Best Hearing Protection Muffs & Ear Plugs For Shooting

You Need Hearing Protection For Shooting 

The importance of protecting your hearing when engaged in any type of shooting can’t be over stated. Hearing loss is the number one injury that happens to shooters because hearing protection was not considered before they engaged in the activity.

Hearing loss can happen right away or it can take place over time when shooting any type of weapon if proper protection is not used during any type of shooting activity. Here at Tactical Ears.net we are all about hearing protection and don’t underestimate the importance of it no matter the level your shooting is at.

If your looking for the best hearing protection for shooting available out there whether is ear muffs, electronic hearing protection, or ear plugs then consider the list below of some of the best options available to you right now on Amazon.com.

We chose hearing protections for this list that offer a NRR (Noise Reduction Rating) of 30db or more so that you can have only the best of the best available for you to choose from.

Homitt Sound Ear Protection Muffs

Amazon Rating:

Features at a Glance

• Noise cancelling ear muffs with 34dB SNR Technology offers you a best hearing protection environment. And the Homitt ear muffs were certificated by US ANSI S3.19 and EU CE EN352.1.

• Adjustable padded head band and 360 degree swivel ear cups with double shell cups and soft foam fit adults to kids. Each ear cover has just over 0.5″ thick memory foam padding for both comfort and a tight sound-proof seal.

• Compact size and light weight design perfect for carry the ear muffs headphone in the bag without adding too much weight or bulk.

• This ear muffs can be used to protect your hearing, eliminate the noise and make you focus on your work, study or construction. It is especially best for the shooting range.

• Package includes a High Quality Safety Ear Muffs and a travel pouch for storage. We also offer 12 months warranty and 60 days money back guarantee.

Our Review

The Homitt Sound Ear Muffs are specifically made for noisy environments and are great for shooting. Even though our tests found them to be OK compared to other muffs we have tested they are not a bad pair of muffs considering the price they go for.

They do reduce noise levels but not sufficient enough to be 34db as Homitt claims. We would say mid to high 20s decibel level, maybe even 30db at the most.

The fit is nice and snug but could cause discomfort to the ears if worn for extended periods of time, although we didn’t experience this ourselves. As far as the weight, they are on the heavier side than some other earmuffs such as the Peltor X2A but do fold nicely and are compact for easy storage.

G & F Safety Ear Muffs

Amazon Rating:

Features at a Glance

• Exclusive double-shell technology guaranteed to offer Highest Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of 34 dB

• 34dB – Highest NRR ear defenders for shooting, sports events, concerts, festivals, fireworks.

• COMPACT – Portable size for for efficient storage, the must- have for ear protection.

• ADJUSTABLE – Design adjustment headband of the earmuffs for a perfect fit from kid to adults.

• SOLID – Industrial grade premium quality Guaranteed not to Break give to best hearing protetion

Our Review

The G & F Safety Ear Muffs is another great option especially for those looking for hearing protection on a budget. Compared to the Homitt earmuffs as far as comfortability goes they are a bit more comfortable than the Homitts.

Our tests found that they fit snug around the ears yet not too tight which makes them nice to wear for even extended periods of time. The headband also fits nicely around the head and we especially liked the flexible material that the band is made out of which definitely helps with the comfortability factor.

The sound protection it gives is top notch and work great even at indoor shooting ranges. We can attest that you do get close to or right at 34db protection as G & F claims.

The muffs also come with yellow foam ear plugs as well, which will probably give a greater noise protection when used in conjunction with the ear muffs.

Decibel Defense Professional Safety Ear Muffs

Amazon Rating:

Features at a Glance

• The QUIETEST & MOST COMFORTABLE hearing protection you have ever owned or your MONEY BACK! That’s our “Double-D Guarantee”

• Extra Padded Headband – Foldable and Lightweight

• Safety Earmuffs Reduce Noise 34-37 Decibels

• ANSI S3.19 & CE EN 352-1 Certified Ear Protection

• Perfect Ear Protection Accessories for : The Shooting Range – Fireworks – Machinist Tools – Construction Work – Lawn Maintenance – Mowing – Study – Concerts – Sporting Events – Drummers – Shooters – Personal Quiet Time – NASCAR – Monster Truck AND MORE!

