When you invest in defensive firearm training you are typically making a significant investment. The most obvious cost is your tuition for class, but there are other costs of defensive firearms training that you may not have considered such as your ammunition, meals away from home, travel expenses, and maybe most important, your time. These expenses are significant so it only makes sense that with the total cost of your defensive training you should have an expectation to get something of significant value in return.
There are a lot of things that you can do to get the most out of your defensive shooting class, but one of the easiest things you can do to get the biggest return is to invest in electronic hearing protection.
The problem with learning on a live fire range:
A live fire shooting range can be a tough place to learn. The volume level of gunfire is unsafe for your hearing and without hearing protection your hearing will be damaged with each and every gun shot.
So, we wear hearing protection to protect our valuable sense of hearing.
Hearing protection complicates things because it can make verbal communication difficult. It’s a certainty that your instructor will want to communicate verbally with you during class and it is likely that while you are wearing your hearing protection you will have a more difficult time understanding the verbal communication of your instructor. The fact that your instructor will likely spend a good amount of time standing behind you (because you have a gun in your hand) makes the communication even more difficult to deal with. With your instructor to the rear, you won’t have the ability to supplement your poor hearing with lip reading.
Learning is all about effective and efficient communication and in the name of safety you intentionally make communication and learning more difficult.
Electronic hearing protection helps you learn.
This is where an investment in electronic hearing protection might makes sense. Standard hearing protection keeps your ears safe by insulating your ear drums from the loud sound of gunfire. Electronic hearing protection insulates your ears just the same, but microphones pick up and amplify the sounds around you, like your instructor’s voice, so that you can clearly hear what is happening around you. At the same time, the fancy electronic wizardry filters out any loud noises like gun fire.
Electronic hearing protection restores your ability to hear what is happening around you to a large degree. This means you are more likely to hear range commands, explanations of concepts and principles, and the feedback and cues that you need for efficient communication from your instructor. You will hear more while you are wearing sound deadening hearing protection, even when you are firing your gun.
Plain and simple, electronic ears help you to hear all of the things that you are paying to hear from your instructor. You will learn more, you will enjoy class more, and you will get a larger return for your investment in training by adding electronic hearing protection to your range gear.
You can read about even more advantages of electronic hearing protection and some specific recommendations on brands of electronic ears here.
Get the most from your electronic hearing protection:
I’m a firm believer in making sure that my hearing is safe when I’m on the range and you should feel the same. The problem with most electronic hearing (and most other muffs) is that they leave a bit to be desired when it comes to protection. The NRR (noise reduction rating) of most electronic muffs ranges between 19 and 29. Depending on which formula you buy into even a set of muffs with a NRR of 30 are only going to reduce the impact of a gunshot by about 15 dB. This means you are still exposed to between 125 dB and 175 dB of sound.
A set of ear plugs under your muffs will add another 5 dB of protection and that can be a big difference especially if you are training indoors or with louder rifles. The problem with adding another layer of protection is that you make communication even more difficult.
With electronic ears this isn’t an issue. Just turn them up. Remember, the hearing pro is actually amplifying the hearing safe sounds around you. You can turn the volume up so that voice commands are easily able to get past your plugs while the sound of gunshots are blocked out by both the muffs and the plugs. My favorite pair of electronic ears are the Pro Ears Pro-Tac Gold. They amplify hearing safe sounds 8x but I swear they go to 11!
Probably the biggest advantage of doubling up on hearing protection is that even when your over the ear muffs are compromised in some way your hearing is still protected. Simply shouldering a rifle can move muffs enough to break the seal of the ear cup and I’ve been involved in dynamic training where my hearing protection has become dislodged because of dynamic movement. When you double up one hearing pro, this isn’t an issue.
Final thoughts:
We know that every time our ears are exposed to gunfire without adequate hearing protection our hearing is damaged in a cumulative and permanent manner. At the same time wearing hearing protection can make communication and learning more difficult by muffling the sounds we need to hear to learn.
