A while ago, I wrote about my favorite ear muffs, which were Peltor H10A’s. Then, I posted about the 3M/Peltor Ultimate 10 ear muffs in the midst of a holiday sale last winter. I’m pretty sure both are the same, with a 30 dB NRR (noise reduction rating), but with different color ear cups.
I sometimes wear AOSafety earplugs, but only if ear muffs are too bulky to wear with a face mask, face shield, goggles, or other personal safety equipment I’m donning. Those are rated to 32 NRR.
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3M bought Aearo Technologies, the parent company of both Peltor and AOSafety, back in 2007. This isn’t important to the context of this post, but I thought you’d find it interesting. Former Peltor and AOSafety hearing protection products and other PPE products now fall under 3M and/or Tekk branding.
What are your favorite hearing protection products?
If you’re lacking in the hearing protection department, consider our favorites:
Buy Now(3M Peltor 10A via Amazon)
Buy Now(3M Peltor Ultimate 10 via Amazon)
Buy Now(3M Tekk earplugs via Amazon)
I was recently intrigued by Dewalt earplugs I saw at a recent media event. You can see them at the bottom of my Dewalt mechanics and hand tool coverage post here. Radians, which makes a lot of Dewalt’s safety products, offers something similar (200 pack for $22 via Amazon) that I might pick up once I run out of 3M earplugs.
Now, here are a few words from my son. And no, these are not child-sized ear muffs, which some brands do make.
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Did you know that hearing loss, due to high volume noise over time, or even a short period, is irreversible? It’s also often preventable. This is a serious matter.
Got it? Great!
Byeeeeeeee!
Josh
The 3M Tekk WorkTunes are my current go to for hearing protection. When I’m working I generally like to listen to music, so these kill two birds with one stone.
http://www.amazon.com/3M-WorkTunes-Hearing-Protector-Compatible/dp/B0013092CS/
SteveR
Josh–No offense, but I hope you’re not doing anything more demanding than working a crossword puzzle while wearing these. Yes, music is nice, but it does distract you, especially so when it’s entering both ears directly at higher volumes. It also prevents you from clearly hearing co-workers’ speech, warning signals from nearby equipment, backup beepers used by forklifts, etc.
It can be as distracting as texting while driving, and can slow your reaction time. When I worked for the Feds, no one was permitted to wear this type of ear muff. You could have a separate AM/FM radio that was providing light background music; nothing more. Continuing this practice could endanger your safety, and impact those working around you.
Kyle Altendorf
On the other hand, music has been known to help people focus. It can help keep part of your brain busy so it doesn’t wander and distract the parts you are using for the task at hand. In short, I don’t think it’s as cut and dry as you say. Certainly you can listen to music in a distracting way (dancing around etc) but that’s not the only option.
SteveR
Kyle–I can agree with you that music/talk radio/etc., can be useful and doesn’t have to be avoided at all costs. My concerns were about Josh’s use of a hearing muff that is essentially a set of headphones; he may be listening to music at volumes that could prevent him from hearing important cues while performing work. These are matters of safety as well as ensuring that the work is done correctly.
Josh didn’t state whether he had a desk job or if he worked construction. From his wording, though, I assumed he probably works in the latter category. He also didn’t mention if he is hearing-impaired, and that a separate radio would have to be cranked up at a volume unacceptable to his co-workers. As you may know, long-term headphone use at higher volumes has been identified as a cause of hearing loss, which he may have suffered when he was younger.
There’s nothing wrong with a radio on at a lower volume to counter the silence in a work area. Some kinds of work are not affected by it, but many others would be. My concern was about how it tends to disrupt your concentration when it’s funneled directly into your ears. We have to consider not only our own safety, but that of our co-workers as well.
Brandon
I like these mainly due to the ease of putting them on/taking them off, as well as convenience of keeping them around your neck when not in use. Plus, you can put them on with dirty hands without cramming dirt down in your ears (like with regular foam ear plugs). The NRR isn’t as high as some other options, but the convenience makes up for it, in my opinion.
http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-R-01538-Hearing-Protector-Reusable/dp/B001DZO87M
Mike aka Fazzman
I use Howard Leight earplugs at work. We also have the 3M ones.
Wayne R.
I travel a lot for work and use these plugs for planes, hotels and work. They’re inexpensive, very comfortable, work well and I can carry/stash a bunch.
Chance
I use 3M/AO safety earplugs. I put them in at the beginning of the day and don’t take them out until I come in for the day or hop in the truck to head home. I don’t take them out or even think about them all day. If somebody wants to talk to me, they know I have ear plugs in and they can raise their volume a little bit. Work is very noisy and damaging to hearing, plus I just hate loud noises. I would rather preserve my hearing for sitting in front of my stereo and listening to good music.
mikeh
OMG that kid is cute…and quite the actor
Stuart
Thanks!
