Ear pro for CQB

[RostokMcSpoons]

As I've mentioned in a couple of other threads, Spec Ops is opening a CQB site shortly and it'll be the first time I've played airsoft indoors. 

I'm an old man in his 50's with bad hearing, especially in my left ear,  caused by excessively loud music (falling drunkenly asleep with my head on a speaker cab at a Throbbing Gristle gig probably doing a lot of damage on its own), and a lot of small-bore and full-bore shooting when I was younger.   

I always wore ear pro when actually shooting, but for a long time I'd be standing just behind the firing line without it - just like everyone else - but so stupid in hindsight!

I'm also afflicted with moderate tinnitus which I don't want to make any worse.

 

So what's good for ear protection in a CQB environment? 
I don't know if flash-bangs will be allowed (I hope not, but let's assume the worst), but even a Firehawk in a confined space will not be good. 

I want a sensible balance of ear pro vs tactical awareness, because if I spend my entire time getting shot, well, I'll probably not be back  
 

I'm a complete noob when it comes to current tech and trends... are pairs of ear plugs with the metal valves inside "still a thing" these days?   Or do I get some moulded foam ones? 
I probably want to avoid the full headset / earcup deal, unless there's a good reason...

 

Any thoughts much appreciated

[JimFromHorsham]

Sordin Supreme pro-x are solid and reliable and would be a good asset to your hearing issues , for CQB I’d consider over ear for simple fact it’s also a good way to protect your ears from bb strikes too 

 

if you want simple in-ear protection on a budget from bangs then consider the Surefire plugs . 
 

 

i use both types depending on the environment ( work and play ) 

 

 

[Speedbird_666]

6 minutes ago, JimFromHorsham said:

 for CQB I’d consider over ear for simple fact it’s also a good way to protect your ears from bb strikes too

 

This.

 

I have a couple of sets of 3M Peltor XPs that are amazing, and really help maintain situational awareness.

 

Watch out for cheap knock-offs and low-end stuff though - many are monoaural which completely kills your directional hearing. My neighbour (who also plays) found this the hard way thinking a cheapo Aliexpress set would be in any way decent.

[RostokMcSpoons]

I've already got ear protection from my lower face mask (OneTigris), but I might actually want to transition to a full-face mask for added protection, if I enjoy my first CQB experiences... I hadn't thought of all that when I asked my question.  Not sure that the Peltors (which I've heard of but will need to research) will be compatible?

So I'll go look for SureFire plugs first.. if they're cheap(ish) then they'll do a job until I know whether CQB is for me

 

Cheers chaps!

 

 

Edit:

 

I've found that Surefire EP4s are available at Amazon for £18, and maybe in different sizes?
Or on eBay as British Army surplus for only £12.50 (mediums I think)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/384709062285?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28

 

Sod it, ordered the ebay ones, they're so cheap.

Edited May 10, 2022 by RostokMcSpoons

[Guest DrAlexanderTobacco]

I'd really recommend some "lo-fi" earplugs as well, as a backup - grab yourself a bag of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Honeywell-1013047-Howard-Leight-Laser-Lite/dp/B01M4R0YFP/ref=pd_lpo_1?pd_rd_i=B01M4R0YFP&psc=1

 

They reduce sound by around 35db, you'll be able to hear enough that you can fight and communicate, whilst still being very well protected against bangs.

 

These certainly aren't as good as some Surefires or similar, however, they're ace to have as a backup - I keep some in my bag at all times.

[Wavey_Gravey]

Any of the surefire EP’s will be gtg, they have a cap (usually red) you can flick open if you want more sound or to have a conversation without removing them.

 

Howard Leight impact sports are a good cheap option, they don’t look out of place among the mil style headsets, theyre slimmer too! Replace the pads with gel

pads and you have a very comfy setup IMO. 

[MalcyFett]

+1 on the Howard Leight Impacts. The more Gucci headsets will have an attached mic, but if you're looking for ear pro only, you can't go wrong with the Howards. 

 

 

[Emergencychimps]

I didn't find the howard leights good enough when it came to directional sound, they're good, better than the knock off ztac/ earmor or whatever is the current crap clones but if you go for over ear protection - would recommend skipping the howard leights and go straight to sordins or peltors, you can get some sordins for around £100-£115 ish mark, so not mega money. 