Although it seems like a difficult situation to resolve, the solutions is actually quite simple and the answer is electronic hearing protection. Electronic ear pro protects your hearing and amplifies the sounds you are paying to hear in a defensive firearms course. When combined with plugs, you create a comfortable and redundant system of hearing protection that minimizes interfering with your learning.
Before your next live fire training course invest in quality electronic hearing protection. It will be well worth your while when it comes to your safety and the important return on your investment in your training.
-Paul Carlson
[Editors’s Note: While I agree with the author that Electronic Protection can make hearing an instructor on the range easier under most conditions, I have found that many people have problems achieving the proper position in rifle (and sometimes pistol) courses with ear muffs of any kind. Muffs can also be knocked off while training in/around vehicles or in other close quarters. I much prefer my students where plugs… there are electronic plugs available, but they are relatively expensive. Your hearing safety is important, but so is training relatistically… chose your protective gear carefully. -RJP)
The post Is Electronic Hearing Protection Right for You? appeared first on Personal Defense Network.
| New Products | |
   |
   |
  |
  |
  |
  |
| BEST Seller Products | |
 Stun Master 20 Million Volt BAD ASS Metal Stun Baton/Flashlight - As with all stun devices the Stun Master Stun Baton offers an extremely effective means of subduing an individual in a humane and non-lethal way. The effec... Stun Master 20 Million Volt BAD ASS Metal Stun Baton/Flashlight |
 Pepper Spray Disguised as Lipstick - Girls don't ever feel afraid or not in control again. If you feel uncomfortable or afraid when a man approaches you calmly reach into your purse or pocket pull out what looks like yo... Pepper Spray Disguised as Lipstick |
 Stun Cane with Flashlight 1 Million Volts - Stun Cane with Flashlight 1 Million Volts! This ZAP Stun Walking Cane is a great self-defense device for the elderly or for anyone who needs support while walking. DEMO VIDEO Stun Cane with Flashlight 1 Million Volts |
 ZAP Blast Knuckles Extreme 950K Volt Stun Gun - The ZAP™ Blast Knuckles Extreme – 950 000 Volt is a shocking high voltage stun gun that provides you with an easy way to protect yourself while on the go. DEMO VIDEO ZAP Blast Knuckles Extreme 950K Volt Stun Gun |
 Streetwise Sting Ring 18 Million Volts Stun Gun - Introducing our newest design in personal protection the Sting Ring. This revolutionary model separates itself from all other stun guns on the market today and is destined... Streetwise Sting Ring 18 Million Volts Stun Gun |
 Streetwise 18 Million Volt Stun Gun Sting Ring w/Key Ring - ON SALE: 25% OFF! With this power stun gun attached to your keys you will not have to be concerned about it getting lost in the bottom of your purse or wasting va... Streetwise 18 Million Volt Stun Gun Sting Ring w/Key Ring |
 MultiGuard 80 Million Volt Stun Gun Alarm and Flashlight w/Built In Charger - Stand your ground with the 80 Million Volt MultiGuard Stun Gun Alarm and Flashlight with Built in Charger. Easily concealable and virtually unde... MultiGuard 80 Million Volt Stun Gun Alarm and Flashlight w/Built In Charger |
 Streetwise USB Secure 22 Million Volt Keychain Stun Gun - ON SALE: 25% OFF! Protection is now as close as your keys...First we revolutionized the stun gun industry by introducing the original Streetwise S.M.A.C.K. (Stun M... Streetwise USB Secure 22 Million Volt Keychain Stun Gun |
 18 Million Volt Talon Stun Gun And Flashlight - Stand your ground with the Talon 18 Million volt Stun Gun. Fits comfortably and seamlessly in the hand the Talon delivers super powered stun protection.The Talon's trigger i... 18 Million Volt Talon Stun Gun And Flashlight |
