Hearing Protection - A Basic Introduction
Appropriate hearing protection is a must for hunters and shooters
of all ages, although it's generally the last thing on a shooter or hunter's
mind. I know from experience since I use to think the same way, until I discovered
some early onset hearing loss in my early thirties. Since most of the early
hearing loss was in my left ear and I shoot right handed; much of the loss can
most likely be attributed to all the hunting and shooting I did as a child and
teenager without the use of proper hearing protection. That served as a wake-up
call for me, so now I go to great lengths to ensure that my hearing is properly
protected when I shoot or hunt.
The general consensus among hearing professionals and physicians
indicates that even a single exposure to any noise above 85 decibels can begin
to harm the hearing. Take that into consideration as the average gun blast measures
out anywhere between 140 and 150 decibels. Unprotected exposure to sounds at
that degree will certainly cause hearing loss. Depending on the volume of the
sound, the damage can be immediate and detectable. At lower decibel readings
like the 80 - 90 dB range, repeated exposure leads to long term injury.
Now that the importance of hearing protection for shooters
has been demonstrated, let's talk about selecting the best style of hearing
protection for your needs. Since not all types of hearing protection are equal,
I'd recommend basing your purchasing decision on a combination of facts and
cost. I wouldn't automatically select the lowest priced or cheapest solution
as some of the less expensive types of hearing protection may only offer minimal
protection.
Most people would think purchasing some type of ear protection
would be fairly simple, but there are a number of different types of hearing
protection available along with different levels of protection. The purpose
of this article is to provide some basic information on the different types
of hearing protection, along with some recommendations.
For the most part, ear protection for shooting sports can broken
down into a few different categories: passive ear plugs, passive hearing protection,
and electronic hearing protection.
Let's a take a moment to discuss each one of these different
styles of hearing protection in detail:
- Passive Ear Plugs - These are basically
soft plugs that are usually made from plastic or some type of foam based substance.
These plugs are placed into the ear opening and they serve to dampen any high
volume sound that the ear is exposed to. They are called "passive"
because these plugs don't utilize any electronic devices that damper noises.
Ear plugs are by far the least expensive form of ear protection, but do they
actually work well? The sound is dampened a bit, but can still be quite loud.
When I was a kid, I can remember using ear plugs of this type when bird hunting;
and I can still remember how bad my ears rang after a full day of hunting.
I'm sure the plugs helped out some, but they really didn't protect my ears
as well as they should have been protected.
- Passive Hearing Protection - This model
generally is comprised of ear muffs that have a cup which encompasses the
entire ear. The muffs are usually attached by a headband or headpiece of some
type. Like the passive ear plugs, this model won't have the electronic sound
dampening device. The ear muff style design is nice as the cup has a seal
that protects the entire ear from the noise versus the ear plugs which only
partially protect the ear canal itself. Most ear muff models have the ability
to be adjusted, although some of the less expensive ear muff models may not
have this feature. Unfortunately, ear muffs of this design dampen all sound,
so the wearer can't hear anyone speaking or any other important sounds.
- Electronic Hearing Protection - This design
incorporates an ear muff style and integrates it with electronic technology
that reduces the noise down to a level that isn't harmful to the human ear.
The entire sound dampening process takes place faster than the blink of an
eye as the suppressed sound is transmitted to the wearer almost instantly.
The best feature of electronic hearing protection is the ability to hear everything
that is going on around you while you are shooting. In many situations, such
as on the range, during training, or while hunting; this can be a great benefit.
Of course, due to the technology needed, electronic hearing protection tends
to be the most expensive all the hearing protection devices. A number of the
higher end electronic models may have other enhancements such as a separate
volume control for each side of the ear muffs, enhanced adjustability, a battery
saver feature to conserve battery use, and ambient sound magnification. The
ambient sound magnification is a great benefit for hunters as it amplifies
noise to a degree that is far greater than the naked ear can hear. At the
same time, the augmented sound is instantly dampened when a shot is fired.
What's the best choice for you? Access your basic requirements
and match that up to the appropriate selection above. On a personal note, I
wouldn't recommend the basic passive ear plugs. Although they are certainly
better than nothing, they provide only the bare minimum of protection. If you
only shoot now and again or don't have the demand for the additional capability
of an electronic model, basic passive ear muffs will most likely work just fine.
If you are a active shooter or hunter, the electronic models can be a outstanding
purchase with all their added features. I switched from passive headphones to
an electronic model, and I've never once regretted it. At the end of the day,
the choice really comes down to your own personal preferences and needs.
For more information on hearing protection, please
visit our Hearing
Protection page
