08-30-2013, 11:32 AM
Generally I would not recommend electronic custom hearing protection for the sole reason that they are very expensive for what they are. The chips used to make them are used in analog hearing aids. In order for the specialist to make it worth their while to sell them they generally go for $900 and up. I have a pair that retails at $1200 but I got them for free because I'm in the business and I love them but to me they aren't worth nearly that much. Looking at custom hearing protection from a buyers prospective I think the custom Hocks Noise Breaker is my favorite. They aren't electronic so no batteries that will die on you (big plus), they allow you to carry on conversation pretty well (speech and other softer sounds are slightly reduced), when a loud sound is presented, like a gun shot, it has greater noise reduction. Here is a link to their site showing their test data.
http://noisebrakers.com/test_data/custom..._test_data
They basically do the job of electronic hearing protection without the need for batteries. The only advantage electronic hearing protection has is that they can amplify sounds as well. A solid custom plug will offer greater protection but these do great in my opinion for outdoor shooting especially for precision shooters. For rapid fire you might want to consider something different. For indoor ranges I would say that foam plugs plus muffs are a must.
http://noisebrakers.com/test_data/custom..._test_data
They basically do the job of electronic hearing protection without the need for batteries. The only advantage electronic hearing protection has is that they can amplify sounds as well. A solid custom plug will offer greater protection but these do great in my opinion for outdoor shooting especially for precision shooters. For rapid fire you might want to consider something different. For indoor ranges I would say that foam plugs plus muffs are a must.