Hearing Damage with Hearing Protection?

treillw

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Through a series of dumb moves on my part and an accident, I have developed tinnitus at a pretty young age. I am concerned about protecting my hearing from this point forward. My question is can your hearing still be damaged from a really loud gun if you are wearing ear plugs and ear muffs? A salesman selling hearing protection told me that doubling up still doesn't get large breaked rifles and handguns like a breaked 500 S&W into a safe decibel range. Is this true?

What is your ultimate hearing protection setup? Any plugs or muffs work better than others?

If you're reading this and don't have any problems, don't mess around with your hearing. It sucks to wake up at night and not be able to go to sleep because your ears are ringing. I never go to the range without hearing protection, or even shoot a .22 without it. I have been pretty responsible with it, but have developed all this just in just one season of hunting (it has probably been a cumulative effect, but I've shot a lot more this year).

Thanks!
 
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I'm in same boat as you. Time in the US Army did it to me. You will learn to live with it.

I have used good muffs only and never have had additional problems. I think the guy saying "doubling up isn't good enough" is bit extreme. Some thoughts from me on good hearing protection:

- Be careful and always remember to put your protection on.
- Avoid really short barrel rifles (they are very loud).
- Invest in good muffs - don't purchase on the basis of cheapest price. I think muffs are better than plugs, as they help shut down the entire ear, not just the hole.
- Avoid aggressive 30* muzzle brake designs.
- Minimize time at indoor ranges and/or shooting near walls and stuff that redirects sound.
- You might want to speak to your doctor about the tinnitus. He/she might be able to prescribe some drugs that help reduce it.
- Let's hope the suppressor laws in US get changed in the interest of hearing protection.

Be safe buddy!

 
I live with my tinnitus. Have had it for 20 years due to the shooting sports and poor protection habits. I recently purchased some MSA Sordin active muffs to ensure that I have great protection.

I know this is a stretch but I do believe they have actually reduced my tinnitus.
 
Wow that sucks, my parents are experiencing hearing loss and I have witnessed firsthand how it can really impact quality of life.

Here's my setup:

Indoor range: foamies with MSA Sordin. I have girlishly small ear canals, so I have to use "slim fit" ear plugs. Getting these greatly improved comfort and effectiveness.

Outdoor: Just picked up a set of Sound Gear in-ear custom . They were pricey as hell but was able to use my healthcare reimbursement account so at least they were tax advantaged. These work awesome, comfort is outstanding, no cheek weld issues at all, and in my opinion are an excellent option if in the field, hunting, or in a NON-covered shooting position. However, if I'm shooting from under a cover I would still default to foamies with MSA sordins due to the reverberations.
 
I've had that ringing for months; not sure if I just got used to it, or if my hearing just deteriorated to the point that I don't hear that frequency anymore, but it's gone now.
Sleeping with a fan on helps.


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Obviously, the louder it gets the harder it is to reduce that noise. Hearing damage starts above about 80dB and even a suppressed rifle is like 130+ so we all should be using something no matter what.

Part of the issue is bone conduction. Even with muffs and plugs some of the energy can get to your ear via vibration. If they're already ringing I'd suggest doubling up and if they aren't yet...no firearm is hearing safe.
 
CDC recently did a study on hearing protection and gunfire. They found the only way to fully protect against hearing damage is with the use of suppressors- no joke, they actually said that; almost like they were intentionally making the case for the HPA (they weren't). Even doubled up ear pro wasn't enough for certain frequencies of noise.
 
CDC recently did a study on hearing protection and gunfire. They found the only way to fully protect against hearing damage is with the use of suppressors- no joke, they actually said that; almost like they were intentionally making the case for the HPA (they weren't). Even doubled up ear pro wasn't enough for certain frequencies of noise.

This is the kind of stuff that people fighting the HPA need to hear. I don't shoot rifles anymore without a suppressor on them. They really are an important piece for protecting your hearing.
 
I wear the Pelotor Shotgunner with foam "in the ear rollup" plugs as well. Combining the two seems like good practice to me. I suffer from Tinnitus from running heavy equipment and that's only been a scant 10 years of that which definently bothers my ears so I'm not willing to take any chances when I'm shooting.
 
