Ear Protection
We love Walker Razor Slim electronic hearing protection. It’s better quality than some of the other options but at a pretty reasonable price.
(I’ve used 2 other brands in the past– Caldwell and Howard Leight. The Walker Razor Slim are better than both. They sound clearer.)
They come in many different color options. I really like the look of the color called Patriot.
Light teal is the name of the color I have. (My favorite eye protection also happens to come in a teal color that matches perfectly!)
The Magic of Electronic Ear Protection
Electronic ear protection is awesome. They have built in mics that amplify the sound. That means you hear conversation on the range like normal– no shouting required.
Are you confused? Are you wondering how the heck it “protects” if it’s making things louder? The magic is that the mics cut off momentarily when guns go bang to protect your ears.
The amplification works so well in the Walker Razor Slims that I feel like I have “spidey senses” when I wear them. I can hear conversations 80 feet away!
Worth It
Electronic ear protection is more expensive than regular, non-electronic ear protection. However, if you are going to the range regularly (and I hope you are!) electronic ear protection is definitely worth the investment.
It is especially beneficial when you are paying to take training. You’ll be able to hear the instructor much better. That means you will get more out of the training as a result.
Not Ready to Invest?
If you aren’t ready to invest in electronic ear protection quite yet, I understand. When you first get into this shooting world there are so many expenses as you get all your gear.
You can always upgrade your hearing protection later.
We recently ordered several pairs of non-electronic hearing protection to see which we liked best. We strongly preferred the Walkers EXT. We bought several pairs to lend students at our training classes.
Want the Best?
I actually don’t like having expensive gear. I hate feeling disappointed when something expensive breaks. (See tip #5 below.) I want stuff that performs, but I try to stay mid-price. But if you want to splurge a little more, there are two options.
These are like the Walker Razor Slim but they have 4 mics instead of 2. I bought a pair of these for my mom. She likes them alot.
If you don’t mind spending a little more, these muffs are an excellent upgraded option.
These are double the price of the Walker Razor Slims. It took me a while to convince myself to spend this much. I switched to these about a year ago after many years using my teal Walker Razor Slims.
After a long day on the range, the pressure from the Walkers would start to get uncomfortable. That pressure wouldn’t bother me for an hour long range session. But longer days on the range, I definitely noticed it.
One day a fellow instructor let me try his Peltor Sport Tactical 500. I really liked how “cushion-y” they felt. I didn’t convert right away but at some point I decided to.
I think Walker Razor Slims are a really good choice for casual shooters who don’t want to sink a lot of money into their ear protection. Honestly, I think they amplify better. The reason I switched to the Peltor was strictly about comfort.
Tips
Remember to power them off
Work hard on remembering to turn the power off when you take them off so you don't waste the battery juice! Why oh why is this so hard? Ugh! I can't tell you how many times I've forgotten. Which brings me to tip #2....
Have extra batteries
Keep extra batteries stocked in your range bag. It's such a bummer when you realize your ear protection is dead and you don't have fresh batteries. Plan ahead!
Wear them the right way
I always see people with them on backwards. 🙂 Wear them so that the little speakers/mic are facing forward and the power/volume knob is facing the back of your head.
Second Pair?
Consider keeping a second pair in your range bag. If you invite friends to the range often, consider carrying a second pair of electronic ear protection in your range to loan them. I do this. It allows us to talk "normal" and hear each other. Not necessary. But nice.
Protect the delicate wires
Protect your investment by keeping your electronic ears in a nice protective case. The wires at the top are a bit delicate. Throwing these in your range bag unprotected is asking for them to get damaged. I had to replace a pair because the wires got damaged and the amplification in one ear no longer worked.
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