When the fire alarm went off two months ago, he threw these off his head. I needed to vacuum something up, figured I’d see if he’d wear the ear muffs instead of my having to move him to another room, and he did well. Watched me kick the vacuum on for 10 seconds, and then stayed patient while I put the vacuum away and snapped a few pics with my phone.
He had a “what the heck is going on here?” face for most of the time, then turned into his typical camera-loving self.
Allen
Extreme Headphones. I use them on the tractors, combine, lawn mower and in the shop.
USA made and good folks to work with. Repairable by user.
Stan
Thank you for that link. I just wonder if these are 100% USA made or made in USA of global components. As I recently bought a made in USA of global components 3M brand ear muffs and they work quite well.
Yet this seems every time I wear them, I get a person telling me hearing protection isn’t really needed and a big waste. I don’t listen to those people, as there is a OSHA/NIOSH regulations for a reason and legitimate studies have been done.
Nathan
Good thread – need to be discussed more. I use both Leight and Peltor products. I actually use my peltor ultimates when shooting – and occasionally when I’m working with table saw, etc. I have some thinner-lighter muff that are -26db vs the 30+ of the big peltor. I use those for string trimmer/edge/blower work.
and I keep earplugs that I gather from work – their AO safety I believe.
If talking about safety equipment maybe there should be a thread on safety glasses/perscription work glasses (for us blind people) and something on dust masks. Just a thought.
Stuart
I’ll keep those post suggestions in mind, thanks!
I tried getting some Wiley X prescription impact-resistant glasses, but the vendor I checked with couldn’t easily accommodate my prescription. If my sunglasses are any indication, curvature to a lens very greatly exaggerates how thick the lenses must be.
Anyways, for over-the-glasses goggles, check out this previous post: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/best-safety-goggles/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
I’ve tried over-the-glasses safety glasses, and they suck. And so it’s goggles-only for me.
I looked into respirators that have integrated face shields, so they I wouldn’t have to wear goggles and a respirator that sometimes don’t sit well together, but the seal would be imperfect or at least uncomfortable for glasses wearers.
Will
Back when I was a newspaper reporter I got a set of Wiley X glasses while covering a media event at an army base (it was allowing officials from the local university to fire machine guns and a Bradley fighting vehicle armed with a 20mm cannon).
I loved those glasses because I could use them as sunglasses, then replace the tinted lenses with clear ones and use them as safety goggles. They also were a great topic of conversation. Of course, they walked off with someone, and I miss them greatly.
Andrew
I use these
http://www.amazon.com/Howard-Leight-Impact-Electric-Earmuff/dp/B001T7QJ9O
With the lawn mower, power tools and shooting. It is nice to be able to plug in my iPhone and listen to podcasts or carry on a conversation without having to take them off!
Kent
It all depends on what I’m doing.
1) Riding motorcycle – I use cylindrical ear plugs
2) Shooting – active headphones. I can hear everything being said, but they go quiet for gunshots.
3) Fireworks & pyrotechnics – ear plugs if I’m wearing a hardhat, over the ear muffs if I’m not.
4) Working with tools – either over the ear muffs or plugs, depending.
I am involved in a lot of loud activities, and am careful with my hearing. I did a fair amount of damage to it years ago, and am paying the price now.
fred
had been using several different low-cost 3M – Aero earmuffs that I have scattered around my basement and garage shops – but recently bought a Peltor Tactical 100 that my local HD was clearing out from one of those big Christmas displays for $39.95 after Christmas. I have to say – that I think the Peltor works better than my old 3M’s – but I have no scientific proof.
http://www.amazon.com/Peltor-Tactical-Electronic-Hearing-Protector/dp/B00NAG4WX2/
pete
For those that are interested in top of the line hearing protection that you COULD have your insurance pay for. These electronic in ear(non-intrusive) ear pro that can let you hear everything like normal but keep out the loud sounds making them easy to not only wear which will make you more likely to wear but also help you actually hear someone shouting at you if there is danger.
There are two types- custom molded to your ear which makes them feel like your not even wearing them. And the general ones that are obviously cheaper. If you want the molded ones they have places near you can take a mold of your ear for them.
Just give them a call or e-mail and ask them about having your insurance pay for them. This will only work IF you have an allowance in your insurance policy. And they’ll help get you started on the paper work.
Check these out- http://axilpro.com/product-category/sportear-products/hearing-performance-protection-sportear/
BikerDad
Foam earplugs. I’ve also used the “solid” earplugs the military used in days past. Ear muffs basically don’t work well for me because I wear glasses. With glasses muffs don’t seal well, AND they’re much more uncomfortable.