Our Review

The Decibel Dense Safety Ear Muffs definitely packs a punch when it comes to hearing protection for shooting. Our tests revealed that this set of ear muffs do a great job of blocking out a significant amount of noise but not sure up to 37db of noise as Decibel Defense claims.

We figure it blocks out up to around low 30s in decibels. The comfort of the headsets are good and we were able to wear it for an extended period of time with very minimal discomfort.The only issue we had is how bad your ears sweat with them on. Other than that the overall comfort around the head and ears was impressive.

These earmuffs compete head to head with the ClearArmor Protection Muffs. They look just a like and pretty much give just about the same hearing protection. As far as the price goes it’s comparable with most earmuffs sold on Amazon right now, but about 10.00 more than the ClearArmor’s which offer just about the exact same protection and comfort as the Decibel Defense.

ClearArmor 141001 Shooters Hearing Protection Muffs

Amazon Rating:

Features at a Glance

• Highest NRR (Noise Reduction Rating) – The Best Hearing Protection You Can buy

• Compact folding design for efficient storage.

• Adjustable to Fit All Sizes

• ANSI S3.19 & CE EN521 Tested+Certified

• Black, Over-The-Head Ear Muffs

• Padded Head Band

• Snug Reliable Fit

• Swivel Cup Design

• Industrial Grade

• Premium Quality

• Guaranteed not to Break

Our Review

The ClearArmor Hearing Protection Muffs are one of the few hearing protection muffs that do it well and do it right. We were very impressed with these muffs and found them to perform equally or a little better than the Decibel Defense muffs.

The ClearArmor’s are light, comfortable, and of course reasonably priced. We can concur with their claims of the muffs protecting up to 34db or at least in the low 30s. You can barely hear anything when you put these muffs on and we found that the comfortability is there even after an hour of wearing them at the shooting range.

We also liked the fact that they can be folded up and are easy to store and carry. The headband and materials that the muffs are made out of seem high quality and capable of being long lasting.

Out of all of the non electronic ear muffs that we have reviewed so far this one has definitely been our favorite one for reliability, comfortability and of course price. We highly recommend them. They can be purchased on Amazon right now.

Amazon Rating:

Features at a Glance

• Built-in directional microphones amplify range commands and other ambient sounds to a safe 82 dB, providing more natural listening and enhanced communication

• Actively listens and automatically shuts off amplification when ambient sound reaches 82 dB; passively blocks out noise at 30 dB

• Rubberized pressure points prevent gunstock scratching; padded adjustable headband provides a secure and comfortable fit

• Includes 3.5mm connection cord for MP3 players and scanners; includes 2 AAA batteries; automatic shut-off feature after 4 hours increases battery life; approx. 350 hours battery life

• Noise Reduction Rating: 30

Our Review

If you are looking for electronic hearing protection then you will definitely want to consider the Howard Leight Impact Pro Electronic Earmuffs.

The Impact Pro’s provide up to 30db worth of hearing protection and by our tests we can concur with that rating. They block out a good bit amount of noise while at the same time automatically amplifying quieter noises in order for you to hear them with the headsets on.

Among the electronic hearing protection muffs out there these certainly are the highest decibel rated. With that though, there are some things we didn’t like about these muffs.

First of all is the comfort which we found starts slipping after about an hour of wearing them. The headband is not bad although we’ve seen higher quality in other brands, but the ear cups really felt a bit too bulky for our liking, but I guess that is the trade off to get the outstanding noise protection these muffs give.

The next problem we ran into is with the amplification. We found that the volume needed to be turned up to almost maximum level just to attain a normal level of hearing. We also noticed a constant hissing while we had them on especially when we wore them inside a shooting range. 

Other than these items the Impact Pro’s are great and for the price you can’t go wrong with them. Add to that the simplicity of accessing the battery compartment and as well as offering decent battery life as well we would definitely recommend these to any shooter.

