The Ultimate 3M Peltor Optime 105 Review

 The Peltor Optime 105 Earmuffs By 3M

The 3M Peltor H10A Optime 105 Earmuff is a set of full sized hearing passive hearing protection with a noise reduction rating of 30 decibels.

Designed to help block out loud noise on the range or workplace, these monsters will ensure the safety of your hearing as you go about your business.

The 3M Peltor H10A Optime 105 Earmuff is a set of full sized hearing passive hearing protection with a noise reduction rating of 30 decibels.

Packaging

The earmuffs come nicely packaged in a regular cardboard box with an instruction manual.

Weight, Feel and External Features

The Optime 105 is designed with hearing protection in mind. It features two robust, full sized cups with plenty of padding attached by a sleek black band meant to be worn over the head.

It fits snugly over both ears, dampening out huge amounts of all incoming sound. It’s made up in stylish black with bits of red trim.

The Optime 105 features full sized ear cups. While the band fits under things like hard hats and helmets well, the full cups may interfere with shouldering rifles or other activities that bring things closer to your head or cheeks.

That said, the cups offer some of the best noise reduction around and boast a surprisingly comfortable fit.

Hearing Protection

Offering 30 dB of noise reduction, the Optime 105 is perfect for those in noisy environments. It deadens mids and vanishes highs completely. You still feel a bit of bass, though, since our ears receive a lot of low frequency information from the vibration of our skulls. The Optime 105 does a good job of blocking what it can.

Conversations are impossible while wearing these muffs, and you may find your situational awareness diminished. A number of more expensive competing earmuffs offer an electronic system that records outside sounds, strips out loud noises and then plays them back within the ear cup.

The Optime 105 opts to not go that route, instead focusing on providing the best noise reduction for cost.

30 dB of noise reduction is a lot. It’s nearly twice as much reduction as the 20 dB offered by many other pairs of earmuffs. This kind of reduction is perfect for those who do a lot of indoor shooting of large guns.

For other users, 20 dB may be adequate, but there’s nothing wrong with the extra protection the Optime offers. It’s pretty cheap, too, meaning it may be worth picking up in addition to a lower rated electronic kit.

You can use the Optime for indoor shooting and the electronic kit for your outdoor adventures in order to preserve your situational awareness.

Consider The Graph Below:

Comfort

The Optime 105’s goal is to preserve your hearing. This means that the full cups are pressed against your skull firmly at all times. It’s fairly comfortable, especially given the noise reduction level, but you’re not likely to forget you’re wearing two giant cans on your ears.

The Optime 105 does not adjust as well as several competing earmuffs. While the competition locks into place, the Optime 105 uses a sliding design that doesn’t always like to hold the shape you want. Worse, the Optime seems designed for users with larger heads.

Were the adjustable band more adjustable, this might not be an issue, but given its tendency to slide loose over time these earmuffs might not be the best choice for women and men with small heads.

Some users have even reported that the wires stiffening the top part of the earmuffs can bend from mishandling during transportation. This can be prevented with care, but it’s worth noting if you plan to travel roughly.

Naturally, earrings interfere with the snug fit of the Optime 105. Eyewear usually causes no problems, but some glasses feature hooks at the end of the frames that stick out from your skull and will cause both discomfort and a drop in hearing protection when worn with the Optime.

Finally, the full sized cups can interfere with tasks such as rifle shooting. Consider what you’ll use these earmuffs for before purchasing — if you don’t need the full 30 dB of reduction and you want a lighter, slimmer pair, you may want to think about getting a compact set that offers less noise reduction.

Price

At the time of this writing the Optime 105 goes for about $19 to $40. This is comparable to its competition in high noise reduction, full sized earmuffs.

For comparison, sets of hearing protection with similar noise reduction ratings with electronic noise amplification go for about $80. Click here if you would like to purchase the unit now.

Overall

Overall, the Optime 105 is a perfect packup earmuff for the occasional indoor shooter.

As a primary set of hearing protection, however, its faults may outweigh the increased reduction rating for many users.

Pros and Cons of the Peltor Optime 105 Headset:

Pros:

– Great noise reduction — 30 dB

– Fairly comfortable given the noise reduction

– Inexpensive

Cons:

– No noise amplification means you’ll be oblivious to sounds around you

– Not as comfortable as some other pairs

– Less durable than more expensive competition

– Thick cups interfere with rifle shooting

Manufacturer’s Specs

– For noise levels up to 105 dBA

– Noise Reduction Rating of 30dB

– Superior comfort, fit, and hearing protection

– Liquid/foam filled earmuff cushions

– Fully adjustable steel wire padded headband

– Patented twin-cup design

– Recommended for extremely loud conditions

Warranty Policy

Below is the Warranty Policy according to Peltor.com:

3M™ warrants this product to be free of defects in material and workmanship for a period of one (1) Year from the date of original purchase (the “Warranty Period”). Dated proof of purchase such as a bill of sale is required to establish warranty eligibility.

If the product fails to perform due to a defect in materials or workmanship during the Warranty Period, 3M will repair or, at 3M’s option, replace the merchandise with the same or comparable item at no charge to you for parts or labor.

In the event that the product cannot be repaired and a suitable replacement item is not available, 3M will refund the original purchase price shown on your proof of purchase. All repairs are warranted for 90 days against the same material defect.