Shooting, whether for recreational purposes, as a sport or work requirement, needs two important things. The first one being focus and the second one is protection for your ears. Just to put things into perspective you should know that a usual conversation elicits about 60 dB of noise, whereas, a gunshot can range anywhere from 140 dB to 190 dB. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) states that sounds as low as 78 decibels can cause loss of hearing when you are exposed to it over a prolonged time. So, it goes without saying that going without earmuffs for shooting is next to suicide. Thanks to modern technology, there are earmuffs available in every price range which caters to your needs specifically. Hence, there is absolutely no reason for you to skip this essential.
- Passive Ear Muffs
This is the most basic ear protection that is available at a very cheap price making it a perfect for someone on a budget. These employ a combination of foam and plastic to create cup like structures that press against your ears snugly to cancel out every kind of noise around you. The only downside of these ear muffs is that it is impossible for you take instruction or make a conversation with these on.
- Electronic Ear Muffs
The pair of ear protection is far more sophisticated than the passive ear muffs which explains their price which is usually more than the later. These smarter ear muffs are designed in a way that they can differentiate between sounds that are uncomfortably loud and those that are much softer. The ear muff cancels out noises which are above a certain decibel and allows the ones that lie below that point reach your ear. Not only that, they sometimes come with built in microphones which can amplify really soft noises which are difficult to hear. These features make this ear muff perfect during shooting where you need to take instructions. Some of these fancy babies even come with a jack that will let you play your favorite music while you shoot to make it an even more enjoyable task for you. However, you must keep in mind that they run on battery, and it is always safe to carry some extra in case your device runs out of juice in the middle of an exciting shooting day.
Features to look for in the Perfect Ear Muff
- Comfort
There are mainly three different styles of ear muffs available in the market; standard over-the-head, cap-mounted, and behind-the-neck varieties. Go for the one you find the most comfortable in.
- Noise Reduction Rating
The higher the noise reduction rating (NRR), the better the ear muffs at blocking out sound. The NRR ranges from 0 to 33. www.10revs.com recommends you to pick as high as you can as per your budget.
- Fit
It is essential that your ear protection sits snugly on your ears so there is no chance of any leakage. Try to get ear phone with adjustable bands so you can customize its fit to suit you the best.
