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Hearing Protection Recommendations

K

Kirk Grau

Member
Now that spring is here thinking about all the time I spend on the mower and tractor. Having reached 50, I seem to be losing a little of my hearing (at least my wife thinks so). Been looking at hearing protection a little bit. Anybody have anything they like more than others.

Thinking I would like to have at least a radio to listen to, but would probably prefer something I could use with the phone to listen to material I keep on it. Will any of the Bluetooth enabled headsets work as desired? Have not seen a definitive yes on any of the sites I have looked at so coming to the wealth of experience that exists here.

Thanks,

Kirk
 
I use the little foam plugs if I have to run something really noisy. My opinion is if you try to listen to the radio with headphones you will do just as much hearing damage as if you went unprotected.
 
You might be right, but not sure that applies to some of the hi-tech noise cancelling systems I am seeing. Have not started looking at prices yet, but I expect some of these are pretty spendy.

Still in the info gathering stage right now,

Kirk
 
I like ones for shooting that say " Silencio Magnum " . I also keep the plug in foam ones in that little jeans pocket .I let them go right through the wash and they mostly stay in there . As long as you use something it will help alot. My dad has dual hearing aids.Listening to music and mowing doesn't really work . I tried it but the headphones were about 100 decibels and weren't protecting anything and I still couldn't hear the music that great.
 
When I head out to run something noisy I get a tissue from my wife's Kleenex box. I tear off a wad for each ear and that works as good for me as anything. When done they're disposable.
 
I dont know if they have a radio or bluetooth model, but Pro Ears have very good noise reduction, along with microphones with adjustable volume to hear things that aren't going to hurt your hearing. As comfortable as any I've worn.
 
I use a box from walgreens. Purple tapered kind. I think 20 come in a box for 7 bucks or so. My ears are pretty clean so I re-use them. If they get real nasty then I chuck them.
 
I use shooters ear muffs quite a bit, and Oerscheln's, and I assume other places, have yellow plastic plugs that are reusable and washable.

I second the bit about music in earphones damaging hearing. About ten years ago, a hearing specialist made a dammed convincing speech that my hearing would never be better than it was at that moment, and that I'd darned well better take care of it.
 
i'll vouch for the E.A.R. earplugs but keep them inside the house...summer heat will turn them into yellow powder after a couple years if you don't use them up before that.
 
David Clark Hearing systems are what Helicopter and Avation Pilots wear. Some with microphones others not. The best. Jim
DC
 
I always use the standard ear muff type, you can buy them at any hardware store, or machinery dealer cheap. I have about 4 pairs, one in each tractor at all times. I even use them cutting grass and when riding my Honda 4 trac, if nothing else they keep the wind from blowing thro my ears. Some times I forget I have them on and my wife tries to talk to me, I just smile, nod my head and carry on, no idea what she said!!
 
Sometimes plugs, sometimes muffs, sometimes both at once depending on job. Plugs come from Menards. Muffs are Winchester brand bought at Walmart in the sporting goods section. They are more comfortable, less expensive and have same rating as big box home improvement store ones
 
I have probably spent more of my life changing octane into noise than anyone you might know. I now wear hearing aids to carry on a conversation with anybody. I have a pair of Bose noise canceling head sets that work wonderful. They are about $300.00 but are the best that I have found. The newer tractor and combine cabs are not bad but between a career in aviation, and countless hours on older tractor, truck and combine cabs thrown in with a love of clay and skeet shooting it has all taken it's toll. You are wise to address this problem now rather than letting it go till it destroys what you have left.
 
I use those "yellow ones" that you squeeze and put into the ear. Work great, cuts out the "high" end noises yet you can still hear the equipment if something goes wrong. Not a big believer in radio etc. when on equipment. Want to be able to hear if something fails.
 
I WILL TYPE IN CAPITALS SINCE YOU ARE HARD OF HEARING. I LIKE THE SHOOTERS STYLE EAR MUFFS WITH THE MICROPHONES AND NOISE CANCELLING FEATURE TO CUT OUT IF IT IS TOO LOUD. One set that I have has a jack to plug an I-pod or smart phone into, to listen to music, don't know about the radio ones.
 
My son and I use the ear muffs you get at the Stihl dealerships. Last I knew they were about 25 bucks a piece. They work good, they completely cover each ear. He is in the landscape business and even though the damage is done on me at my age I still use them a lot. I hope to safe what hearing I have left. Like him, I'm glad you are looking at getting something before you start to have a hearing loss. After a lifetime of driving open station tractors and driving truck mine is a long way from what it once was.
 

I still use the muff type hearing protection that I've used since 1961 when I first started working on aircraft. In really high noise areas such as when I was ground man during high power runs and in burner I used both plugs and muffs.If I was doing the run I used plugs and a com. headset. on the target shooting range I use one or the other. I have very little hearing loss.
 