 Streetwise TRIPLE Sting Ring 28 Million Volt Stun Gun - ON SALE: 25% OFF! We are proud to introduce the latest in our evolving line of unique and powerful stun guns. Two years ago we introduced our patented Sting Ring Stun... Streetwise TRIPLE Sting Ring 28 Million Volt Stun Gun |
 Streetwise Black Jack 21 Million Volt Stun Gun Black - For well over 25 years Streetwise Security Products has been the world's leading brand of innovative self-defense and security products.The innovation continues with t... Streetwise Black Jack 21 Million Volt Stun Gun Black |
 Streetwise Barbarian 9 Million Volt Stun Baton Flashlight - In ancient times barbarians were known for being uncivilized brutal and fierce warriors.“The Barbarian" is the perfect name for our newest stun baton. If Conan ... Streetwise Barbarian 9 Million Volt Stun Baton Flashlight |
 iKeyp PRO Smart Storage Safe w/Expandable Wing Installation - The iKeyp Pro is a smartphone-enabled personal safe that provides peace of mind by bringing security technology and easy access together. It takes only second... iKeyp PRO Smart Storage Safe w/Expandable Wing Installation |
 Police Force 21 Inch Expandable Steel Baton - Around the world police officers and security guards are switching from bulky night sticks to this more compact telescopic steel baton.This Police Force 21 Inch Expandable st... Police Force 21 Inch Expandable Steel Baton |
 Streetwise Dark Knight Expandable Steel Baton - With the newly designed Dark Knight Expandable Metal Baton you can go out into any dark night with confidence.Like a knight from the dark ages protecting innocent people from... Streetwise Dark Knight Expandable Steel Baton |
 Jolt Attacker Compact Keychain 77 Million Volt Stun Gun - ON SALE: $2 OFF! A keychain stun gun comes in handy to stop the attackers. It's easy to carry; with a simple push-button release switch it can be quickly and easil... Jolt Attacker Compact Keychain 77 Million Volt Stun Gun |
 Pulse Blowout Bundle w/2 FREE Cartridges + Any Holster - ON SALE: $50 OFF!*LIMITED SUPPLY* Normally the Pulse includes 2 cartridges with any purchase but when you order the TASER Pulse Blowout Bundle you'll get an addit... Pulse Blowout Bundle w/2 FREE Cartridges + Any Holster |
 JPX4 4 Shot LE Defender Pepper Gun Black w/Level 2 Holster - The JPX is the perfect carry weapon for these Gun Free Zones. It is not a firearm and considered a pepper spray dispenser or OC delivery system. Why would you ta... JPX4 4 Shot LE Defender Pepper Gun Black w/Level 2 Holster |
 WildFire 1.4% MC 1/2 oz Halo Pepper Spray - When you are shopping around for self defense products you may notice that there are a few items with the name wildfire pepper spray. This product comes from a family of peppers... WildFire 1.4% MC 1/2 oz Halo Pepper Spray |
 Safety Technology Barking Dog Alarm - The Barking Dog Alarm is ideal for your home office store business or any place that would benefit from having a security dog. Except you don't have to feed water walk it or take... Safety Technology Barking Dog Alarm |
 SABRE Aim and Fire Pepper Gel With Trigger and Grip Deployment - Stay safe with SABRE. Boasting the same police-strength protection as law enforcement SABRE RED is the most popular formulation carried by police worldwide ... SABRE Aim and Fire Pepper Gel With Trigger and Grip Deployment |
 iSting Personal Protection Pen - Introducing the iSting Personal Protection Pen. Every year approximately 3 million people become victims of a violent assault. The iSting helps you fight back. The small self defense device... iSting Personal Protection Pen |
 JPX4 C2 With Laser - The JPX4 Compact 2 is a brand new product offered to the public and Law Enforcement by Piexon AG. This is the only product that can fire 4 separate shots of pepper spray at 590 FPS from the nozzle up t... JPX4 C2 With Laser |
|
|
Be assured that your shopping experience is completely safe. The order site is secured using a Thawte SSL Web Server Certificate which encrypts all data to and from the site. However, if you prefer to pay with check or money order, just choose the off-line option when you check out. |
|