Help! Good ear protectors for someone with a small head?

[Maulerrr]

Hello! I've recently been getting my girlfriend into shooting and although she doesn't own any firearms of her own, she does enjoy when I take her out to go shoot my guns. However, she is of a much smaller stature (4'11'') with a smaller face and smaller ears than most shooters. the average earmuffs are way too bulky for her to get a decent cheek weld, and earplugs appear to be too large to fit well in her ears without constant fixing and adjusting.

I'll admit that we have only tried a handful of ear protection (my personal earmuffs, the rental pairs, some cheap walmart ones, and cheap earplugs).

Does anyone have any suggestions for a reasonably priced product that we should try?

[Wordupmybrotha]

3M Peltor 105 Optime. Got a link to it here.

https://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=1018285

[Garv]

My wife uses the highest rated ear plugs from Walmart.
Green, 33db I think.
She tried quite a few.

Harbor Freight has a few choices of ear muffs, might be able to try them on at the store.

[Wordupmybrotha]

the average earmuffs are way too bulky for her to get a decent cheek weld, and earplugs appear to be too large to fit well in her ears without constant fixing and adjusting.

The 3M Peltor that I suggested is bulky but it doesn't get in the way when I shoot rifles and doesn't interfere with my cheek weld. I followed Jerry Miculek's advice to bring the rifle up to the face and keeping the face upright rather than lean my face sideways into the rifle. When I did that, the earmuffs don't get in the way.

[CouchOperator]

Have you tried howard leight? Sorta square bottomed.

What height do you have your optics at? I prefer running a mount thats almost an inch higher than a 1/3 lower for the same reason that shes having issues with, in addition to the comfort of running my head vertically; i no longer need to be mashed into a rifle stock in order to see the dot.

Ask your local shop if she can try on some ear pro (muffs, not plugs due to hygeine) they carry and have them hand her a rifle.

[meno377]

Between ear muffs and ear plugs, ear plugs are much better. Ear plugs take away the low frequency volume which does the most damage to your high end hearing.

[Maulerrr]

The 3M Peltor that I suggested is bulky but it doesn't get in the way when I shoot rifles and doesn't interfere with my cheek weld. I followed Jerry Miculek's advice to bring the rifle up to the face and keeping the face upright rather than lean my face sideways into the rifle. When I did that, the earmuffs don't get in the way.

I'll have her give that a try later today, maybe its just a matter of having her modify her form when trying to achieve a strong cheek weld, thanks for the tip

[Maulerrr]

Between ear muffs and ear plugs, ear plugs are much better. Ear plugs take away the low frequency volume which does the most damage to your high end hearing.

is there any particular set you recommend? I think overall she would prefer to wear ear plugs, but we'd just have to find a good set that stay in her ears well

[Maulerrr]

@couchoperator No not yet, although I was actually just looking into those earlier because someone posted a link to them under the deals/coupons section. They're an interesting shape, definitely something worth looking into. I have a gun I'm gonna be getting out of jail next weekend, I'll drag her along and have her try some ear muffs then!

[Wordupmybrotha]

I double up on foam ear plugs and the muffs.

For me, foam ear plugs by itself provides excellent protection and comfort, but muffs by itself doesn't block out the noise as well as the plugs even with the same dba level.

[CouchOperator]

@couchoperator No not yet, although I was actually just looking into those earlier because someone posted a link to them under the deals/coupons section. They're an interesting shape, definitely something worth looking into. I have a gun I'm gonna be getting out of jail next weekend, I'll drag her along and have her try some ear muffs then!

Id say they shouldnt have an issue. Also, if you go to a range with handgun/rifle/shotgun rentals they should have rentable ear pro. Have her ask if she can try those on too.

[meno377]

is there any particular set you recommend? I think overall she would prefer to wear ear plugs, but we'd just have to find a good set that stay in her ears well

Many years ago you could have them custom made. I would think that still exists and it's worth it. But for me the cheap foam works. I just roll them thin and slide them in very carefully.

Here is a link to a possible custom solution. http://www.bigearinc.com/

[CouchOperator]

Check out the surefire sonic defenders for in-ear. If you happen to try them, this link has sizing info. The plugs are the same, the size difference is for the curve and whatnot where the main body sits outside of the ear canal.

http://www.surefire.com/media/wysiwyg/main_site_pdfs/EP3_Sonic_Defenders.pdf

[Wordupmybrotha]

is there any particular set you recommend? I think overall she would prefer to wear ear plugs, but we'd just have to find a good set that stay in her ears well

I really liked the Winchesters from Walmart, but can't find them anymore. Maybe they stopped making them.

Radians are my current favorites. They come in a plastic jar.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0030HUE9C/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Some people like Hearos, but I don't. They're so fluffy that I can't roll them up fast enough to insert them in the ear canal before they inflate back up. And even after that, they don't block out the sound as well as the Radians.

[BigPimping]

Silicone earplugs. Works for me.