Review: Pro Ears Pro-Tac Mag Gold Electronic Hearing Protection

[Slawburger]

There is an excellent review of electronic hearing protection here: https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...electronic-hearing-protection-any-budget.html

I had been looking for some electronic hearing protection for awhile and really liked the information I found online for the Pro Ears brand.
Pro Ears | Pro Tac Mag Gold Black | GS-PTM Black | Hearing Protection for Shooting
They are Made in USA, Weigh 13.5 oz, 5-Year Warranty, NRR 30, Dual military grade circuit boards, auto shutoff, 3.5 mini jack.


There were two problems though:
1) They are really expensive.
2) They take "N" medical batteries so I was worried about cost and availability.

I waited (ok, stalled) and eventually found a solution to the problems.
1) The Outdoor Pro http://www.theoutdoorpro.com/index....egory_id=24243&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=2 had them for a great price.
2) They are now available in a version that uses "Lithium 123" Style Batteries which are much more common.

I wasn't sure about "theoutdoorpro.com" and couldn't find a lot of information about them online. The website didn't give me a lot of confidence (hard to explain, it just didn't look like other websites that I have used). It appears to be a small operation. The price was so much better than I could find elsewhere that I took a chance and ordered from them hoping that I wouldn't have to rely on my credit card company to help me resolve any issues. I selected UPS 2-Day Air shipping for $16.22 so that I could have them before the next weekend. I ordered on Sunday and received an immediate e-mail confirmation. I tried using a coupon code and received another e-mail from Customer Service advising that the website pricing was changed in February and they do not currently use coupon codes. They inquired as to where I obtained the coupon code so I let them know in a return e-mail and they sent back a thank you e-mail. On Tuesday I received another e-mail stating that the order had shipped. The package arrived on Thursday and was well packed. Maybe they could have shipped on Monday instead of Tuesday but otherwise I really have no complaints with theoutdoorpro.com. They had a great price, shipped the product I ordered, the product was well packed and they provided good communication.

The Pro Ears are great. NRR (Noise Reduction Rating) can vary from site to site and depends on a lot of factors. I have seen these advertised as NRR 33 and NRR 30. The label on the box says NRR 30 for Model GS-PTM-L-B. I used them at an outdoor USPSA match with the volume controls on both sides at about 1/4 of a turn and could hear conversations, timer buzzers and range commands easily but they made even the loudest handguns in use seem quiet. For grins I turned the volume controls about 1/2 turn and could hear more distant conversations very clearly. They advertise a 1.5 millisecond attack time and there was no noticeable "clipping" or recovery pause. There was no buzzing or gain feedback. There is one volume knob on each earmuff with a solid "click" to turn them off. I read a few reviews that said they would not fit an adult head and when I took them out of the box they did seem very small but when I expanded the headband they fit just fine so perhaps some people didn't realize the headband was adjustable. However, the ear openings in the ear muffs are not huge so if you have large ears it could be a tight fit but they fit me just fine. I wore them over a ballcap with no problems. The batteries (one Lithium 123 per ear) are inserted from inside the ear muffs and covered by a piece of foam. I wasn't too sure about that arrangement but they fit and I had no issues with them. I wore them for about five hours without discomfort. The ear muffs are very thick to provide the high NRR so I don't know how well they would work with a rifle. I haven't tried them with a rifle but they look like they might interfere with cheekweld. However, for handgun shooting they were definitely a good purchase. I have only used them for one match but am very happy with the comfort, noise reduction and voice amplification. I have tried non-electronic earmuffs, foam plugs, rubber plugs and Surefire Sonic Defenders. These are the best hearing protectors that I have ever used.

.... .... ....
Side View......................Top View.......................Battery Location.............Inside Ear Muff


TL: Browning Peltor, TR: Pro Ears
BL: Hoppes, BR: Silencio

 

[BE Mike]

Thought I'd revitalize this thread. Nice review. I have never previously used electronic ear protectors. I just purchased a set of the Howard Leight electronic ear protectors as depicted here: SALE - Howard Leight R-01526 Electronic Impact Shooting Sport Earmuff - $46.95 - - PKSafety.com I tried them out during an outing with my son-in-law for his first ever handgun shoot. Since they only have an NRR of 22, we both used foam earplugs with the muffs. We kept them on for for 4 1/2 hours straight. They made training a lot easier, because they increase the volume of normal sounds and shut off for loud noises, like gunfire. We were able to talk at normal volume and never had any trouble understanding what the other said. Without prompting, my son-in-law repeatedly commented on how well they work and how comfortable they are. I've used many different type of ear protectors over many decades of shooting, and I can honestly say that these are the most comfortable "muffs" I've ever worn. They are light in weight and pretty thin (hence the 22NRR rating), but ought to be good to go for shotgun or rifle shooting. They are powered by 2 AAA batteries and come with connection to plug in an MP-3, etc. They are a lot of bang for the buck.

 

[Harley46982]

Well written review I've been thinking about getting a set myself!

 

[searpinski]

They certainly are expensive. Do you find these effective enough to use at an indoor range by themselves? How about in hot weather outside? I'm interested.

 

[swany11]

Thoughts on using the 01526 while deer hunting? Reading reviews on Amazon it seems like a decent option for hearing normal ancillary sounds, maybe even amplifying them.

 

[Slawburger]

They certainly are expensive. Do you find these effective enough to use at an indoor range by themselves? How about in hot weather outside? I'm interested.

The Pro Ears were not the cheapest option but they work great and have been one of my better gear investments.

They have a high NRR and work great by themselves outdoors. I don't normally shoot indoors so I can't positively affirm that they would be sufficient but I would be confident enough to try them indoors.

I wore them on a day that was pretty hot with the sun beating down on the gravel with limited shade and had no problems. It wasn't "Africa Hot" because it has been a relatively mild summer but it was hot enough that if I hadn't been having fun I would have gone inside.

 

[searpinski]

The Pro Ears were not the cheapest option but they work great and have been one of my better gear investments.

They have a high NRR and work great by themselves outdoors. I don't normally shoot indoors so I can't positively affirm that they would be sufficient but I would be confident enough to try them indoors.

I wore them on a day that was pretty hot with the sun beating down on the gravel with limited shade and had no problems. It wasn't "Africa Hot" because it has been a relatively mild summer but it was hot enough that if I hadn't been having fun I would have gone inside.

Thanks for the reply! I don't like shooting indoors either, but for me, it's usually the only option.