I Tested And Ranked The Best Shooting Ear Protection In 2023
The best electronic hearing protection for shooting and hunting is not easy to find. I tested the most popular options on Amazon, and here’s my ultimate and (very) personal ranking.
FYI, Prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
1. Walker's Razor Slim Electronic Shooting and Hunting Earmuffs
Top-rated: 52,433 ratings | 790 answered questions
Highlight: These muffs amplify safe sounds to provide clear omni-directional hearing. Enhanced low-end frequencies produce accurate, natural sound.
Helpful review: "I use these muffs so often, I’ve purchased a second pair, so that my wife and I can each have a pair when we’re at the range together. It’s nice being able to talk without having to get close to each other and scream over gun fire while repeating “WHAT!?” every 30 seconds. Quality wise, they seem fine. I haven’t been blown out of the water. But I don’t have any concerns either. They fold up nice and compact, and have not yet shown any signs of wear and tear (first pair is a little over a year old). At the end of the day, I would recommend these to others. They’re definitely worth getting at their current price point….That being said, since I still need to wear the foam ear plugs underneath them, I’m going to knock one star off. Otherwise, they’ve exceeded my expectations. 4/5 stars.
Update (February 3rd): Both pairs are still going strong. And I have experienced no issues whatsoever. I did want to mention that I have swapped out the ear cups for Walker’s “Gel Cups”... I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I have been super impressed. The gel cups not only seem to help form a better seal around your ear, but if you are going to be wearing them for more than a couple hours, you will really notice the difference. Definitely still a product I would recommend. The gel cups aren’t an absolute necessity, but they definitely enhance the product." — Mike303
Get it from Amazon now: $69.99 & FREE Returns
2. Howard Leight by Honeywell — Impact Sport Sound Amplification Earmuffs
Top-rated: 48,839 ratings
Highlight: Features low profile earcups for firearm stock clearance; adjustable headband for secure fit; compact folding design for convenient storage.
Helpful review: "I bought these earmuffs after trying a friends' pair. I am older, and have quite a bit of hearing loss. I had always used foam earplugs and had great difficulty in hearing people talking. These earmuffs, which are rated at 22 db, exceeded my expectations as they worked so well! It was easy to adjust the ear cushions so as to be able to wear a ball-cap type hat. The volume control is easy to adjust while wearing, I can actually carry on a conversation now and hear people talking to me. A feature that greatly affected my purchase choice is that the battery life of the 2 AAA Alkaline type batteries is listed at 350 hours. Some of the other brands that I had investigated only had a battery life of around 8-12 hours. More features include an automatic shutoff after 4 hours, I haven't tried that function yet as I always turn them off when I'm done using them. They are also able to connect to iPod, MP3 and other devices. I don't use any of these features so I cannot review them. The earmuffs do come with a 3.5 mm connection cord, approximately 37" long for the iPod, MP3 and other devices. Lastly, the foam ear cushions are very comfortable, and look to be replaceable, which is a nice feature. Overall, these earmuffs are a great value for the price." — Johal
Trending review: "This is my second purchase of these after someone stole my first pair. Paired with some aftermarket gel earpads, these are THE standard for budget low-profile electronic muffs. The earmuffs are serviceable with the stock earcups, but in my opinion only if you're shooting pistol and have low-profile eyeglass arms (since the stock foam cups aren't as form fitting as gel ones). There are more expensive electronic over-the-head earmuffs, but these are sufficient until you start getting into the $500+ range of Comtacs and Peltors. I have a pair of Walker Razors, and prefer the HLs since these are omni-directional, while the Walkers are mono-directional in terms of incoming sound. Loud noise attenuation also seems to cutout faster with the HLs, but that's anecdotal (the Walkers still do a sufficient job.) These are compatible with getting a good cheekrest on rifles and shotguns, versus thicker non-electronic muffs. If you're shooting at an indoor range, as a general best practice I strongly recommend wearing earplugs under ANY electronic earmuffs--way more sound energy will be bouncing back at you from all the walls versus an outdoor range, unless all that's being shot is 22LR. I like the new cardboard packaging, MUCH better than the plastic clamshells in terms of recyclability and ability to unpack. Includes two AAA batteries (Duracell) and an aux cord, but I don't plan on doing any aux in. Lastly, pretty sure mine are authentic based on the guides online and some other pairs I have available." — JPC
