The 8 Best Noise Cancelling Ear Muffs

Updated June 01, 2019 by Christopher Thomas

This wiki has been updated 26 times since it was first published in May of 2019. Avoid exposing your ears to dangerously loud sounds and risking deafness down the road. Instead, pick up a pair of noise-cancelling ear muffs, which offer double the protection of passive models. Not only do they seal your ears off, but they use a microphone to detect and digitally dampen hazardous noises while bringing voices to the forefront. Some even let you plug into an audio device or phone. When users buy our independently chosen editorial selections, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki. If you'd like to contribute your own research to Ezvid Wiki, please get started by reviewing this introductory video.

1. MSA Sordin Supreme Pro X

2. 3M Peltor Sport Tactical 500

3. Walker’s Razor

4. Honeywell Impact Sport

5. Honeywell Sync

6. Honeywell Bilsom Impact H

7. Pro Ears Mag Gold Series

8. Awesafe GF01

Editor's Notes

May 16, 2019:

Most manufacturers use the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) metric to communicate how effective their products are at blocking out unwanted sound. Consumers should be aware of what this number means since it is one of the main factors we used to judge these noise-cancelling ear muffs.

The NRR is used by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to gauge how much protection employers must provide for their workers' ears. A product's rating is determined by putting it through rigorous laboratory testing.

For example, Walker’s Razor has an NRR of 23 decibels. However, to figure out how many decibels the ear muffs actually muff out, you can't simply subtract the NRR from, say, the noise you'd be exposed to by operating a chainsaw, which can be 100 decibels loud.

Instead you must subtract seven from the NRR, divide the result by two and subtract that result from the original noise level. So, in the chainsaw example, the Walker’s Razor would lower noise exposure to 92 decibels.

The 3M Peltor Sport Tactical 500 has a slightly more effective attenuating ability with an NRR of 26 decibels.

Last updated on June 01, 2019 by Christopher Thomas

Building PCs, remodeling, and cooking since he was young, quasi-renowned trumpeter Christopher Thomas traveled the USA performing at and organizing shows from an early age. His work experiences led him to open a catering company, eventually becoming a sous chef in several fine LA restaurants. He enjoys all sorts of barely necessary gadgets, specialty computing, cutting-edge video games, and modern social policy. He has given talks on debunking pseudoscience, the Dunning-Kruger effect, culinary technique, and traveling. After two decades of product and market research, Chris has a keen sense of what people want to know and how to explain it clearly. He delights in parsing complex subjects for anyone who will listen -- because teaching is the best way to ensure that you understand things yourself.


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