{"id":1917,"date":"2021-10-21T14:42:02","date_gmt":"2021-10-21T14:42:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/?p=1917&#038;fishpig=1634825822&#038;preview=true"},"modified":"2026-05-21T10:47:18","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T10:47:18","slug":"the-importance-of-hearing-protection-for-shooters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-importance-of-hearing-protection-for-shooters\/","title":{"rendered":"The Importance of Hearing Protection for Shooters\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\"><div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p><span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-importance-of-hearing-protection-for-shooters\/#The_importance_of_hearing_protection_for_shooters_and_hunters_has_become_a_much-discussed_topic\" >The importance of hearing protection for shooters and hunters has become a much-discussed topic.\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-importance-of-hearing-protection-for-shooters\/#Hearing_Protection_for_Shooters\" >Hearing Protection for Shooters\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-importance-of-hearing-protection-for-shooters\/#What_is_Too_Much_Noise\" >What is Too Much Noise?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-importance-of-hearing-protection-for-shooters\/#Hearing_Protection\" >Hearing Protection<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-importance-of-hearing-protection-for-shooters\/#Ear_Plugs\" >Ear Plugs<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-importance-of-hearing-protection-for-shooters\/#Earmuffs\" >Earmuffs<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-importance-of-hearing-protection-for-shooters\/#Suppressors\" >Suppressors<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_importance_of_hearing_protection_for_shooters_and_hunters_has_become_a_much-discussed_topic\"><\/span><strong>The importance of hearing protection for shooters and hunters has become a much-discussed topic.\u00a0<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As sportsmen and shooters, we are focused on protection. We buy high-impact <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/various-rifle-rests-and-when-to-use-each\/\">shooting<\/a> glasses to protect our vision. We acquire <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/best-places-to-see-wildlife-in-the-usa-this-summer\/\">travel<\/a> cases and home safes to protect our firearms. Many of us choose firearms to protect our homes. One aspect of protection that we as shooters and hunters are becoming more and more aware of is hearing protection.<\/span><\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Hearing_Protection_for_Shooters\"><\/span><b>Hearing Protection for Shooters<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In the simplest of terms, our hearing is derived from the microscopic hairs in our ears bending back and forth from the sound waves that funnel into our ears. This is a fantastic oversimplification of the process, but when the sound waves are too strong, the hairs aren&#8217;t able to recover from the bending, and some die. The loss of bending hair results in hearing loss.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_Too_Much_Noise\"><\/span><b>What is Too Much Noise?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sound is measured in decibels (dB). And everyday noise that is safe and will not damage the ear is about 85dB. After 85dB, hearing loss can occur with prolonged exposure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A circular saw, for example, has a dB rating of about 110. While hearing loss won&#8217;t be permanent immediately, it could occur if you use it for several hours. This is why many old-timer machinists or rock stars are deaf as codfish. They were exposed for long periods to incredibly high levels of noise.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">With gunshots, we aren&#8217;t talking about sustained exposure. We have probably all heard or even said &#8220;You won&#8217;t notice the shot when <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" title=\"hunting\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"320\">hunting<\/a>&#8221; or &#8220;it&#8217;s only one shot.\u201d But after 120dB, hearing damage is almost instantaneous.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A .22 LR can produce roughly 140dB whereas a big bore <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/7-ways-to-sharpen-your-rifle-shooting-skills\/\">rifle<\/a> like a .338 Lapua can produce 175dB. Remember that those numbers are exponentially more powerful. So yes, while you might not notice the sound in the excitement of the shot, you will notice the ringing in your ears while you quarter that elk. And your spouse may notice when they have to shout to get your attention after the season ends.<\/span><\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Hearing_Protection\"><\/span><b>Hearing Protection<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/tag\/hearing-protection\/\">hearing protection<\/a>, sportsmen today have more options than ever before. Many hearing protection devices can be purchased for very little money. Bespoke options outweigh the costs in their convenience and comfort. Here is a list of different options that will make choosing your hearing protection much easier.<\/span><\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ear_Plugs\"><\/span><b>Ear Plugs<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The ubiquitous foam earplugs that seem to end up in everyone&#8217;s dryer are a great option for casual <a title=\"5 Long Range Shooting Tips\" href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/5-long-range-shooting-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">shooting and just to have on hand to give out at the range<\/a>. Earplugs do have some shortfalls. The best foam plugs block about 30db worth of sound. So that report from the .22 is safe for a longer period but continued exposure like at a gun range all day will still lead to hearing damage. In many instances however, plugs can be paired with other options for a layered defense.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Since foam plugs need to be rolled and inserted into the ear canal these aren&#8217;t the best option for hunters who need to quickly take a shot. Blind or stand hunters will have more time to put plugs in than their spot and stalk counterparts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There are custom-fit plugs, like these from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tetrahearing.com\/collections\/custom-molded-hunting-and-shooting-ear-plugs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tetra Hearing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, that while a bit more expensive, are much more comfortable and in most cases provide better noise protection. Your local audiologist can take fittings that you can send to the company to make a bespoke pair of plugs that will feel like you aren\u2019t wearing anything.<\/span><\/p><figure id=\"attachment_1918\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1918\" style=\"width: 438px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1918\" title=\"The Importance of Hearing Protection for Shooters\u00a0\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/PheasantTETRA12_550x550.jpg\" alt=\"The Importance of Hearing Protection for Shooters\u00a0\" width=\"438\" height=\"438\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/10\/PheasantTETRA12_550x550.jpg 550w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/10\/PheasantTETRA12_550x550-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/10\/PheasantTETRA12_550x550-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/10\/PheasantTETRA12_550x550-96x96.jpg 96w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 438px) 100vw, 438px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1918\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Importance of Hearing Protection for Shooters\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tetrahearing.com\/collections\/universal-fit-hearing-protection-and-enhancement\/products\/multi-pursuit-alphashield\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tetra Multi-Pursuit<\/a> hearing devices are optimized for deer, elk, turkey, waterfowl, upland and range sounds, while providing hearing protection from loud gunshots.