Note: If you don’t want to read the whole article, you can review our top picks here: Howard Leight Impact Pro or Walker’s Razor
Hunters and shooters spend a lot of time around guns. As a result they know just how important it is to protect their hearing.
The average gunshot noise is around 140 decibels (db). This is well above the 85db safe limit for hearing and into the range where immediate hearing damage can occur. Because of this, if you are going to be around guns, whether shooting or not, hearing protection needs to be a priority.
7 Best Electronic Earmuffs
At the same time, being able to hear sounds around you is also critical while shooting. If you are on a range you need to be able to hear the voices of those around you in order to be able to shoot safely. Or, if you are hunting you need to be able to hear the sound of your prey.
Electronic hearing protection has evolved to fill this critical need, protecting the shooters hearing when they need it, while still allowing ambient sounds that won’t harm hearing through.
It works by capturing external noises using microphones and replicating those noises on speakers within the earmuffs. If there is a gunshot that exceeds the safe hearing threshold it cuts off the amplification or lowers the noise level of the gunshot to a safe level.
Also read about electronic earplugs: doctear.com/the-best-earplugs/electronic-reviews/
Other great earmuffs are radio headphones for mowing.
Reviews of the Best Rated Electronic Earmuffs
Electronic Ear Muffs have rapidly become a must have item among shooters. Let’s take a look at some of the top models in the electronic hearing protection reviews below.
- NRR 30 dB
- Competitively Priced
- Headphone Jack
Howard Leight is the major competitor to Peltor in the electronic hearing protection market and makes a lot of high quality products.
The Impact Pros are their top of the line commercial earmuffs. They offer the highest NRR of all the hearing protection we’ll look at today with an outstanding 30db. This means you’ll be well protected no matter how loud the shooting environment you are in.
Howard Leight uses a clipping technology that shuts off the amplification within milliseconds whenever there is a gunshot. This is generally considered to be an inferior technology to the compression approach taken by Peltor, but still works very well in terms of overall protection.
The Impact Pros are very comfortable with large ear cups and plenty of padding. You’ll be able to wear these earmuffs for hours on end with no discomfort.
For all the features the Impact Pros provide they are the most competitively priced of all the earmuffs we’re looking at today in our electronic hearing protection review.
Pros
- High noise reduction rating of 30dB, which is much higher than more expensive models that are in the 24 - 26dB range.
- Comes at a good price, considering all it's features and high performance.
- Long battery life of around 10 hours.
Cons
- The Impact Pro doesn't have a slim design and are somewhat larger compared to other ear muffs
- NRR 22 dB
- Reduces Echoes in Indoor Shooting Ranges
- 2 Hour Shut-Off
The Peltor Tactical 100s are the top of the line product from Peltor in the slimline earmuff subcategory. Slimline earmuffs have a small physical profile and offer slightly less protection than the professional line earmuffs we just looked at.
The smaller physical profile makes them easier to fit in range bags and won’t interfere with other equipment you may be wearing while shooting.
Slimline earmuffs will only provide in the low 20s db of protection in terms of NRR so they are designed primarily for hunting and outdoor shooting. If you want to wear them for indoors shooting expect to need to double them up with inner ear hearing protection.
The Tactical 100s provide an NRR of 22db and feature recessed microphones that help decrease wind noise. They also include a 3.5mm audio jack and audio mixing that allows you to listen to music or other audio input without loosing the ability to hear ambient sounds.
Pros
- Well padded headband and are comfortable to wear for extended periods
- When you wear them you get good cup ear seal, even if you wear glasses.
- Audio input jack, so you can connect them to an MP3 player and 2 way radios
Cons
- Some users may think that the sound clipping of the Peltor Tactical 100 is too sensitive, which can make conversation somewhat difficult on the shooting range.
- The fit of the ear muffs may be tight for some users.
- NRR 22 dB
- Low Profile Earcups
- Approximately 350 Hours of Battery Life
The Impact Sports are the slimline offering from Howard Leight. These are the top selling earmuffs in the Hunting and Shooting Earmuffs category on Amazon.
They offer an NRR of 22db, which makes them perfect for outdoor shooting activities. They feature directional microphones that are recessed and covered with foam to protect them from wind noise.
The Impact Sports have a long battery life and should last for over 300 hours on a single set of AAA batteries, they also include an automatic 4 hour shut off in case you should accidentally leave them on when not in use.
Pros
- Ultraslim earcups which won't interefer when shooting.
- Top selling earmuffs for shooting at a very competitive price.
- Very long battery life approx. 350 hours, plus auto shut-off feature after 4 hours.
Cons
- Some users have said that when they put on the earmuffs they have problems with sealing the cups properly over their ear.
