SHOT Show: 3M Peltor Active Noise Reduction Ear Protection

Dan Z for TTAG

Peltor was at Range Day showing off their active noise reduction hearing protection this year. None of the products were really new, but it’s worth pointing out Peltor’s electronic ear pro is some of the best, most comfortable made (see our review of the Sport Tactical 500 muffs here).


  1. avatar Armed Partisan says:

    3M Peltor products are garbage. The Sport Tactical 500 bluetooth muffs I bought are disappointingly low quality in terms of comfort (which is horrible), sound quality (over bluetooth), durability (second set broken in less than six months), and function (the bluetooth turns itself off randomly, and you have to push and hold the power button multiple times to turn the damn things on). I was better served with cheap ($20) electronic muffs and a generic bluetooth earbud set up than I have been by this $120 boondoogle. The battery life is the only positive about them.

  2. avatar Lupinsea says:

    Wow, sorry to hear about Armed Partisan’s experience. Which is the exact opposite of mine. I have the Peltor Sport Tac 300s and absolutely love them. They are comfortable to wear for hours on end and the sound quality sounds great to my ear. It’s easy to hear normal conversation at the range. And the way the 300s can actually amplify quiet sounds it’s like you have bionic hearing. Still, I don’t need to hear all the leaves rustling or the grass waving so I turn the volume down to about mid level. I was worried that the Tac Sport’s NRR of 24 dB wasn’t going to muffle enough compared to the 32 dB of my normal ear plugs and my other bulkier standard ear muffs but I have been pleasantly surprised. The level of muffling is also comfortable to my ear and I don’t like loud noises at all. The Tac sports are fine when I’ve used them at both outdoor and indoor ranges. But if it’s a busy range night with people in adjacent lane banging away the echo processing can be aggressive with cutting out the voice amplification occasionally. Given the price of ~$90 street and how well the work otherwise I’d still highly recommend them to anyone. Last note: I’ve not had issue with banging the muffs into rifle stocks. The cups are slim enough they don’t contact with my cheek welds.

    1. Couldn’t agree more. After trying just about all of them, the Tactical 500s live in my range bag now.


        Hey, Dan –

        How about a TTAG ‘Ear Protection Shootout’?

        1. Not a terrible idea. Which means thanks for the good idea. Let us see what we can do.

        2. avatar Victoriaillinois says:

          I vote yes to that too, Geoff.

        3. avatar Ralph says:


        4. avatar Rad Man says:

          Turn your hearing aid up, Ralph.


          “Let us see what we can do.”


          Er, while you’re at it, any word on how long it will be for the edit button to return?

    2. avatar Randy N says:

      I have a pair of Peltor 300’s and have newness very happy with them. I would recommend them to everyone.

    3. avatar NB says:

      I purchased the OTTO NoizeBarrier™ High Definition Electronic Earplugs today. I will post my thoughts on them in the future.

  3. avatar Victoriaillinois says:

    Since you can’t try them on before buying, I bought 3. First the Impact Sport from Howard Leight, then Peltor, then Walker. I like the Peltor and Walker. Both are very similar. Both are very good. Howard’s hang too low, can’t shorten them up enough, need to wear a hat for them to fit. I gave them to my husband. They are all electronic. I don’t need bluetooth or music when I’m out enjoying a beautiful day. I do need to hear the person that’s talking to me, tho.

  4. avatar FedUp says:

    Why can’t we get 30-32 NRR electronic muffs?

    I like the idea of the electronics, but when my Ultimate 10s were cheap and 30 NRR, it’s hard to justify a set of 20-22 NRR electronics.

    1. avatar Felix says:

      I’ve often wondered about this too. Why can’t someone take a good 32 dB headset and simply add microphones and speakers? I know those components take up space, but considering how small hearing aids are, it doesn’t seem to be the whole answer.

      Last time someone asked that, about thermal imagers I think, some wise guy said Econ 101, as if that answered the question. Duh! Of course expense enters into the equation. The real question is, where does the expense come from? Would it be possible to do it cheaply but with more bulk than the market would accept? Are the components more expensive than we the unenlightened understand?

  5. avatar Perry says:

    I recently bought the Peltor 300. The 500 had stuff I didn’t need. Very satisfied with the product. My local outdoor rifle range is next to a farmer’s field, and I heard (in stereo) the farmer spreading manure (a very noble and necessary endeavor). Excellent situational awareness. Runs on two AAs. A Li-ion upgrade is available, but I may try a 14500 (AA) from my local stable of batteries.

    The ‘300 has an audio input jack, which if I really get my sh*t together will be playing Albannach (Scottish tribal drums) while I poke small holes in paper at very large distances.

    If the Scottish Highlanders had four F-class rifles at Culloden, the result would be very different. Edinburgh would be the capital of the U.K.

  6. avatar possum says:

    ?duh what, I can’t hear you, *rrringggggggg* ,,,, actually it’s kinda nice being deaf, you don’t have to listen to the b.S

  7. avatar AJ says:

    Am I the only one who uses foam ear plugs under electronic muffs?

    1. avatar Pants says:

      I have always worn plugs under my muffs.

    2. avatar Armed Partisan says:

      I use plugs and muffs when I’m shooting, but I also work in a noisy machine shop, which is why I need bluetooth. I wear these Sport Tactical 500’s for 10 hours A DAY, so my standards for comfort are apparently different from everyone above who, I would guess, doesn’t wear them for more than 3-4 hours at a time.

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