SHTF / Combat hearing protection

[Armed-N-Ready]

Started looking through my BOB and realized I forgot about hearing protection. I know during a self defense situation (break in / robbery) i won't have time to put plugs in but at that time, who cares. You have to admit that firing any weapon inside a building or out of a window is going to be deafening unless you have a silencer. We all wear hearing protection when we practice. This lead me to several questions:

1) Do soldiers wear plugs during combat, how do they protect their hearing?
(This one I'd like to hear answers from our combat vets)

2) What do you plan to do about this when the zombies attack or defending your family from the hoards of marauders?

3) How many have hearing protection in your BOB?

Thanks for your input / comments.

 

[tenring]

Peltor ComTac II Military/Tactical Ops Headset, Military Green [BOSSMT15H69FB-09] - $246.95 : Boss Safety Products

 

[jeremy]

1) Do soldiers wear plugs during combat, how do they protect their hearing?
(This one I'd like to hear answers from our combat vets)

2) What do you plan to do about this when the zombies attack or defending your family from the hoards of marauders?

3) How many have hearing protection in your BOB?

Thanks for your input / comments.

1) Huh... What did you say? Can ou speak up please...
In all seriousness most soldiers only where hearing protection when they are on the ranges. Out in the suck I need every bit of hearing to stay alive occasionly. SO no we do not generally as a rule wear hearing protection out in Indian Country.

2) Kill the zombies...

3) Yes!

 

[GarandMD]

I have these in just about every bag/car. They are what I wear for outdoor shooting and hunting. They allow fairly normal hearing and block dangerously loud noises.

EarPro EP-3 Sonic Defenders®- EP3 from SureFire

 

[jedi]

I have these in just about every bag/car. They are what I wear for outdoor shooting and hunting. They allow fairly normal hearing and block dangerously loud noises.

EarPro EP-3 Sonic Defenders®- EP3 from SureFire

Do you like them? Do they really work? I like the fact that they have a low profile as oppose to the headset that I currently have.

 

[Arm America]

Hearing protection while on the range or out plinking is of utmost importance.

In a SHTF scenario, or home invasion, I would opt out of ear plug use.
I want to hear that branch snapping, or bird squawking as the Zombie is sneaking up.

In a home invasion, I hope to hear if there is more than one perp.

All of your senses are important, anything you can do to enhance them is better.

Hearing and vision are both easy to enhance with aftermarket products.

Defending against marauders can and will require making tough decisions.
A marauder could be family showing up on your door.

Can or would you turn them away?
We all have full intentions of protecting our immediate families.

Remember, safety is in numbers.

I suspect that not many here would be able to
protect their families by themselves for long.

Would you want a 12 yr old daughter to expose herself with a rifle out the window because she heard the dog barking while you are sleeping? I hope not!

One must plan for the worst and hope for the best.

 

[GarandMD]

Do you like them? Do they really work? I like the fact that they have a low profile as oppose to the headset that I currently have.

Yes I do! I can hear normal conversation. I can hear the geese coming. They come in different sizes. I wear a medium and they are very comfortable for all day use. I had some custom plugs made that cost about $50 and these work equally well for a lot less. When shooting rifle indoors I use ear muff type protection however.

 

[eldirector]

1) Do soldiers wear plugs during combat, how do they protect their hearing?
(This one I'd like to hear answers from our combat vets)

2) What do you plan to do about this when the zombies attack or defending your family from the hoards of marauders?

3) How many have hearing protection in your BOB?

1) The few vets/active folks I know did not normally wear hearing protection during firefights. A) they didn't have time to put it on, and B) they wanted to be able to hear orders or enemies. I believe they have muffs/plugs in their gear.

2) I'd want to hear the zombie's moans as they roam up the driveway! Seriously, hearing would be important in the dark. In your specific case of zombies/marauders, I would hope to stop them at the perimeter rather than indoors. Safer for my family all around (and easier on the ears).

3) I have a baggie of cheapy earplugs in the go bag. I also have eye protection. Doesn't take up much room, and I'm prepared.

 

[thompal]

2) I'd want to hear the zombie's moans as they roam up the driveway! Seriously, hearing would be important in the dark.

Another important consideration that this brings to mind is that, in the dark, your ability to sense direction comes solely from your ears. Most hearing protection I have tried cuts down on the ability to hear quiet, high pitch sounds, but also eliminates the ability to "hear" direction. Maybe some of the high speed/low drag muffs allow it, but seriously, in a SHTF situation, who wants their only high-tech piece of gear to be their hearing protection?

