game Ear Alpha Quad with NXT Camo comes with 2 independent volume controls that help you adjust sounds.

It has a noise reducing rating of 24 dB and anti-microbial ear pads. The earmuffs have a high frequency and are precise in terms of sound directionality.

Pros

  • Comfortable

  • NRR of 24 dB

  • Anti-microbial pads

  • High-frequency earmuffs

Cons

  • A bit tight

  • WARRANTY
  • NOISE REDUCTION RATING (NRR)

2-month warranty

7

MPOW 035 NOISE REDUCTION SAFETY EARMUFFS

Features

The Mpow 035 safety earmuffs come with a lot of outstanding features to boast. They have been certified for use in Europe and America.

This product has the capacity of filtering down harmful sounds from 22 dB to 33 dB. The pads of the Mpow 035 have high-grade foam that dampens noise.

The earmuffs come with a flexible and retractable stainless steel headband making them ideal for any individual—kids and adults—to wear comfortably. In addition, it is made of soft and lightweight material ensuring that it does not pressure your head or the ears hence, ideal for long hours of use.

Pros

  • Comfortable

  • Perfect performance

  • Retractable headband

  • High-grade noise dampening foams

  • Effectively filters noise down to 22 dB

  • Ease of storage

Cons

  • Tight

  • warranty
  • NOISE REDUCTION RATING (NRR)

18-month warranty

8

3M PELTOR OPTIME 105 OVER-THE-HEAD EARMUFFS

Features

The 3M Peltor Optime 105 is the best ear protection for shooting that is relatively affordable.

With a noise reduction rating of 31 dB, these earmuffs shut up noise distractions to give you a quiet and peaceful atmosphere.

The 3M Peltor is impact resistant and highly durable. It is comfortable on the head. These over-the-head earmuffs have twin headbands that ensure there is no heat buildup as is the case with flat headbands on other models of ear protection. The mental components of the headband are made of non-conductive materials.

Pros

  • NRR of 31 dB

  • OSHA compliant

  • Stainless steel double headband

  • Affordable

  • Good balance and fit

  • No heat buildup

Cons

  • Not adjustable

  • Heavy

  • Big earcups

  • warranty
  • NOISE REDUCTION RATING (NRR)

2-month warranty

9

HOMITT SOUND SHOOTING EARMUFFS WITH NOISE CANCELLING

Features

The Homitt Sound Shooting Earmuffs are considered one of the best ear protection for shooting devices because it is designed to use the latest noise cancellation technology.

It is comfortable and flexible making it ideal for use by women and kids. Its design allows a comfortable fit on any size of the head. The earmuffs are lightweight and compact and can be folded easily when being stored.

The Homitt Sound Earmuffs feature a 34 dB noise reduction rating. This is because of its double shell cups that have breathable and soft foams that eliminate noise with ease.

Pros

  • Comfortable design

  • Noise cancellation features

  • Fits on any head size

  • Expandable headband

  • Double shell cups

  • Compact and lightweight

Cons

  • Tight

  • Small ear cups

  • WARRANTY
  • NOISE REDUCTION RATING (NRR)

12-month warranty

10

HOWARD LEIGHT BY HONEYWELL SPORT ELECTRONIC EARMUFFS

Features

Howard Leight by Honeywell Sport is one of the best ear protection for shooting that you can consider.

It blocks gunshot noise of more than 83dB.

With a noise reduction rate of 22 dB, Howard Leight is ideal for people exposed to long hours of shooting noise. It comes with a low-level sound amplification feature and can filter any harmful and loud noise from reaching your ears.

The Howard Leight earmuff comes with a built-in directional microphone for blocking any sound that exceeds 82 dB while at the same time adjusting other sounds such as people’s voices. In addition, this ear protection for shooting is compatible with most devices such as your smartphone.

Pros

  • Comfortable to wear

  • Adjustable volume knobs

  • Versatile

The Out sider

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