Noise Cancelling Hearing Protection

[ByronF]

I need to start wearing something when mowing. Lots of options seem adequately durable for snapping fingers and prancing down a city sidewalk. I want something for performing work. Any recommendations? Budget is super cheap and terrific performance.

 

[Mbell]

Super cheap!?!? …… good luck brother

 

[Invictus77]

I don't think these are noise cancelling, just noise blocking muffs, but the wife unit has a set of 3M TEKK ear muffs she wears when she mows.

They connect via bluetooth to her phone so she can listen to music, podcasts, whatever. She loves them.

 

[12v71]

Foam plugs...

 

[ByronF]

Foam plugs...

Too many years of having to wear them. I'd like noise cancelling with bluetoofs to get my jam on (bluegrass, maybe talk radio).

 

[cotter]

Wear something for sure. Foam earplugs are super cheap. Habor freight sells cheap muffs that work ok for like $5 (I keep a set in all my vehicles as a just in case). You can find the 'work tunes' type like Mike mentioned for around $50 with radio and bluetooth options. I use a set of these for mowing and they work good as muffs and give you something to listen to while working. Not sure the shooting self canceling types work for prolonged steady noise like mowing but should still act as muffs if left off.

After dealing with my dad losing his hearing from his time on the flightline and noticing my hearing fading I started wearing muffs in my mid-20s and about the only time I don't wear something is when I am dropping an iffy tree and want to be sure I hear the crack.

 

[okiefarmer]

I would have a river if sweat running down my neck if I wore ear muffs in the summer. I think they make those electronic noise canceling earbuds that are also Bluetooth, but you mentioned budget, so that may be out

 

[yellowhand]

My shooting muffs,,,,,not expensive, cut off high noise, like a gun shot, should work fine for loud equipment operations.

Of course,,,you are speaking to someone, that often forgets his hearing protection, so he just pulls the paper off a couple of cigarette butts and shoves them into his ears.

B T W,,,the closed captioning on my TV,,,,its just so I can understand people speaking funny sounding English.LOL

 

[ByronF]

I have plenty of options to mechanically knock down the noise. Next step is noise cancelling with the 'toofs.

 

[12v71]

Too many years of having to wear them. I'd like noise cancelling with bluetoofs to get my jam on (bluegrass, maybe talk radio).

Hey... You said "CHEAP"

 

[medicmike]

I use these for shooting, not dirt cheap, nor Bluetooth but they don't break the bank either. They do have an aux jack that you could plug into. Have only used the jack for a portable ham radio so can't vouch for audio fidelity.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001T7QJ9O/?tag=akfnfal-20

 

[yellowhand]

One option not mentioned by anyone,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,they make these things called TEENAGERS,,,to do stuff like mowing grass, digging holes, etc.

They work cheap,,,and if ya rent them, you don't got to feed them either.

A cost benefit analysis, how many times does the lawn need to be mowed, vs the cost of the hearing protection and how long they are expected to last, or before they are lost, vs how much is not sweating your brains out in the hot sun, pushing or riding a mower worth to ya.

 

[tac-40]

I use Jaybird Run ear buds. They keep the noise down pretty good and have bluetooth for listening to my favorite programs. The latest version is the Jaybird Vista 2 model. Noise cancelling, blue tooth, and re-designed ear plugs. Not sure what you mean by cheap, but you can find them for around $125. Not much more than a comparable set of ear muffs.

 

[cotter]

Are we really worried about a little sweat vs lifelong hearing damage? Hiring teenager has merit but some of us enjoy (some) mowing. I turn my music off once in a while but the voices in my head try to make me do stupid shit

 

[richbug]

3m has several versions starting at about $60 that are the bare minimum I would recommend . The kids and I have started using them over the last few years when running equipment. The no name ones aren't worth using, uncomfortable, and poor reception.

 

[badzero]

One option not mentioned by anyone,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,they make these things called TEENAGERS,,,to do stuff like mowing grass, digging holes, etc.

They work cheap,,,and if ya rent them, you don't got to feed them either.

A cost benefit analysis, how many times does the lawn need to be mowed, vs the cost of the hearing protection and how long they are expected to last, or before they are lost, vs how much is not sweating your brains out in the hot sun, pushing or riding a mower worth to ya.

I’ll second this recommendation, if I would have known how handy teenage boys were I would have had them 20 years earlier and had more than 2, cost of feeding and upkeep are far outweighed by amount of work done. My friends say I got lucky getting good ones but I think it goes more to channeling my inner drill instructor when they were little and not giving them an inch of slack.

 

[meltblown]

I honestly don't understand how people can work/concentrate on what they are doing with music going on. I had a vent fitting on the gas tank come off a few months ago while mowing. I noticed a slosh of gas on my sleeve. I looked over and the cup holder and stuff and a puddle of gas was present. I don't like being distracted whenever I'm doing any kind of work that I need to pay attention to what I'm doing.

 

[Trooper894]

I"m on my second pair of 3M Worktunes Earmuffs. I've used them for almost 30 years. The latest pair am/fm, with plug-in for digital audio. I used to mow over 6 acres every week and without the muffs with music, I would be deaf and crazy. Yes they can get hot and sweaty but I've lost enough hearing and I don't wish to lose any more. I was told by an Audiologist that ear plugs do very little. 60-70% of sound is transmitted by the bones around the ear, thus muffs provide more protection.

 

[C2A1]

I have a set of ear muffs that are navy surplus for the deck crew. They work great. Keep an eye out they can be had for usually under $50.00. I also have an electronic aviation set we use when flying. Made a little power supply to wear on my belt for ground use and to talk in a noisy enviroment with the team via wi fi.

 

[BriarJumper]

At 61, almost no hearing in left ear and loud buzz in head 24/7

don’t go cheap, go for effective

 

[357ross]

Once your hearing is replaced with 24/7 tinnitus you will wonder why you didn't buy the best you could afford. Don't ask how I know.....

 

[Thoregon]

I like quiet. The voices in my head are talking to me about fal files threads and what I could say if I said anything. Usually just lurk.
Music is just a distraction cause I listen to the words and then think about what they mean and then I make mistakes in what I'm presently doing.

 

[meltblown]

Once your hearing is replaced with 24/7 tinnitus you will wonder why you didn't buy the best you could afford. Don't ask how I know.....

Woke up 12 years ago with it one morning. It never went away. I rarely think about it unless my sinuses are inflamed like today. I think that is the reason I don't want music or anything playing with head phones on. Use plugs and muffs when shooting. I went to a full helmet riding my bike to knock out the noise. from the pipes because plugs weren't cutting it.

 

[yellowhand]

I’ll second this recommendation, if I would have known how handy teenage boys were I would have had them 20 years earlier and had more than 2, cost of feeding and upkeep are far outweighed by amount of work done. My friends say I got lucky getting good ones but I think it goes more to channeling my inner drill instructor when they were little and not giving them an inch of slack.

I raised one,,,,,then he ran off to Marines!LOL

My current "rented" one,,,darn if he's not going off on his Mission in September,,,,for 2 years,,,,so been running him hard around here.LOL

 

[BriarJumper]

I didn’t realize how much I had come to depend on seeing peoples lips move until Covid.

huh?
What?
Hang on, let me come over there.

lol geeze

protect your hearing mate, your future self will appreciate it

I have Walker Razor and Howard Leight for shooting and for flying I still use old school Bose QC15’s

I install gel pads on all of them and consider them money well spent

just wished I had 30+ yrs ago

Budget choice: walker razor
Do a decent job but higher distortion to their amplifier compared to my Howard’s,
Plus no auto shut-off

half the price tho