 

[Cat-Herder]

the SAW gave me a nice case of tinnitus about 20 years ago! i think i remember something about some little foamy earplugs, but it made it hard to hear the RO's commands, so out they went at the range. I've never known anyone to use them on a mission.

 

[Armed-N-Ready]

Thanks for the feedback.

I had a feeling the troops were out there without plugs just to be sure they could hear the BG movements and orders from leaders. Why limit your senses in any way when you are looking for every advantage you can get. I also figured the insurgents are probably about deaf after a firefight, they have the nasty loud AK going off and the deafening sound of their buddies screaming in pain and the loud thump as their dead carcass hits the ground. I knew the soldiers were issued plugs for the range and practice but could not imagine them fighting with them. It makes sense to keep a set of plugs in the bag though, never know what is going to happen.

 

[paulgl26]

i use the same ones and i love them

I have these in just about every bag/car. They are what I wear for outdoor shooting and hunting. They allow fairly normal hearing and block dangerously loud noises.

EarPro EP-3 Sonic Defenders®- EP3 from SureFire

 

[Armed & Christian]

Got a pair about 18mo ago. Fantastic! I intend to get a pair for every BOB/kit we have.

I have these in just about every bag/car. They are what I wear for outdoor shooting and hunting. They allow fairly normal hearing and block dangerously loud noises.

EarPro EP-3 Sonic Defenders®- EP3 from SureFire

 

[JohnP82]

i see where the op is coming from. most applications probably wouldnt allow for hearing protection, but i too have several pairs of plugs around just in case. they dont take up any room really and you never know when they could be of use.

 

[ar15junkie]

I would think not having hearing protection would be most detrimental. if your ears are ringing you aren't going to be able to hear what is going on around you. You never know, there could be another group of thieves attacking your left flank at the same time.

 

[rhino]

I keep a pair of Surefire earplugs in my pocket all the time. You never know when you might need them. You can hear normal speech surprisingly well, and they work fine even when shooting an AR. If you need more protection, you can plug the little holes with the little plugs that go into them.

For home, a good set of electronic hearing protection not only protects your ears, but you can actually hear better with them than without.

 

[trnsplntfrmohio]

I have these in just about every bag/car. They are what I wear for outdoor shooting and hunting. They allow fairly normal hearing and block dangerously loud noises.

EarPro EP-3 Sonic Defenders®- EP3 from SureFire

I love mine.

 

[jeremy]

I would think not having hearing protection would be most detrimental. if your ears are ringing you aren't going to be able to hear what is going on around you. You never know, there could be another group of thieves attacking your left flank at the same time.

When I was a young Joe I thought the same thing...

Now that I have more experience in both life and combat. Earplugs are great for the range, however not for the battlefield. At least at todays current tech levels. You need to have ALL your senses up to and though the firefight.

I have yet to find ear protection that in someway does not inhibit me. When you put your muffs/plugs on/in your balance and sense of direction become skewed slightly. Not a big deal 90% of the time. True. That 10% percent when I am all ready confused and wondering where the hell I am, where the hell help is coming from, where the hell are they shooting at me from, where the hell are they at, where the hell is the helicopter, and which f*cking way was north in this d*amn mountain pass anyway...

I am sure there are also alot of thoughts I have not included. One of these days I really need to write down all the distractions that go though my head during ops...

My .02 YMMV.

 

[feriil]

It had better be only one guy coming after me.

My current CC weapon is a P3AT in .380, I've also shot some .38 special and .357 revolvers recently.

Those short barrels shell shocked ME. The first time I put 2 down the pipe of my P3AT w/out hearing protection (after I first got it) my ears starting ringing so loud I could not hear anything else for 15 mins. Took me 2 full days to get all of my hearing back. Is this just me? If I ever have to pull out my CC gun to shoot at someone, I'll be sight only till it's over for sure.

Even a .22LR in revolver is really amazingly loud, I can shoot rifles all day w/out hearing protection no problem no ringing. Am I just overly sensitive? The fact the shooting of my own gun disorients me that much is a little distrubing.

 

[jeremy]

One thing you can do if you find yourself having to shoot minus hearing protection is keep your mouth open slightly.

By doing this it helps equalize the pressure on the sinus and ear canals... Sounds stupid but it does work... Not as well as hearing protection though.