I compared several ear protectors and this was the best one:
Best: Leightning L3 R-03318: Howard Leight R-03318 Leightning L3 Shooter's Premium Earmuff
NRR rating 30
Attenuation at various frequencies: 34 at 125, 36 at 500, 38 at 1000, 44 at 4000, 45 at 8000
Very comfortable, lightweight, fully adjustable without fear of breaking it, padded headband.
Muffles office chatter, typing, and lighting or computer humming very well. Does something, but not enough, to block loud mechanical hums and banging.
Bottom line: This is my new favorite. It's so comfortable!
Acceptable: AO Safety 90559 AO Safety 90559 Folding Earmuff
NRR rating 21
Attenuation at various frequencies: Don't know
Comfortable, lightweight. Plastic unpadded headband adjusts in preset increments, and you have to be gentle when you put it on to avoid breaking it; the plastic broke after a couple years.
Reduces the volume of voices but doesn't block them, muffles lighting or computer humming, actually amplifies the sound of typing.
Bottom line: Despite its lower NRR rating, I used this one for years and liked it a lot.
Uncomfortable: Peltor Optime 105 H10A Peltor H10A Optime 105 Over-the-Head Earmuff
NRR rating 30
Attenuation at various frequencies: 21 at 125, 37 at 500, 41 at 1000, 43 at 4000, 41 at 8000
Uncomfortably tight fit, heavier than the others, padded adjustable headband.
Muffles office chatter, typing, and lighting or computer humming well. Does something, but not enough, to block loud mechanical hums and banging. (Same effectiveness as the Leightning)
Bottom line: This was effective but so uncomfortable squeezing my head I didn't want to wear it. And I have a small-ish head.
Unwearable: Tasco Golden Eagle 2950 Tasco 210-02950 29db Golden Eagle Blk 1pos Ovr-The-Head Earmuff
(sold by another vendor as "built to military specifications", no brand name given, at twice the price)
NRR rating 29
Attenuation at various frequencies: 21 at 125, 36 at 500, 43 at 1000, 37 at 4000, 36 at 8000
Very uncomfortable. The adjustable headband looks padded, but in reality there's a piece of unpadded plastic that digs straight into the sides of your head.
Did not block sound for me at all, because the earpieces were too big for my head, leaving a gap. Maybe this would fit better on a man with a big head.
Bottom line: Hated it. Howard Leight R-03318 Leightning L3 Shooter's Premium Earmuff
I am a regular shooter and I own all of the best ear muffs available.
Pros:
Head band - The headband actually has padding and it is very comfortable. Almost all Peltors have some sort of plastic head band cover on top of the metal wire. The L3 wins hands down in comfort.
Noise dampening - Peltors are very good in the shooting range. I still use many of them. But this one is better in dampening very loud higher caliber guns like the .357 revolvers and 44 magnums. It creates a very good seal and hugs securely but comfortably. it performs better than my active shooting ear muffs.
Conversation - Considering how well it dampens very loud sounds, I can still converse with whomever I am with in the range.
Price -It is 30% cheaper in Amazon than buying it in a store.
Cons:
Size - It is bulkier than my active ear muffs.
Summary:
If you are in need of really protecting your hearing, look no further.
I purchased these earmuffs for ear protection while shooting my AR-15. They are ranked high for decibel protection, and got great reviews.
My experience of these earmuffs is mixed. They look great. They are super comfortable (though I have not worn them for extended periods of time). The sound dampening is incredible. They keep loud noises at a safe and tolerable level and simultaneously allow you to hear conversation, etc.
The problem I experienced was that they are too big to use functionally with a rifle! The head phones interfere with rifle placement when holding the rifle in a standard fashion, using a red dot scope for sights. Try as I might, including some funky positions, I could not avoid interference of the headphones with the stock of my gun. As a result, the headphones were pushed askew, my ear was uncomfortable, and the hearing protection in my right ear was negated some what.
Unfortunately, it's an instant deal breaker.
If I were going to use these for a handgun, I'd be giving them 5 stars. But since I am using them for a rifle, I cannot recommend them. If you don't anticipate on using a long gun, these are probably a safe bet. Again, they sound great and feel great. But if you plan on using a long gun, I'd recommend something with a smaller profile, or even ear-bud style protection.
I purchased the Howard Leight R-03318 Leightning L3 Shooter's Premium Earmuff along with the Peltor H10A Optime 105 Over-the-Head Earmuff. Both were roughly the same price, but I wanted to see which I would suggest to friends. I'm happy with the performance of both, but the Howard Leight earmuffs are higher-quality and a better buy. - Ear Protection - Noise Canceling - Hearing Protection - Shooting'
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