I couldn't even begin my to tell y'all how many times I've shot rifles (even belt-fed) & shotguns w/ out any hearing protection. I shot an AT-4 w/ no hearing protection once. Predictably, I have diminished hearing. Now, I go way out of my way to see ear-pro. I have the SUREFIRE plugs & I like them. My favorite ear plugs are the reusable rubber ear plugs from WamMart. I'm able to get a really tight seal w/ them. I also use Howard Leight outer ears. I use ear-pro when mowing the lawn or whatever else when im exposed to loud noises.

A buddy has a pair of MSA Sordins & those are the bomb.
 
After a trip to the audiologist informed me of permanent hearing loss in both ears as well as years of tinnitus, I now double up with ESP Dynamics and and MSA Sordins. My mother was totally deaf and want to protect what hearing I have left.
 
I'd say if doubling up won't protect your ears then nothing will. I have tinnitus mainly from active military duty, but I'm sure some of those metal concerts back in my younger days didn't help. Some kind of back ground noise will help with it.
Water those AT-4s hurt w/o the ear pro huh?
 
I have gone 100% suppressed on rifles and even a few pistols. If I'm only shooting a few rounds suppressed I don't worry, but if I'm shooting very much or under a roof I use cheap ear plugs too. The suppressor + plug combo makes for extremely comfortable shooting sessions. I've noticed if I shoot much without the plugs my ears still ring later in the day


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CDC recently did a study on hearing protection and gunfire. They found the only way to fully protect against hearing damage is with the use of suppressors- no joke, they actually said that; almost like they were intentionally making the case for the HPA (they weren't). Even doubled up ear pro wasn't enough for certain frequencies of noise.

do you have a link? The only thing I could find was from 2007 and it didn't mention suppressor. Thanks.

 
Doubling up does offer more protection, but it's not substantially more. Any help you can do to limit exposure is your best bet though from doubling up to use of suppressors. Love my sordins as well, upset I hadn't bought them years sooner


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I'd say if doubling up won't protect your ears then nothing will. I have tinnitus mainly from active military duty, but I'm sure some of those metal concerts back in my younger days didn't help. Some kind of back ground noise will help with it.
Water those AT-4s hurt w/o the ear pro huh?

Shooting that AT-4 w/ no ear-pro fucked me up. I couldn't hear anything for a few hours. It also fucked up my equilibrium. It took a few hours to get right again. It was more important to me to know that the back-blast area was clear as this was in the middle of a live fire training exercise.
 
Thanks for all the help. Lots of people recommending the sordins. They are pretty pricey. How do they compare to something like the peltors below? Are the Sordins worth the extra money? It would be nice to be able to use them for hunting too, but I typically hike 15 miles in the mountains a daty, so I don't want to carry a whole bunch of stuff.

https://www.amazon.com/Sporttac-Tactical-Headset-Standard-MT16H210F-479-SV/dp/B01AKEPTU6

 
I've have had tinnitus for years. I always double up but I can still feel it when someone is shooting next to me with large caliber or nasty brake. Looking at the Noise Reduction Ratings the Peltors claim 22 decibels. The Sordins claim 18-19. Is there some secret sauce in the Sordins that makes them more effective with a lower NRR?
 
Thanks for all the help. Lots of people recommending the sordins. They are pretty pricey. How do they compare to something like the peltors below? Are the Sordins worth the extra money? It would be nice to be able to use them for hunting too, but I typically hike 15 miles in the mountains a daty, so I don't want to carry a whole bunch of stuff.

https://www.amazon.com/Sporttac-Tactical-Headset-Standard-MT16H210F-479-SV/dp/B01AKEPTU6

The Howard Leights are a nicer buy than the peltors, the MSAs do the same thing but much better and are way more comfortable to wear all day
 
How does the NRR work when you wear plugs under muffs? I read somewhere that you should add 5 db to the NRR of the higher product. ie) You're wearing plugs with a 23 NRR and muffs with 27 NRR, the total would be 27 + 5, or 32 db NRR.

The guy in the article says something different and hints at 30 from the Sordins and 10 from plugs. Which is correct?
 
I've have had tinnitus for years. I always double up but I can still feel it when someone is shooting next to me with large caliber or nasty brake. Looking at the Noise Reduction Ratings the Peltors claim 22 decibels. The Sordins claim 18-19. Is there some secret sauce in the Sordins that makes them more effective with a lower NRR?

