Expert Tip<\/span>Try Them On<\/h4>Briana Yablonski<\/h5>
Since one of the most important aspects of ear protection is comfort, you need to make sure your muffs are a good fit! You can always return a product if it doesn\u2019t work out, but trying on multiple products in person is the best idea.<\/p>\n<\/aside>[vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
Hearing Protection Buyer’s Guide<\/h2>\n
When it comes to finding the best hearing protection for your workplace, there are a series of things to keep in mind. Most obviously, you want to be able to reduce the amount of noise you experience to as little as possible, but you won\u2019t want to do so at the expense of important sounds, like conversation. You will also want to be comfortable, assuming that you will need to wear them for long periods of time.<\/p>\n
This buyer\u2019s guide should run through what is important in terms of comfort and effectiveness, so you can decide which hearing protection method is best suited to your situation. Some people may use hearing protectors for leisure, while hunting or shooting, and some might even use them for some peace and quiet while working on a hobby. With so many purposes. It is important that you know why you need them before choosing an appropriate pair.<\/p>\n
Some people may choose earplugs, rather than larger muffs that go over the ear. These are generally very effective, as they fill your ear to block out more sound, but they are also quite intrusive. Under the assumption that you are looking for over-ear protection, let’s look at what features change between the different muffs available.<\/p>\n
Comfort<\/h3>\n
The most important thing to take into account is, as always, comfort. Whether you are working through a long shift or walking around while hunting, you need to be able to wear hearing protectors for long periods of time. With many of the products available, this is not possible, due to a tight or rigid headband holding the muffs together. A rigid steel headband is a good feature of earmuffs because it is durable, but it isn\u2019t worth it if it causes discomfort. Alternatively, flexible headbands are available.<\/p>\n
Similarly, the extra padding involved with safety muffs can be problematic rather than beneficial. While padding sounds like a comfortable, soft feature that would make your experience nicer, the amount used for powerful safety muffs can put your ears under pressure. In fact, some non-electronic options can use too much material in their manufacturing, which leads to headphones feeling tight and heavy. Electronic muffs, or those with lighter cups, could be a better option.<\/p>\n
Noise Reduction<\/h3>\n
Noise reduction is the entire purpose of hearing protectors. They need to be able to reduce the amount of noise that you hear to a suitable level, which won\u2019t cause your ears any harm over long periods of time. For example, if you are working in an indoor space for two hours, you need the noise produced by any power tools to be under 90dB so that you don\u2019t experience any hearing loss or pain. Therefore, your hearing protectors need to be able to reduce noise to that level.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, all over-ear hearing protection gives a useful Noise Reduction Rating (NRR), which can be found on the packaging or in the key specs for the product. The NRR is an indicator of how much noise can be blocked out by those specific protectors, so you can work out how efficient they will be in your work environment. Most good ear muffs will have an NNR of approximately 25dB, while the best will reach over 30dB.<\/p>\n
Features<\/h3>\n
The wonders of modern technology mean that there is a range of other features available in hearing protectors, which can keep you entertained while you are safe. Of course, ear muffs for safety are basically the same as headphones for leisure, just without the music, so why not add that in too? If you are going to be working hard and need to focus, plenty of electronic muffs have Bluetooth included so that you can answer phone calls and play your tunes while you work.<\/p>\n
Many electronic hearing protectors also use modern methods for reducing noise, as found in noise-canceling headphones. This can lead to a more effective end product, although all of this will generally cost a fair bit more than normal safety muffs. However, if you choose hi-tech, electronic hearing protectors, you may have the benefit of being able to use them as normal headphones too.<\/p>\n
Expert Tip<\/h4>\n
As well as offering high tech noise reduction methods, electronic headphones can let you listen to music in high quality, so you can use them for both work and pleasure.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Did You Know?<\/h4>\n
Even for brief periods of time, noise over 125 dB can cause lasting damage to your hearing. You should never put yourself in range of this noise without protection.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Finally, we have these headband hearing protectors from Husqvarna. Husqvarna is a reputable company that produces chainsaws and all the necessary protection to accompany them. In doing so, they have come up with these sturdy and reliable hearing protectors, with an effective noise reduction rating of 25dB. This is notContinue reading