Many of us take a break during the summer months and enjoy some hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities.
For those keen on hunting and shooting: protection and safety is key to enjoyment in the future. The risk of Shooter’s Ear is not something to ignore or take lightly. Many shooters are left with ringing in the ears or constant Tinnitus after shooting without adequate hearing protection!
So, what is a practical but good ear protection for NZ hunting conditions?
You can, of course, use standard foam plugs or clunky earmuffs, but custom-fitted or electronic shooting plugs offer a superior solution to the hearing protection needs of the shooter.
At Pacific Ears we offer several ear plugs that are specifically designed for hunting & shooting:
PACS Pro Impact 15 – Custom Earplugs, from: $292.00
- Pro Impact Earplugs are custom-made plugs, developed for military use
- They reduce sudden high-volume sounds like gunfire, artillery noise, impulse sounds from nail guns, shooting, drop hammers and riveting
- They provide optimal hearing protection for shooting & hunting and loud work noises (industry)
- Two modes of operation allow this filter to give a constant mid-level of protection, as well as reacting instantly to give high-level protection (impulse noise such as gunfire)
- Constant noise reduction of approximately 15dB, increasing to a maximum of 33dB when activated by sudden high noise
- Can be worn in combination with PPE gear such as over-ear headsets
- A discreet and comfortable soft silicone in-ear mould that is custom-made to fit the wearer
Etymotic Gun Sport Pro Elite Earplugs – $589.00
Specifically designed hearing protection for gun sport enthusiasts, professional shooters, guides and instructors, hunters, manufacturing floor workers and heavy machinery operators
- Ideal earplugs for gun sport enthusiasts who need protection from firearm blasts, and for people who need protection from loud continuous noise (vehicles and machinery)
- Etymotic’s GSE earplugs are rechargeable
- Electronic hearing protection, a battery powered electronic circuit that samples your surrounding sound levels in real-time.
- Safe sound levels are passed through to your eardrums as-is, but protection kicks in as soon as sound levels become too high. You are protected automatically!
- Keep your hearing protection in at all times in the shooting range because you’ll still hear talking or instructions clearly and naturally
- Allows natural hearing up to 60dB (normal conversation or background music levels)
- Provides 15 dB of automatic hearing protection between 70dB to 115dB (vehicle traffic, power tools, lawn mower)
- 40 dB noise reduction to protect from blasts and other very loud noises, 120dB and over
- Soft Sound Amplification up to 5X
- Water-resistant plus windscreen
Etymotic GSP15 Gun-Sport-Pro Earplugs – $439.00
GSP•15 Electronic Earplugs are for gun sport enthusiasts who need hearing protection from firearm blasts, but also need protection from loud continuous noise from vehicles, machinery or repeated gunfire from nearby shooters.
- GunSport PRO electronic earplugs are designed for gun sport enthusiasts in the field
- Provide optimal hearing protection (gun blast protection) but also allows for enhanced awareness, natural hearing and clear communication
- Offers ear protection from loud continuous noise from repeated gunfire blasts, nearby shooters, vehicles or noise from machinery
- Provides 15 dB of automatic hearing protection when noise exceeds safe levels
- Improves distance detection up to 5X
PACS Impact – Universal-Fit – $64.95
The new universal fit version with soft in-ear tips is now available for ‘off the shelf’ convenience.
- Shooting plugs with an active impulse filter
- Developed for military use
- Constant noise reduction of approximately 15dB-33dB when activated by sudden high noise (gunshots/gunfire)
- Constant noise SNR value of 15dB (estimated), suitable for continuous safe use to 100dB
- Can be worn with over-ear headsets for higher levels of noise protection
- The small size of Impulse filters makes them unobtrusive and comfortable to wear, fitting easily under communications headsets or earmuffs
- Protects hearing from gunfire, artillery noise and impulse sounds from nail guns, drop hammers and riveting
- Unique filter technology is designed to allow air to enter the ear. This retains spatiality and sound directionality as required in hunting and combat situations
- Has undergone full environmental testing for humidity, hot and cold temperatures, 12-hour comfort
- Earplugs that are fully washable with water and normal detergents
- Suitable for all outdoor and indoor situations
Other resources related to shooting ear protection:
Article: ‘Shooting Hearing Protection’
Other resources related to shooting ear protection:
Article: ‘Shooting Hearing Protection’
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Pacific Ears specializes in custom-made and ready-fit earplugs for a wide range of professions and activities, such as sleeping, flying, musicians, performing artists, industrial work, motorcycling, swimming, kids and more.
Visit our hearing protection shop for all our earplug products.