It is not as simple as that. The reduction you get is a function of frequency. The Sordins provide much higher rejection at the frequencies produced by a rifle shot. The Peltors are OK but the Sordins are more effective and much more comfortable IMHO but they are pricey. However, that is like everything in this sport
 
I use Howard Leight Max foam plugs with HL Impact Sport electronics. The foamies are stupid cheap, bought a box of 200pr on amazon for a little over $20, and NRR of 33.
 
Another question on the Sordins, How are the ones that use a neckband instead of headband. Has anyone used them? It would be nice to be able to wear a hat in cold weather.

I have the neckband style. Unless you need it for whatever reason (they were primarily designed for wear with a helmet), I would suggest getting the standard headband style. The neckband a a touch more difficult to put on- it's not bad, but it's also not really worth the hassle unless you need it.

at the time I bought mine, I needed the neckband. I've looked into replacing them with the headband now that I'm retired
 
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I have suffered from tinnitus for over 20 years from not having ear pro while firing weapons in the USMC. I currently use Etymotic EB15LE plugs and enjoy them quite a bit actually. NRR is 25, but actual dB reduction is 35-40 with the gray foam tips properly inserted.
Nothing, not even muffs protect against bone conduction. You'd have to isolate the entire skull for that....not happening. Etymotic began in the hearing aid industry and does a lot of work in the music industry as well. Their tech can't be beat.
The only place I double up with them is indoors. For some reason there is reverb at indoor ranges. Outside around braked long guns, even at PRS matches, they are GTG.
 
I am waiting on the new Peltors announced earlier this year. I didn't care for the Howard Leight Sports, they just don't muffle well. I use foamies and old school big earmuffs. And suppressors as much as possible.
 
My wife goes to sleep every night with the TV on for "white noise". I shut it off when I go to bed as mine is "built in". Years of shooting (mostly protected), noisy "office", small engines at full rip, etc... At 53 years of age, my advice is protect what you still have. With rifles I plug and muff to the point I can't hear the steel ring most of the time...but I can still see it, all of the time ;).
 
This thread has loads of excellent advice. Realize that there are numerous options for treatment of tinnitus, some of them very expensive. In terms of isolation from the sound of gunfire, there is no perfect solution because the SPLs are very high. The best option is: all of the above. Get an ear plug that works for you and use it as your base protection for all loud stuff - concerts, loud tools, guns, etc. Get muffs that work with your cheek weld. Get suppressors. Distance yourself when possible as others are shooting. I put plugs in before unloading the guns from the vehicle and pull them after all in the vicinity are done shooting. I keep cheap earplugs everywhere so there are no excuses for not having that base protection.
 
I use Howard Leight Max foam plugs with HL Impact Sport electronics. The foamies are stupid cheap, bought a box of 200pr on amazon for a little over $20, and NRR of 33.

Those plugs are the best I've found. There's the Max Lite green ones if your canals are narrow.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001...490294391&sr=8-2&keywords=howard+leight+nrr33

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000...F8&qid=1490294391&sr=1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65

I double up with over the ear muffs as well. Look for some that are double walled. Obviously it can be difficult with long guns.

I've tried the custom molded plugs you see at gun shows. But the seal gets broken and they lose their efficacy if I use them with a long gun. Not recommended.
 
I was on another forum and they were discussing hearing protection.

A chap from California put up a interesting post regarding foam plugs, electronic plugs and earmuffs. Also about doubling up on plugs and muffs.

This is a copy and paste from the forum.




Normmatzen Posts: 17 Joined: Mon Dec 20, 2010 4:35 pm Location: California [h=3]Re: hearing protection[/h]
#4 Postby Normmatzen » Fri Mar 03, 2017 12:45 pm

Did I hear some one call my name??

I have commented on this subject so much on 6mmBR that I'm sure folks are tired of seeing my name!

I am first an Electronic Engineer and designed analog Bipolar Integrated circuits for 40 years. My last job prior to retiring was for a company that did research and product development for the ear. The company was founded by and owned by a fellow named DR. Mead Killion. This guy is the smartest person I know. He started the company in the mid "80's and his goal was to build a hearing aid based on a patented device his phD was based on, I got into this arena as I and two other engineers were hired as consultants to integrate Mead's bread board. Which we did, the device became the most used hearing aid amplifier world wide till the digital world exploded. Ironically, the old device is still the simplest, most competent aid for mild to moderate hearing!

Well, I was enticed to go to work for them in the early 90's and as I was immersed in audiology, I marched down to San Jose State University and took the graduate program
in audiology.