<\/p><h3 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Earmuffs\"><\/span><b>Earmuffs<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Headphones, earmuffs, or \u201ccans\u201d as they\u2019re sometimes called, offer some comforts and advances that should put them in the range bag of every shooter. Earmuffs come in two types: passive or electronic. Passive muffs seal around the ear and block noise. Since these don\u2019t require any set up or modification they are usually cheaper than their electronic counterparts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Electronic muffs feature the same decibel protections as the passive variety, but come with some bonuses. Most electronic sets allow you to hear lower-level sounds like a conversation. On some models with a volume control you can tune them so you can use them as a hearing aid to hopefully hear that snapping twig or whispers of your buddies in the duck blind. Some higher-end electronic models like these<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.brownells.com\/shooting-accessories\/ear-eye-protection\/ear-muffs\/impact-sport-electronic-earmuffs-o-d-green-sku100004644-27657-56134.aspx?cm_mmc=PPC-_-Itwine-_-Google-_-100-004-644&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwqp-LBhDQARIsAO0a6aIsUkGaP2j2GUTRDVlsU8cQfE-JBqUzvHTXfUfcCCwKL074127ozWgaAnfDEALw_wcB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Howard Leights<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> also feature an audio jack so you can listen to music or a phone call while shooting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><figure id=\"attachment_1919\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1919\" style=\"width: 433px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.howardleightshootingsports.com\/products\/impact-sport-bolt-electronic-shooting-earmuff-gray?nosto=frontpage-nosto-5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1919\" title=\"The Importance of Hearing Protection for Shooters\u00a0\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/product_R-02232_1_1296x-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"The Importance of Hearing Protection for Shooters\u00a0\" width=\"433\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/10\/product_R-02232_1_1296x-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/10\/product_R-02232_1_1296x-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/10\/product_R-02232_1_1296x-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/10\/product_R-02232_1_1296x-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/10\/product_R-02232_1_1296x-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/10\/product_R-02232_1_1296x.jpg 1296w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 433px) 100vw, 433px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1919\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Importance of Hearing Protection for Shooters\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure><p style=\"text-align: justify\">The Howard Leight <a href=\"https:\/\/www.howardleightshootingsports.com\/products\/impact-sport-bolt-electronic-shooting-earmuff-gray?nosto=frontpage-nosto-5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Impact Sport BOLT<\/a> Electronic Shooting Earmuff offers a lightning-fast .5 MS (millisecond) attack time for instant hearing protection.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Earmuffs can be worn around the neck while not in use so they are a quicker option than plugs. Electronic muffs can be worn all the time and still maintain a good range of hearing in the woods.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A consideration while buying a set of earmuffs is the type of shooting glasses you will be wearing. If the padding is not cut for <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/shooting-22lr-rifle-in-a-whole-new-way\/\" title=\"Shooting a 22LR Rifle in a Whole New Way\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"578\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">shooting<\/a> glasses, you will open the seal around your ears. This also reduces the efficiency of the setup. Replacement pads can be purchased to fit your glasses.\u00a0 Additionally, you may want to compare or test when possible if your earmuffs will be too bulky for shooting. Most sets designed for shooting sports feature a slimmed-down design so they won&#8217;t interfere with your face&#8217;s position on the <a title=\"Custom Rifle \u201cStock\u201d Options\" href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/stock-options\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">rifle stock<\/a>.<\/span><\/p><h3 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Suppressors\"><\/span><b>Suppressors<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Depending on your state and your budget, a suppressor\/silencer is a great option. Thirty nine states allow the ownership of a suppressor and while arguably contentious, their benefits are obvious. Most suppressors reduce the report of a gunshot by 25-30dB. Making that .22 safer to shoot and bringing the report of a .308 (156dB) down to that of a .22. Suppressors don\u2019t silence gunshots so you should still pair your suppressor with additional hearing protection.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As sportsmen, we constantly fight to protect places we care about. As shooters, we need to start by protecting ourselves. From being able to hear a buck snort in the woods, to hearing your friend while out at a restaurant, our hearing is vital to who we are.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Regardless of if you have hearing loss or not, the goal is to protect what you have left. Buy hearing protection, make it part of your <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/rifle-scope-accessories-you-might-consider\/\" title=\"Rifle Scope Accessories You Might Consider\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"829\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">shooting<\/a> routine, and make sure those people you bring into the sport understand the importance of hearing protection for shooters.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Importance of Hearing Protection for Shooters\u00a0 | TRACT design and engineer performance-grade optics without the added retail costs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1922,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2275,1],"tags":[2325,2667,2797,3189],"class_list":["post-1917","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-accessories","category-uncategorized","tag-accessories","tag-hearing-protection","tag-hunting","tag-shooting"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1917","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1917"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1917\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12760,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1917\/revisions\/12760"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1922"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1917"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1917"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1917"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}