If you think hearing protection is expensive, wait until you buy hearing aids. They run from $300 at hearing help express up to $6000 for two good ones at a hearing center. I know from experience. I was told 10 years ago that even with two of the very best hearing aids available, I would never hear more than 76% of what went on, and I am sure it is less now. I use plugs when it is hot out and muffs when it is cool, and both if it is noisy. You will need to try out different sizes and styles of plugs to see which works best for your ear canal size. I have been looking for ear muffs that amplify speaking sounds and muffle everything else, but haven't found anything yet.
 
Ear plugs, I like the ones with the stem and 3 tapered "mushrooms. THEN an over the head muff style like the Peltors: on top of those.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.net/product/7-BE10?utm_source=GoogleShopping&utm_medium=organic&gclid=COua8srN37YCFao-MgodHB4AIg


NO NO NO on pumping any noise into your ears over the sound of machinery. Too much hearing damage. Listen to your music in the evenings
 
My dad went into the shower the other day with one of his hearing aids still in . I told him to put it in a bowl of rice and he said "what".
 
There are several manufacturers/models of amplified hearing gun mufflers. Check the catologs of any of the major shooting suppliers, like Midwayusa, Midsouth, Cheaper than dirt, for example. I have a cheaper set, they work fairly well, but not great. Problems come from wind in the microphones. Makes very annoying wearing, when used out in the fields. They do cut off pretty well when subjected to sharp, loud noises like gunfire. Loud motors - not so well. Don"t expect miracles. I use regular gun mufflers for most use around machinery.
 
Quad muffs at Cabela's I have an extra set I would sell due to "misplacing mine" for a few months. Check em out.
 
there is a lot of diffrent styles out there and each person likes one or another for diffrents reasons. all hearing protection has a NNR rating
(noise reduction rating) the higher the number the better they work. most i see are in the low 20's to apx 32 NRR. the ones i use are in the high 20's.
 
here in canada, canadian tire has head phones with a built in radio with a jack for ipod, etc. i have one for cutting lawn and other jobs... mother borrows it quite often! not sure where youre located,,, may find something similar?
look here...
 

I agree with Clodbuster about the tapered ones slipping out. Our Fire Dept. has David Clarks on the engines. They seemed to me to be troublesome.
 
agreed - that's what I do. The little squishy ones. I buy them in the big jug at home depot and consider them disposable.

For me they're just right - they knock down the noise to a non damaging level, yet still allow you to hear everything you're supposed to be hearing. (including a radio if it's turned up a bit)

Cheap earmuff/headphone types aren't bad either, but can really get uncomfortable after wearing them for more than a couple hours.

I say cheap because they don't work as well as the expensive ones.

I think the expensive ones, or anything that works TOO well get kind of dangerous. Depends on what you're doing and where you are of course.

Point is - you don't need to eliminate noise - just bring it to a safe level, and that's pretty easy to do.
 
I have a set like farmallman mentioned mine are 3M brand from Northern Tool. Just got my three yo a set of Peltors (spell?) he loves them. I have worn all kinds of plugs since I was in the Air Force in the 80's my annual hearing test comes back great almost no change.
 

Those cheap orange foam ear plugs are what I have used for years and they are the best. Very effective and comfortable to wear all day. Headphone type ear muffs are good for short term use like firing a gun but not comfortable for hours of use.
I would not recommend ear muffs with radio as you are just substituting one noise for another and will still damage your hearing. I wear the ear plugs even in the newer machinery with "quiet cabs" . You won't believe it but the foam ear plugs actually make it easier to hear the radio in the cabs. The odd time I forget to take my ear plugs with me and I can sure tell the difference. Torn up pieces of kleenex or paper towel are a little better than nothing but that is about it.
 
I use that style of plug as well. They are easily cleaned and effective.
I find it easier to talk to people and listen to the radio while using earplugs. They seem to cut out a lot of the noise that "interrupts" your hearing of voices. They really help me in some places, like a Target warehouse. Their conveyor systems are just the wrong pitch, people would have to yell at me while unloading the truck, use earplugs and I could hear them talk normally.
 
(quoted from post at 10:06:26 04/22/13) Now that spring is here thinking about all the time I spend on the mower and tractor. Having reached 50, I seem to be losing a little of my hearing (at least my wife thinks so). Been looking at hearing protection a little bit. Anybody have anything they like more than others.

Thinking I would like to have at least a radio to listen to, but would probably prefer something I could use with the phone to listen to material I keep on it. Will any of the Bluetooth enabled headsets work as desired? Have not seen a definitive yes on any of the sites I have looked at so coming to the wealth of experience that exists here.

Thanks,

Kirk
Click to expand...
I've had a Peltor worktunes headset for 5 or 6 years now. I like a little music to make the day go faster....it helps muffle the brushhog hitting rocks :). I get about 400 hours on a couple of AA batteries.

http://www.cmcgov.com/store/pc/PELTOR-WORKTUNES-RADIO-NRR22-p9438.htm?gclid=CJX6uZCn6rYCFWXZQgodMC0AiQ
 
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