REVIEW: EARPLUGS
Do you know the feeling of relief? When you take down the earmuffs after long day at shooting range? Especially on tactical ones with moving, changing shooting position in sunny or rainy days. And what next: if you don´t need them, where to put them? Earplugs can solved this problem. But what about the hearings?
There was important question before leaving to Italy competition: where to put them? Of course I meant earmuffs. When you are used to electric earmuffs its tough to not used them. Electric earmuffs are invaluable in foreign countries for competitions. Personally I have problem with non-electric earplugs they don´t fit to me.
That is the reason we start to thinking about electric earplugs. It is compromise between great listening skills and comfort with using. First of all we use them only on outdoor shooting range, long distance shooting and tactics where you are in hurry. My review is for the best selling earplugs here: 3M Peltor Tactical Earplug TEP-100 and Ghost Sryke Axil from SportEar.
1. Earplugs and accessories:
Ghost Stryke will arrive in a very luxurious package: black box, instructions. In the box is exactly cut space for the round case, 1 pair of electronic earplugs and 2 plastic boxes with accessories. The box itself is rigid for transport, a round zipper case with a carbine is made for tactical races. I click it on my backpack, my belt, my pocket, and when I need them, they're right at hand. The weight of the case, including electronic earplugs, is 30g. The eartips are packed with 1 pair of smaller and 1 pair of larger foam and 1 pair of smaller and 1 pair of larger silicone eartips. You can used the rubber cord to keep earplugs together; brush for cleaning; also included Secure Fit Enclosures to keep the earplugs really well in your ear. Peltor arrives in a white paper box. Inside is a black plastic, very durable case used for charging too. The entire case, including the 3AA batteries, weighs 200g. Additionally, 3 pairs of eartips named UltaFit and 1 pair of 3M CCC-GRM-25 Foam Rubber eartips. There are also a rubber cord for connecting the plugs and a foam protector helping repro from wind.
2. Technical
Ghost Stryke boasts a 30 db noise reduction on the package . Only foam eartips are used to handle it. Silicone eartips reduce noise levels by 24db.
Peltor writes that the reduction in silicone Ultra Fit is 23db, 27db by foam protectors. In addition, it is possible to buy Skull Screws, which should achieve a 30db reduction. Just for comparatives: whispering is classified into a category around 30db, domestic appliances produce 75-90db, concerts 11-140db, industrial machines create 110-140db and rifle shooting 110-185db.
The biggest difference is charging. While Peltor is charged in a box with 3pcs AA batteries or a USB port, Ghost Stryke has one 10-cell battery in each earplug (buy as a battery in the hearing aid, the price of 6 is about 7,- USD). Peltor full charge lasts for 90 minutes - in fact, the charging is really fast and in the box is also comfortable color lights for level of charging.
Colors of earplugs: Peltor delivers black ones for the EU market. Ghost Stryke is an American brand and has a choice of colors: black, gray-green (named as tan), red and pink.
3. Subjective assessments and own observations:
The most important are the technical properties for me: listening and noise reducing . Peltor's listening is really at the level of their electronic earmuffs, the noise reduction is perfect. Ghost Stryke boasts more noise reduction, but the sound is a bit distorted, and sounds and speech go from behind the shooter
On the other hand the improved Ghost Stryke design sits even better in the ear, and the eartips are more comfortable for full day wear. Peltor eartips are huge, even the smallest size does not fit into my ear and longer use becomes unpleasant
Ghost Stryke has the ability to adjust the listening volume with the wheel, Peltor has only two settings - lower and higher listening.
Noise reduction: Peltor and Ghost Stryke write that it achieves reduction by 30db, for comparison the Peltor ComTac electronic earmuffs reduce by 39db, and now very popular Impact earmuffs by 24db.
The rounded Ghost Stryke case is made by genius and someone who really shoots these disciplines. The large Peltor case is unnecessarily heavy..
Charging is probably better for Peltor personally, after all day shooting I put earplugs to charging box and it is done in a while. It is really impractical to replacing small batteries in Ghost Stryke during the competition. And even if my earplugs are off batteries were discharged
Once again I mention eartips, Ghost Stryke has 2 silicone, 2 foam eartips and fit perfectly in your ear. Peltor has 3 silicone, 1 foam - all are for the giant ears and therefore fit very badly. Internet reviews recommend buying Skull Screws eartips.
The price is very interesting: Peltor for the European market is priced at around 14 000 CZK (US $ 630), while the US market is cheaper about 10 000 CZK ($ 430), but there are also postage, customs and VAT (the problem can by with reclamation). Ghost Stryke has a sales price of around 12 000 CZK ($ 499) and is also delivered from America.
Electronic earplugs are a perfect helper for tactics. They were really unpaid in the extreme competition in Italy. They provide the quality of electric earmuffs and comfort from earplugs. But important question remains – it is the price justified? For me they are an incredible helper and I can not imagine tactics without them.
Hear you at the competitions
