I'll be attending my first civilian professional training course later this spring. It's been a long time since I've attended a course that mixed a lot of range instruction with shooting.
I have a pair of cheap, large earmuffs that I never use for rifle shooting because they clang on the stock and get in the way. So, I always use the foam insert style of earplugs. But, for attending this course, leaving the earplugs in would make it more difficult to hear the instruction and repeatedly removing/reinserting these would waste time and be annoying.
I've never tried electronic earmuffs, but these might seem like a good solution for hearing the instruction while maintaining hearing protection. But, is there an electronic earmuff model that is low-profile enough to not clang on the stock and get in the way? Many of the companies/models also seem to have mixed reviews for the durability and quality of the electronic audio performance (either not cutting the audio quick enough, cutting it too long so conversation is missed, or just completely failing to operate after a short time).
There's also the insert/earplug kind (either foam or custom-molded) that are similar to foam insert earplugs, but that advertise either allowing normal conversation to pass through or electronically enhancing voice communication. This style would certainly stay out of the way from the rifle stock, but many of the companies/models seem to have mixed reviews regarding their sound filtering performance and/or all-day comfort.
For price, I'd like to keep it around $120 or less. I'm sure those $500 models are great, but for my needs, I just can't justify spending hundreds of dollars on earplugs/muffs. I have other equipment and ammo to buy.
I don't really have a preference between earmuffs versus plugs, as long as they're comfortable to wear for long periods, allow hearing range instructions without removal, and stay out of the way from the rifle stock so shooting form and hearing protection is maintained.
Any recommendations? Thank you!
I have a pair of cheap, large earmuffs that I never use for rifle shooting because they clang on the stock and get in the way. So, I always use the foam insert style of earplugs. But, for attending this course, leaving the earplugs in would make it more difficult to hear the instruction and repeatedly removing/reinserting these would waste time and be annoying.
I've never tried electronic earmuffs, but these might seem like a good solution for hearing the instruction while maintaining hearing protection. But, is there an electronic earmuff model that is low-profile enough to not clang on the stock and get in the way? Many of the companies/models also seem to have mixed reviews for the durability and quality of the electronic audio performance (either not cutting the audio quick enough, cutting it too long so conversation is missed, or just completely failing to operate after a short time).
There's also the insert/earplug kind (either foam or custom-molded) that are similar to foam insert earplugs, but that advertise either allowing normal conversation to pass through or electronically enhancing voice communication. This style would certainly stay out of the way from the rifle stock, but many of the companies/models seem to have mixed reviews regarding their sound filtering performance and/or all-day comfort.
For price, I'd like to keep it around $120 or less. I'm sure those $500 models are great, but for my needs, I just can't justify spending hundreds of dollars on earplugs/muffs. I have other equipment and ammo to buy.
I don't really have a preference between earmuffs versus plugs, as long as they're comfortable to wear for long periods, allow hearing range instructions without removal, and stay out of the way from the rifle stock so shooting form and hearing protection is maintained.
Any recommendations? Thank you!