That's where my knowledge of ear protection came from. We made, and they still do, Hi-Fi earplugs as well as musicians earplugs that both sound really good, especially the musicians plugs as they were designed for some of my bosses friends in the Chicago Symphony.

Fast forward to today, I will outline the world of shooters hearing protection.

First, when your gun fires 3 ft from your ear, it makes a noise that measures about 160-170 dB SPL. SPL stands for "Sound Pressure Level" and it is the standard for expressing sound loudness. The value is a logarithmic based number and the actual sound increases a factor of two for a 6 dB change, a factor of 10 for 20 dB and a factor of 100 for 40 dB change. Now, the 160 - 170 dB number is 100 plus 60 and 100 dB is 100,000 times the reference and adding 60 makes it go up 1000 times more. By the way, 0 dB is about the hearing threshold for normal young folks.

An interesting reference point is 120 dB SPL which is usually considered the threshold of pain and our guns are 40 to 50 dB above that which is 100 to 200 times louder!

This magnitude of noise means you are NOT doing yourself any favors by buying "convenient" or "easy to use with a gun" protection unless it can honestly produce close to 40 dB noise reduction. I know, subtracting 40 from 160 to 170 still le4aves you with a level inflicting pain.

Turns out, you could fill your ear canal with epoxy and you still will hear somewhat over 40 dB of reduction as no matter what you did in your ear canal, your mastoid bone passes sound through your skull with some what over 40 dB attenuation.

With that all in mind, the safest hearing protection still is the old yellow foamies. But with a caveat! They MUST be inserted correctly, only then will you get the 38 dB reduction they are capable of. Of course, these sound terrible as all you hear is bass thanks to your mastoid bone as well as occlusion effect makes your own voice sound very loud and strange.

Probably ear muffs are the most popular hearing protection you will see at the range.
Every one seems to be wearing them. Unless you are at my range you will notice I do not use them! The muffs with the built in compressor amplifier is convenient but unfortunately, any muff you see on the range will only have about 26 dB of noise reduction. Yes, there are much better ear muffs, but you hardly ever see them because first, they are very expensive and second they are very BIG.

I used to use a solid silicon plug till my old employer brought out a product called the Blast Protector. It is basically the hearing aid amplifier we developed late in 1988 modified a bit and placed in a universal aid that accepts many ear tips so the user can select the one that fits best. Same caveat as yellow foamies, they MUST be inserted correctly. Only then will they have near 40 dB of reduction for loud sounds. So, let's see how this works
The amplifier is a compressor amplifier as well as a hi-fidelity amplifier. The gain for soft sounds is way higher than for louder sounds. So, when no one is shooting, you can clearly hear your neighbor talking to you. Then when folks start shooting but you haven't yet, the gain is reduced about 15 dB or by a factor of 5. The many folks shooting does not sound as intrusive now. Then, you and your neighbors start shooting and what now happens, the amplifier is clamped at a fixed output of 117 dB SPL This is in the vicinity of a yellow foamie! So, once the noise is really loud, the device has turned itself into an expensive yellow foamie.

You can now buy similar electronic hearing aid style protection but most are digital and I don't recomment them. And, not just because my old employer makes the analog one, but because very few digital aids have good fidelity! The nasty secret not discussed in the hearing aid business! That's because good fidelity requires higher speed processors and bigger analog to digital converters and these cost POWER and hearing aid batteries cannot last for the accepted minimum 1 week before they must be replaced.

Another problem with digital aids that is not usually discussed is the reduction of "situational awareness!" Digital amplifiers with low speed, small converters have fairly large delays between what the microphone hears and what the wearer sees. With this delay, your brain has a harder time figuring out where that suspicious sound is coming from! This is why my old employers devices have been clinically tested to insure good situational awareness and are approved for military and police use because of that. It's all about hi fidelity and NO delay so environmental sounds can be properly processed by your brain.

So, now you know what to do. And, I'm not going to tell you who I worked for as my old boss would consider that "Unfair" advertising! Just, don't get muffs!

By the way, if you want to find out anything about this subject, google NAL. I believe that stands for National Audiology Laboratories. My old boss knows the director, and respects him and his group. They are world respected in audiology. Not sure but I think they are in Sidney.
Norm
Top Longranger Posts: 185 Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2013 9:49 pm Location: Queensland [h=3]Re: hearing protection[/h]
#5 Postby Longranger » Sat Mar 04, 2017 3:17 pm

Norm, I never tire of reading your posts on hearing protection. I discovered electronic hearing protection rather late and it is most likely what you actually designed.

