r/canadaguns • u/macmuaythai • Apr 03 '26
Misc New to shooting, fearful of ear damage
Interested and excited to start this hobby/pastime. But am fearful of the damage to ears, I already purchased some walker xcel 500 headphones for outdoor shooting and was going to double up. Wondering if there is anything else I can do or if I should just not worry
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u/Fine-Tie2651 Apr 03 '26 edited Apr 03 '26
This is all good advice in here but the most important thing to know is how to correctly insert ear plugs. You don’t just jam them into your ear like 95% of people. You have to follow the instructions and roll them up, pinch the top of your ear lobe and lift it. With the rolled up ear plugs, insert it all the way into your ear and hold it there for 30 seconds while it expands. Next, look in the mirror and check to see if the earplugs are visibly sticking out of your ear when looking head on. If it is, you haven’t inserted them well enough and need to try again. Also they should be pretty flush with your skin. Hence forth you will get the full 33 decibel reduction as opposed to the 15db you would get if you just jammed it into your ear. Also look for the highest NRR plugs and muffs at 33 and 30NRR.
Edit: my favourite brand is hearos as they slide in to your ear a lot better than regular orange plugs and can be reused more times.