#HearingProtection

Walker, a division of GSM Outdoors, has announced the release of their Razor series of electronic earmuffs to the market. Called “Razor” for their uber-thin muffs, Walker claims that the hearing protection is as thin as they could get without sacrificing hearing protection and amplification of the electronic section.

The march toward public acceptance of sound suppressors continues in 2016 with more guns and ammunition being tailored to silencer use. Browning is a company that many shooters would consider a “traditional” gun company that is more oriented toward hunting and the outdoors than Gun Culture 2.0. So, when Browning introduces threaded barrel firearms that the company specifically positions as “suppressor ready,” I feel confident that progress toward decriminalizing hearing protection is building momentum.

Walking around SHOT show this year I came across a neat set of hearing protection. The Hunter A2, manufactured by Hunter Electronic is a low profile, active electronic solution for protecting an end users hearing. Up until SHOT show, I was not aware of this company, however, they seem to have a large market share in Europe. The Hunter A2 series has microphones on both left and right ear muffs that amplify hearing, yet block sound above 82 decibels.  The microphones have separate adjustments, and the Hunter A2 boasts “sound direction detection”. The Hunter A2 series has an IP54 rating, which means they are both protected from dust and water spray. The Hunter A2 has a 3.5mm input jack for a communication radio. The external communication radio is not dependent on the Hunter A2 having battery power. In regards to batteries, the Hunter A2 will run 300 hours on 4 AAA alkaline batteries. The Hunter A2 has a noise reduction/single number rating of 26db. For comparison my Howard Leigh ear muffs have a single number rating of 25db. Pretty comparable. I like the low profile construction of these ear muffs. If I bought a pair of these, I would cerakote the housing black or green. I am anxious to see how the American market responds to these. I would love to test the “sound direction detection”. Perhaps my editors can arrange a test.

Silynx is known for making hearing protection communication devices for military and law enforcement. Well now Silynx is looking toward the civilian market.

High-volume induced hearing loss is considered a high-priority national health issue. Within the shooting community, its a battle we are constantly fighting, always pushing for suppressor usage (which are not always legal), teaching people about the value of ear pro, and instilling good habits in our fellow shooters.

Many shooters have a tendency to neglect protecting their hearing while on the range or hunting. Whether this is because of being unable to hear range commands or the inability to hear movement while in a deer stand, duck blind, or other hunting activities.

Investing in good hearing protection is a must in the shooting sports to prevent hearing loss. I’m a big fan of electronic hearing protection, especially when taking a shooting course or when you’re trying to chat with buddies at the range. Well here’s something a bit different, the GunSonics! app makes use of your iPhone turning ordinary passive shooting ear muffs into electronic hearing protectors. It’s designed to use the factory Apple iPhone/iPod headsets that you wear under non-electronic shooting ear muffs. The GunSonic! app does the rest, the developers claim the GunSonics! app has a sound cutoff reaction time that’s much faster than many of the electronic earmuffs on the market, it also amplifies quieter sounds such as an instructor’s voice or animal movements. The app has 6 presets that are customized for various types of firearms, it even allows you to choose between semi-auto and full-auto weapons. For more info check out Gunsonics.com, the app is currently available in the iTunes app store for $9.99 with an Android version coming soon.

Battenfeld Technologies announced the introduction of a new model in the Caldwell EMAX line of hearing protection. The new ear pro is a low profile, over-the-ear muff finished in the Mossy Oak camouflage pattern.

Not that long ago electronic ear muffs were priced out of the reach of most casual shooters.  Prices generally started around $200 and went up.