3M Peltor Optime 105 Over the Head Earmuff

Amazon Rating:

Features at a Glance

• Noise Reduction Rating of 30dB

• Superior comfort, fit, and hearing protection

• Patented twin-cup design

• Recommended for extremely loud conditions

Our Review

The 3M Peltor Optime 105’s  are probably one of the more well known hearing protection ear muffs on the market and have been for a while. That is for good reason, with a 30db noise protection, affordability and comfortability they provide you can’t go wrong with these over your head and ears.

What we found out while testing them is that as good as they perform we found that they underperformed compared to the ClearArmor 141001 muffs. For the respectable brand that Peltor is the 105’s do a very good job overall, but not an excellent job.

Where they truly shine is their comfortability factor. They are light and comfortable although some customers do complain that they are too light and a little more flimsier than other ear muffs. Although in our case we didn’t find that but of course that could be different depending on the user’s head size.

We definitely love the way their design making you look like a pro while wearing them, but most of all for the protection and comfortability you get as well as Peltor’s reputation backing you up and low price you can’t go wrong with the Peltor 105’s.

Pro Ears – Pro Mag Gold – Electronic Hearing Muffs

Amazon Rating:

Features at a Glance

• Military grade dual circuit boards

• Gold Connectors for high quality audiophile sound

• Automatic shut off after 4 hours of inactivity

• Pro Form Leather ultra comfortable ears seals & padded, adjustable headband.

• Amplifies sound more than 8x normal hearing

• Weighs only 13.5 ounces

• Fast attack time of 1.5 milliseconds

Our Review

The Pro Ears Pro Tac Mag Gold Electronic Hearing Muffs are young players in the hearing protection game but definitely doing some things right for the users. Although the Pro Ears have some great options what really hurts them is the price.

The Pro Ears provide up to 30db of hearing protection although from our tests these seemed to protect slightly bit more up to 33db. If this is the case, this is the highest db rated electronic hearing protection muffs we have tested thus far.

The comfort of the headband is not bad although we have had better comfort from other headsets. One thing that felt somewhat awkward was the huge ear cups. Having these huge ear cups makes it a bit difficult to have a rifle on your shoulder or a weapon of that sort.

The other thing we didn’t like about the Pro Ears was the price. At 235.99 we think this is a bit steep for electronic hearing protection muffs that don’t have anything extra over other electronic hearing muffs such as the Peltor Sport Tactical 500.

The main difference from most other electronic hearing muffs that Pro Ears does have and we do like is the fact that you can control the volume for each individual ear cup. Overall these are a good pair of muffs just a bit pricey.

Sound Blocker Ear Plugs For Shooting

Amazon Rating:

• BREAKTHROUGH! Ultra slow rebound soft foam means they’re easy to insert & will stay in all night!

• HIGH-PERFORMANCE! Highest noise reduction rating available gives you the best in-ear hearing protection

• UNIQUE! Individually packaged & sealed. Carry them in your purse or bag & know they’ll stay clean.

• CRITICAL! Always use on the shooting range or when using power tools to protect your hearing

• A FRESH APPROACH! 60 Day 100% Money Back Guarantee. Not happy? We’ll refund your money, no quibbling

• EXCLUSIVE NEW DEALS! Buy 3 or more units & share the savings with friends! See promotions box below

Our Review

One of the main reasons that we are highlighting the Sound Blocker Ear Plugs is the fact that we have not seen any standard ear plugs that claim up to NRR 33db noise protection.

From our tests at the shooting range and outside of the shooting range we found that they are pretty good ear plugs, but to be honest, in no way not as good as a standard hearing protection earmuff like the ClearArmor Hearing Protection Earmuffs.

The hearing protection is impressive and we would definitely agree that they would be great for noise protection while sleeping, but shooting is a totally different story. We did try putting them in our ears and then a standard hearing protection earmuff and the sound protection increased substantially.

On the other hand, they are comfortable and we especially like that they are individually wrapped and are totally disposable although you can easily get 2 to 3 uses out of a pair.

If your looking for a better ear plug than the standard earplug you would get at the store consider the Sound Blocker Ear Plugs to do the trick, but with that said we don’t recommend to just wear these while shooting especially inside a shooting range.