Is there any real benefit using say Etymotic GSP-15's with high end electronic earmuffs? I have some hearing loss from years of working in heavy industries and would at least like to mitigate further damage.

As it is, tinnitus seems to be getting worse as I get older so hearing protection is paramount for me. I do wear earmuffs over the earplugs sometimes. I wonder whether there is much benefit doing this if sound conduction through the mastoid bone is significant when firing larger center fires.

I'd appreciate your thoughts on this.
Top Normmatzen Posts: 17 Joined: Mon Dec 20, 2010 4:35 pm Location: California [h=3]Re: hearing protection[/h]
#6 Postby Normmatzen » Sat Mar 04, 2017 4:49 pm

Longranger,
GSP-15's plus electronic ear muffs, Not really a benefit as the properly inserted GSP-15 offers close to 40 db of attenuation. That plus the 26dB or so from the muffs totals 55 dB or so, but your pesky mastoid bone screws up the works by paralleling the 55 dB from muff and GSP with 40 or so for a total of still around 40 dB attenuation.
All you need is the properly inserted GSP and you are there at approx 38 dB.
A workable alternative is to use your electronic muff over a pair of ER-20/ETY-PLUGS. These plugs have surprisingly good fidelity and a fixed 20 dB attenuation for a total of 20 + 26 for 46 reduced by the mastoid to 40. And, they are only about $10 US (I don't know what they are in Australia).

Actually, the electronic muff is a nice package and the amplifier works very similarly to the GSP plugs in that the soft sound gain is at a higher level and the gain drops as loudness increases. I don't know if the muffs have any limiting once dangerous levels are reached or not. The muff + ETY-PLUGS is way cheaper than the GSP plugs, but I'll still use my GSP-15 by itself. for the size and comfort. Many times I leave the range and after driving a few miles I realize I still have the GSP plugs still in.

What is a good idea that maybe you already have done is to experiment with the different tips as well as with the gain switch in both positions. The primary result of the switch is that it adds 15 dB of gain but it does screw up the nice gain vs loudness of the unit at the low gain position. I would only advise some one with a moderate hearing loss to use the extra gain. The choice of tips can be important also as every ones ear canals are different so trying a few different ones can improve the comfort and effectiveness. As an example, I knew the cylindrical foam plug had the best attenuation and long term comfort, but they get all grotty from ear wax and are almost un-cleanable! So, I switched to the large, grey three level rimed tips. They are pretty comfortable as well as staying clean then being cleanable with plain soap and water. Careful of the little plug in the tip of the plug where the tip fits onto. The colored material is not what it seams, it is in reality an acoustic resistor and is used to tune the capacitance and inductance and "Q" of the resultant acoustic circuit to smooth out the frequency response. Get it wet and the attached plug is out of commission till you get a spare and remove the old one and replace it. I think spares come with the GSP-15 along with a tool to remove-replace them.I don't know what they are called, maybe filters? But they aren't, they are resistors. But the guy on the street understands filter more than resistor.
Norm
 
CDC recently did a study on hearing protection and gunfire. They found the only way to fully protect against hearing damage is with the use of suppressors- no joke, they actually said that; almost like they were intentionally making the case for the HPA (they weren't). Even doubled up ear pro wasn't enough for certain frequencies of noise.

Look at the ASE Utra factory pages and info on EU regulations on hearing protection. Not only is doubling up essential but the use of moderators wholly accepted to protect shooter hearing. In the UK since 1982 and the Falklands campaign significant numbers of troops have been discharged purely on operational hearing loss. As a three time a week MIL end user who has always doubled up on hearing protection my hearing has still significantly deteriorated, thanks to the natural bone transmission that takes place. The tinitus ringing is in essence your ear telling you your hearing is decaying. It cannot "improve" or repair.
 
Morning everyone, this is a great topic with a lot of information. Thanks for sharing all of it. I thought that I would offer a couple of thoughts in support of doubling up since I have lost a lot of hearing. I am a retired Army Aviator who began early when hearing protection was shrugged off. I did lose some hearing in both ears as a result, causing me to get smart fast. The Army began testing and recommending EAR foam plugs inside flight helmets, followed by the adaption of communication earplugs (CEP) in support of hearing preservation. I followed thorough and am glad that I did since this stopped any further damage to my ears. I did a lot of shooting during my tours and always wore muffs and plugs after that, when I could.