Reassuring review: "I've tried 5 brands at this point: HL, Peltors Rangeguards, Zohan, Walker Razors, and AXIL Blu. These are basically tied with the Peltors as the best. The overwhelming reason for this is the directional audio. Only the HLs and Peltors have real directional ability; you can even mistake it for your own natural hearing while wearing them. None of the other 3 are worth using if you need to be able to detect the direction of sounds. Walkers are directionally blind. The Zohans don't even suppress noise very well. The AXILs cost over twice as much and aren't as good as the HLs, though they do have wireless connectivity. The Peltors are lighter, and more comfortable right out of the box. The sound quality might be a hair better. The HLs seem to have a bit better amplification of quiet noises, and I feel more confident of the build quality; Peltor has some known issues with durability. HLs + gel cups are basically on par with the Peltors, and everything comes out similar in cost. I'm sure there are better electronic muffs at higher price points, but at least in the sub-$100 range HLs are as good or better than everything I've tried so far." — Jesse Boyd
Get it from Amazon now: $59.99 & FREE Returns
3. Pro For Sho 34dB Shooting Ear Protection
Top-rated: 20,967 ratings | 383 answered questions
Highlight: Cheapest option; 'Large' size fits teens and adult alike.
Helpful review: "Usually I have to buy a child size ear protection bc I am a small person (visually speaking, in my head I'm way bigger than I truly am). LOL. I have multiple pairs of these for different reasons. I use a pair when I am using my firearm(s) and I use another pair when I am addressing my lawn care needs. They work perfectly. The noise is greatly reduced, even when my husband is yelling when he brings me a drink of water - I can't hear him. I highly recommend these. They fit well, they DO NOT squeeze my head, they truly cancel out very loud noises. I do recommend taking off any ear decorations (earrings/cuffs ), the cushioning pushes the piercing(s) into the back of your upper neck and it is not comfortable! I wipe them clean with a Clorox wipe and spray with Lysol. I do keep them in a air-conditioned home bc the Southern & Summer heat can and will warp the plastic portions of them. So far, I have had NO discoloration from using in the Summer sun (and I do a lot of yard work)." — Amazon Customer
Trending review: "I bought two of these to use in my workshop. The reviews were very high on them so I was expecting them to work well. I was not disappointed. It gets pretty loud when I’m using my woodworking tools. These muffs block out all that loud noise. They keep the noise out well enough that when I was working on a project yesterday, I put my earbuds in then put these muffs on and I was able to easily listen to music without needing to crank the volume up. They are also comfortable to wear. I worked around 5 hours in my workshop yesterday and had them on most of the time. With some ear muffs, my head is always sore around my ears after wearing them for a while. These didn’t bug me at all. If you need good hearing protection then these are a great option. They are comfortable to wear and protect your ears very well." — Michael Leonard
Reassuring review: "I purchased these for use at an indoor range that allows anything up to a .300 Winchester Magnum, which if you're not familiar with firearms, is HUGE. So even if the biggest thing you're shooting is a .40 caliber pistol, you're going to want some serious protection. You never know when someone in the lane next to you is going to break out a .44 magnum or a high-powered rifle. I had been using bulky red earmuffs, mainly shooting outdoors. For that purpose they served quite well. One day while shooting at my indoor range, I had borrowed a rifle and with the first shot, the recoil bumped my earmuff on the right out of place. I paid the price for that for a couple of days. So, I figured it was time for an upgrade. I quickly found that slim earmuffs that wouldn't interfere with shouldering a rifle didn't seem to offer the protection I wanted. If I wanted that, I had to go for gigantic ones that would get in the way when shooting a long gun. That's when I stumbled onto these. I haven't tried shooting a rifle while wearing these yet but I'm confident that I'll be able to do so. I have, however, been to my indoor range and they work like a dream. To be fair, though, I double up with these earplugs which I also recommend. I didn't think that I could get the kind of protection that I was looking for at such an affordable price, but here we are. I know that some users have found these too tight and put them on the box overnight. I didn't feel this was necessary but your results may vary. I also appreciate that the headband part of these are padded, whereas you can see the old ones I had been using, it was not. I can't recommend these earmuffs more highly! You don't have to spend $70+ to get good hearing protection. Buy these and some good earplugs and you'll be set." — Justin
Get it from Amazon now: $19.95 & FREE Returns
4. ACT FIRE Ear Protection for Range Shooting
Top-rated: 12,297 ratings | 219 answered questions
Highlight: Affordable following a major price slash.