Mahalo
Man, I love those shots of the kid with the ear muffs because they remind me of my 3-year old. He was a little “scared” of the loud banging sounds from fireworks this past July 4th and he absolutely loved wearing the same exact Ultimate 10 ear muffs your kid has on. They allowed him to actually enjoy the fireworks shows in my neighborhood, which were admittedly pretty out of control with illegal skyrockets imported/smuggled from Mexico.
I bought the ear muffs on a great deal at Amazon thanks to one of your posts, and they are very comfortable when working in the shop. Especially with the circular saw and miter saw. Thanks for the heads up.
John Blair
My favorite hearing protection is: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004U4A5RU
Pros:
The sound isolation is amazing. I listen to audio books while mowing the lawn without raising the volume. When listening to anything, you may be able to tell if people are talking to you, but you won’t be able to hear what they are saying. I can use my oscillating tool right next to my head or in confined spaces comfortably when wearing these.
Cons:
The cable… well.. is pretty bad. I have another headphone set with a mic and a remote switch that I use with these headphones so I can start and stop my audiobooks. A minor con is they are pretty tight, both because that helps isolate the noise and because I have a fat head. While they are tight, it is offset somewhat by the fact that it spreads the pressure around evenly, so it doesn’t hurt.
The price is extremely variable. I purchased mine for $16, they are currently listed at Amazon for $36.
Eric
I need to wear earplugs all day. They all bothered me by the end of the day, until I found custom molded earplugs. These are great.
amazon.com/Radians-Custom-Molded-Earplugs-Blue/dp/B003A28P0M/ref=sr_1_1
I liked them so much that I bought another pair and created custom molded earplug headphones. Best headphones I ever had. They are comfortable and I can use them while working, mowing the lawn, on flights, or any other loud scenario.
http://www.howtogeek.com/57481/how-to-make-custom-silicone-ear-molds-for-your-in-ear-monitors/?PageSpeed=noscript
Robert
I had been using a set of Leight earmuffs, although I don’t recall the exact model. I use them mostly for yard work. My issue with any earmuffs however is heat during the summer months. It’s like wearing winter clothing on a 95 degree day. I stuck with them for a while because I frequently had to remove them. I have 2 kids that inevitably require the removal of ear protection for occasional interaction. It was just easier to stick with the muffs for the on and off convenience.
Finally the heat got the better of me and I considered the plugs to be the lesser of the evils. I started using the 3M plugs and haven’t looked back. They’re less than convenient for adding and removing, but the comfort level far exceeds the inconvenience. The plugs have a slightly higher NRR anyway, so I’m not giving up anything in the way of protection.
I haven’t done the math, but the plugs in bulk are pretty cheap. You eventually need to replace the pads on the earmuffs anyway. They otherwise progressively lose their NRR rating. The only issue with the earplugs is to try a few types before settling on one. Different plugs work better for different people.
Jesse
+1 for the peltor tactical 100 muffs. I had ryobi one electric muffs for a while, but they have way more bulk to them than the peltors. And the tac 100s look way cool. There’s really no reason everyone shouldn’t use electronic muffs for convenience, safety, and situational awareness. Aux input as well.
glenn
My use of hearing protection is generally limited to short spells. I use a mix of ear muffs and earplugs. Generally earplugs at work and earmuffs at home.
The earplugs I use are Moldex Rocket reusable and the muffs I use are Bullant’s, which appear to be a bit of a Peltor copy, but not as good.
I would have to say that the best earmuffs I have ever used are my bosses Peltor Extreme H10, Very comfortable and very quiet. They are on my to buy list.
Jason. W
How old is your son? I feel like he’s not much older then my boy but he has way more teeth then my son.
I use 3m ear plugs. My boss supplies them in bulk so I’ll go through a few pairs a day usually. I’m the only guy who seems to care about ear protection. The worst sound ever is a hammer hitting a flat bar. Instant headache without ear plugs.
Stuart
Check your email!
SteveR
Everyone has their own favorite, and that’s because they have different preferences as to fit and comfort. Don’t jump on the bandwagon because everyone seems to like Brand X earmuffs. Try different brands and styles to see which maker and style best suits your needs.
Keep in mind that Peltor also offers several different behind-the-head or back-band models. These are designed to be worn in conjunction with a hard hat, which isn’t possible with a standard hearing muff. Some manufacturers offer clip-on style muffs that will attach to a hard hat, but I never cared for them. I never thought the cups closed tightly enough to my ears to provide the needed protection. But, that’s my opinion; check it out for yourself. This will be an important issue for you if you run a chain saw all day.
Coach James
I have used these for years and been satisfied.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_74540-98-90586-80025___?productId=3102561&pl=1&Ntt=ear+protection
Joseph
I sweat too much for the ear muffs. After about an hour with ear muffs it’s a sweaty uncomfortable mess.
Moldex Sparkplugs ear plugs for me. I can wear them 16 hours a day without any discomfort.