Thread: Impulse ear plugs

Hi all

Is anybody using pulse earplugs for hunting? Something similar to these: https://www.pacificears.co.nz/product/pro-impulse/. Interested in your thoughts if so. Such as, are they comfortable to wear for longish durations (say 1 hour)? How does wind noise affect them? Can you still hear conversation? Whispered conversation? Rustling of bushes?

Cheers

"Yes" to all your questions but it depends on exactly what you get. Custom plugs, electronic or passive, are only as good as the ear impressions taken and that will vary hugely. Nothing worth having will be cheap with electronics.

Cheers for the reply @6x47. do you have a model or 2 you would recommend looking into? I was only thinking custom for the comfort factor, but only if you could still hear things, otherwise I would only end up taking them in and out anyway.

Originally Posted by bang

Cheers for the reply @6x47. do you have a model or 2 you would recommend looking into? I was only thinking custom for the comfort factor, but only if you could still hear things, otherwise I would only end up taking them in and out anyway.

Afraid I can't help you much on commercial options other than to say Starkey through an audiological practice might be a go-er. I have three pairs of custom electronic plugs (re)made from high end hearing aid modules but that doesn't help you. Check with Triton Hearing what they have access to.

I used an early version of the walkers game ear with suppression circuit on one ear. https://www.walkersgameear.com/earbuds/. it certainly amplified sounds and the suppression seemed to work but directionality was hopeless it pre-dates the ones on their website now which may be better

Apparently bones in your skull transmit sound and so muffs will always be better than plugs. I have a big early Hardy suppressor (gen1 or II maybe?) its physically huge and probably heavy compared to the newer smaller stuff but man it really quells the bang. I have been around other suppressors and I also have an early gun works alpine and my ears will immediately ring (well, worse than they do at ambient!) with all I have tried but the early Hardy

Forget the "bone conduction" red herring. It's irrelevant to small arms, all the damaging sound enters via air conduction.

there are the ottos

https://www.otto-comm.com/NoizeBarrierMicro

take out a mortgage for them though.

There is a high probability these will not perform adequately on at least a quarter of users simply because they rely on a fit-all multi-flange plug as the passive seal. Very oval, tortuous (twisty) or small canals do not suit this type of plug. Good electronic processing is useless if the passive seal in the canal is sus. I'd also have concerns about how secure they are in anchorage- minimal flange grip and somewhat proud fit is not a good recipe.

would the compressible foam plugs be their workaround for that one size fits all problem ? they'd expand after insertion to follow the contour of the canal, but they'd still sit somewhat proud

I really hate the foam plugs, they are the worst option IMO. They are niggly to put it, get very dirty as you have to squeeze them with dirty fingers, are uncomfortable to wear (even painful after a couple of hours), and don't allow any sound transmission. For me, the easiest and cheapest is the flanged ones ($1 each), next option would be the flanged impulse generic fit ones ($65), which are the same, but may provide some more sound transmission between loud noises. Third option would be some kind of custom fit impulse plugs (cheapest I can see is about $280). Trying to decide if the upgrades are worth the cash (and risk of losing them). Appreciating the replies, and based on them, starting to wonder if it's just best to stick with cheapies.