Helpful review: "I had a pair of these that were issued to me, but they were not working for some reason. We had range this past week, so I knew I could get these within two days and not spend a fortune. Well, the biggest suprise was when I turn them on. These actually cut the noise out more than my issued pair which cost well over $100. These only take a AAA battery, and not some fancy rechargeable battery. One button does everything. Turn it on turn the volume up, turn it off. No confusion about what I need to do. Also, I was able to plug my phone into it so while I was at the range, I could hear if I got a text or a phone call. I had one of my colleagues put them on because I wanted to make sure I wasn't just going crazy, and he said he was very surprised also. If you don't have a pair of electric headphones, you really need to consider these. I think the American flag is an extra added bonus also. And, these fold very compactly." — RG
Trending review: "I had been using hearing protection that you heated in hot water and then moulded to your ear. Over these I wore a non-electronic hearing protection. Problem was there was no way to hear any conversation. With the ACT free hearing protection I wore only these without the moulded ear plugs. The noise level from the gunfire was less that my old system and I could still hear others talking or the range officer giving commands. I should have bought these years ago. I also read about one indoor range that would not allow you to shoot without electronic hearing protect as you had to be able to hear the range safety officer." — Carroll B.
Reassuring review: "This is my first pair of this style of hearing protection, they are fantastic!!!! Easy volume button, fit well and they do as described! I could not believe my ears! You still can hear everything around you but when firing a my 40 cal. The noise was reduced in such a way I can’t even explain. Highly recommend these to anyone who works in a noisy environment or a trip to the range! I even shot my 223 super sonic rounds which are very loud and again the noise was reduced to a level that you just need to try these to experience what they do! Best have purchased in quite some time, truly the wow factor for me! Buy and enjoy!" — Johnny Hershberger
Get it from Amazon now: $36.99 & FREE Returns
5. Walker's Razor Slim Passive Earmuffs — Ultra Low Profile
Top-rated: 10,229 ratings | 107 answered questions
Highlight: Ultra low-profile; light-weight; slim design; rubberized ear cups.
Helpful review: "You will have to be precise in what you are expecting here. If you want basic ear pro that'll block out sound, these are great. They fit flush and don't leak that much sound from around the eye pro. If you want an uber comfortable pair though, these aren't it. They squeeze your grape on a level that implies hatred or retribution. The band is incredibly stiff too. Helps keep out the sound but it makes it hard to find a comfortable fit. The best thing about these is the sound protection. It's really what they are for though. I've got Howard Leights and those don't fit as well. They don't crush my skull with a supernatural animosity but they don't fit flush and leak far more sound. Oh, and by the way, I have a smallish skull. Eyewear and headwear always look odd on me because I have a narrow skull. I barely extend the earpro at all. These are just that crushing. In the end I would buy them again. They aren't going to be those that you claim that you forgot you were wearing them, but they do exactly what they are meant to do. I originally got them for the cost and have found more expensive earpro to be far less effective. Definitely a purchase I'm happy to have made." — KG
Trending review: "I've been carefully looking for noise cancelling headphones for a while. I wan