I lost all of the hearing in my right ear six years ago, due to an acoustic neuroma. The tumor was excised successfully; but unfortunately, the cochlear nerve was damaged during the procedure resulting in the hearing loss. After working with leading experts at Stanford, the House Ear Institute, and USARL, I found that noise-canceling muffs (Peltors, Sordins, walkers etc.) with earplugs work the best for me on the range and outside of the aircraft. They mitigate noise exposure and some of the conductive bone concussion associated with ranges or loud noise as it travels through the skull. I now wear earplugs when I am driving to help preserve what I have left (no pun intended). I wear my Sordins on the tractor while mowing and in the shop as well to be on the safe side and always double up on the range or in the aircraft.

I do have tinnitus in the right ear even though there is zero hearing in that ear. I have found that some noise canceling headsets make it worse than others (induced noise) do. I have used Peltors, Bose, and others, and have recently switched to Sordins, amazing difference for me. The jury is still out on noise canceling effects, and possible hearing loss, since noise is mitigated with noise, hence my reason for doubling up.

I do shoot suppressed and will not shoot any other way. I do wear plugs and muffs, since I have found that the concussion associated with shooting and other noise does travel to the left ear without protection (both) through the jaw and skull bones. Both mitigate it to the point that the tinnitus does not increase and concussion pain (right inner ear) is not an issue.

Bottom line, get the best protection that you can afford, and wear it whenever you can to preserve what you have. I have no regrets, since I am still here. I am just thankful for the knowledge shared and given, on this forum and thought that I might share a little more in hopes of helping out.

Have a great weekend, thanks for listening to my rambling. Now get out there and shoot!
 
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Here (hear) is a thumbnail of the MSA document on NRR for the supreme pro models. Triad Tactical is an Authorized MSA dealer for Sordins in North America. The number of Sordin products that MSA imports into the USA is quite small. There are a lot of models and variations that Sordin makes, but MSA does not import to the USA. If you are seeing products on Amazon, or elsewhere, that you cant find on this page:
http://us.msasafety.com/Hearing-Protection/c/113?isLanding=true

Its most likly what MSA calls a "gray market", unauthorized import. Still a Sordin product, but not covered under warranty in the USA. They tell me this is because they may contain componets (electronic), that are different than used in the US models.

If you have questions about the MSA/Sordin products, give us a call. https://www.triadtactical.com/MISC-Shooting-Gear/
 

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Awesome advise but anyone have any advise for hearing protection for those firing 120mm mortars? Foamy inners (military issued) and noise canceling outers (Walker's) I'm sure have help but there has to be something better out there. Sometimes I'd like to know what my wife is complaining about....Maybe.
 
Plugs and muffs!
Still can almost hear the wife!
The ringing never stops, sorry, can hear it over nascar.
Background noise help sleep.
Never actually hear my shots while concentrated anymore
 
I was on another forum and they were discussing hearing protection.

A chap from California put up a interesting post regarding foam plugs, electronic plugs and earmuffs. Also about doubling up on plugs and muffs.

This is a copy and paste from the forum.

Thanks for the post aam. The information in this post confuses me. The guy seemingly knows what he is talking about, but I believe he says that it's not worth it to double up - that goes against pretty much what everybody else is saying to do. Am I missing something here?

My thoughts are that he says the best thing is a "yellow foamy". So if you take a yellow foamy and slap a pair of muffs on over top of that, it has to add at least some decibel reduction.

I still haven't purchased any muffs. I'm debating whether I should go with the Sordins, $125 Peltor Sporttacs, or the GSP-15s that Norm talks about. I wish that there was clearly a product that is the best, there were no opinions, and this was an easy decision! haha
 
Awesome advise but anyone have any advise for hearing protection for those firing 120mm mortars? Foamy inners (military issued) and noise canceling outers (Walker's) I'm sure have help but there has to be something better out there. Sometimes I'd like to know what my wife is complaining about....Maybe.

Custom molded ear plugs with or without cutoff circuits PLUS a decent gel cupped ear def like the MSA Sordin. Even then prolonged exposure will through bone transmission lead to hearing loss.