- NRR 23 dB
- Ultra Low Profile Earcups
- Two Omni Directional Microphones
The Razor by Walker’s is an outstanding slimline earmuff. Designed from the ground up for the slimmest fit possible, these earmuffs won’t interfere with anything else while you are shooting.
They provide an NRR of 23db, one better than you get with either the Impact Sport or Tactical 100s, without adding any bulk.
One thing Walker did very well with these earmuffs was focus on style in addition to function. The Razors have a very aggressive profile that appeals to many shooters; they also come in a wide variety of colors to match individual preferences.
If you want to look good while still getting the best electronic hearing protection, look no further than the Razor. You can read more here about Walker’s vs Howard Leight.
Pros
- Have a snugger fit and provide a secure fit over the ears.
- Have low and thin profile.
- Volume knob on the muffs allows you to control the volume.
Cons
- Too tight fitting if you have a large head.
- The two omnidirectional microphones are Mono not Stereo, which means that it's difficult to locate where the sound is coming from.
- NRR 26 dB
- Soft Gel Filled Ear Cushions
- Auto Shut-Off After 2 Hours
Peltor is the original, and still most respected name in electronic hearing protection. The company built their reputation supplying electronic earmuffs for US Special Operation Command for use in some very tough environments.
They use a proprietary sound compression technology that is widely seen as the gold standard in the industry.
The Tactical Pros are the top of the line offering from Peltor for the commercial market. They offer a robust NRR of 26db, which offers excellent protection for both indoor and outdoor shooting.
The Tactical Pros are designed for all day comfort. They are well padded with deep ear cups and feature large ergonomic buttons for easy adjustments while wearing gloves.
These earmuffs are designed to work with radios as well. So if you will be wearing these while using a radio this is an awesome additional feature.
Pros
- The high NRR of 26dB makes them great for heavy equipment operators, airport workers, shooting and industrial workers.
- The on/off button and volume control button are easy to locate and use.
- Comfortable to wear since they have gel filled ear cushions
Cons
- You need to purchase the audio jack cable seperately.
- More expensive than the other ear muffs on this list.
- NRR 24 dB
- Bluetooth Technology
- Integrated Microphone
The 3M Worktunes headphones are designed for lawn mowing, snow blowing, doing DIY projects, construction work and other activities, that require you to protect your hearing from hazardous noise. They have a high 24dB NRR, and simple one button operation, allowing you to turn them on and off even
when you’re wearing gloves.
One of their best features is the Bluetooth technology, which allows you to connect them to your mobile device and stream music and make calls. There is an integrated microphone so you can accept and make calls without removing the headphones.
These headphones have premium gel ear cushions, which makes them soft and comfortable to wear for a long period of time. The 3M Worktunes have an auto shut-off feature and low battery indicator, plus a long battery life of over 30 hours per charge.
Pros
- Bluetooth wireless technology allows you to listen to music, while the integrated microphone allows you to take and make calls.
- Soft comfortable ear cushions and flexible headband.
- High fidelity speakers provide premium sound quality.
- Can use used for lawn mowing, snow blowing, construction, DIY projects.
Cons
- If you're looking for ear muffs for shooting or hunting the Peltor and Howard Leight might be a better choice.
- NRR 23 dB
- Very Competitively Priced
- 2 Year Guarantee
The Awesafe electronic ear muffs were designed for shooting at the range or in the field. They have a Noise Reduction Rating of 23 decibels and are made of high quality materials, however they have a very affordable price tag.
All you have to do is turn on the volume control button when you want to use them. There is also a volume control button, which lets you adjust the amplification effect. The built-in directional microphones enhance communication and provide a more natural listening experience.
You can easily fold them and carry them with the rest of your shooting gear. They have an auto shut-off feature after 4 hours, while at the same time they are energy efficient. The Awesafe electronic ear muffs come with 2 year guarantee.
Pros
- Good quality ear muffs for shooting, which are also competitively priced.
- Auto shut off after 4 hours to preserve battery life.
- Come with 2 year guarantee.
Cons
- A few users have said that they wear earplugs under the Awesafe electronic ear muffs.
Conclusion
We’ve taken a look at a lot of outstanding products today. When you’re trying to determine which of these are the best electronic earmuffs for you remember to start with protection first.
Purchasing a product that doesn’t provide a high enough NRR will lead to frustration at best and at worst may leave your hearing exposed to damaging noise. After protection consider other factors that may be important to you such as style or comfort.
One of the best electronic earmuffs on the market are the Howard Leight Impact Pro. They offer the highest NRR of all the hearing protection on our list, with an outstanding 30 dB. They have an automatic shut-off feature to preserve battery life and a very long battery life of approximately 350 hours. In addition to this, they have a comfortable and secure fit.
No matter what your needs are, I think you’ll find that one of the products we’ve looked at today will give you the protection and features you are looking for.