 

At a Catterick event I was on the receiving end of so much pyro I'd encourage anyone doing cqb events to wear good ear pro, especially if you're likely to be on the receiving end of Tag grenades (not just the launched ones) as they seemed super loud. 

 

If you get some sordins etc - look for ones with the aux in, you can then rig it up to your speaker mic in the future for comms. 

[RostokMcSpoons]

Cheers guys, much appreciated

 

[JimFromHorsham]

Any ear pro is better than no ear pro , CQB or woodland, as I found out when a mk9 went off on a tin roof shed that I was taking cover in 🤪

 

 

[Groot]

If you want to retain situational awareness you are going to need to invest in Milspec ear pro. Simple as that.

I have had the same set of Sordins now for around 12 years and they are still going strong. 

https://www.earshotcommunications.co.uk/shop/product/sordin-75302-x-g-supreme-pro-x-green-earshell-camo-headband-gel-earpads/

Back then you could buy the parts to mod them into having a microphone as well.

I don't think these parts are available now. So would be worth running to the mic'd version.

 

What ever you do. It will cost you less than losing your hearing.

[concretesnail]

As groot mentioned earshot communications are a good shou, I've used them quite a bit over the years.

I use a set of the sporttac for works as well as airsoft and shooting. Using the mono cable they plug into my fist mic no worries and a stereo lead for plugging into my phone for audiobooks/podcasts at work.

 

If you have the means I'd also highly recommend the gel pads, the are lush.

 

[Lozart]

1 hour ago, Groot said:

What ever you do. It will cost you less than losing your hearing.

 

As someone with permanent tinnitus and the associated hearing loss, 1,000,000% this.

[Tackle]

44 minutes ago, Lozart said:

 

As someone with permanent tinnitus and the associated hearing loss, 1,000,000% this.

+1 on that, if I could go back to my teens I'd have been using ear Pro, even squidgy foam pellets would have made a difference & now I might not have the constant ringing/buzzing🙉

[Shamal]

1 hour ago, Tackle said:

+1 on that, if I could go back to my teens I'd have been using ear Pro, even squidgy foam pellets would have made a difference & now I might not have the constant ringing/buzzing🙉

That's your phone ya daft get! I've been ringing for hours 🤣

 

But yeah do sympathise. After years of using high dB tools, I've recently been told that I have lost certain frequencies which make it difficult picking out consonants. Drives Mrs shamal bonkers lol. 

 

Regards

[Tactical Pith Helmet]

I use Howard Leights with the radio plugged in to them.  I'm tempted to upgrade from what Groot has said.  That said, I seem to have directional hearing with no probs in the HLs.  I'll have to see if I can try  a pair of milspec jobs.

[Speedbird_666]

16 minutes ago, Tactical Pith Helmet said:

  I'll have to see if I can try  a pair of milspec jobs.

 

Problem is, Milspec is (now) frikken expensive.

 

At one point around 7-8 years ago the MOD 'Divested' pallets of Comtac XPs and they were cheap and readily available for sub-£100 NIB on eBay. I bought two brand new pairs for £150. Good luck getting a single pair new for sub-£200 now.

 

If I was in market for earpro today, I would lean towards Howard Leights (like you've already got) or Walkers Razor. I know the Razor is omni-directional and can be had for £45.

 

I've toying with the idea of 'downgrading' for some time now to Razors, because I stopped wearing my XPs as I rarely can get to a CQB site these days. I would make a profit from the XPs and could buy a tidy new gun with the proceeds. But because I would never be able to afford to buy them again, I've been hesitant to do so.

 

[Tactical Pith Helmet]

2 hours ago, Speedbird_666 said:

I've toying with the idea of 'downgrading' for some time now to Razors, because I stopped wearing my XPs as I rarely can get to a CQB site these days. I would make a profit from the XPs and could buy a tidy new gun with the proceeds. But because I would never be able to afford to buy them again, I've been hesitant to do so.

 

Cheers for the info.  More food for thought.  

 

They always say 'don't look through a scope that you cant afford.'  Sounds like the same may be true of milspec earpro...

 

I'll add that I've an unused Zeiss scope in my wardrobe that I could never afford again, but have never put on a rifle.  The minute I get rid of it I'll inherit a H&H from a long lost uncle though.  

[RostokMcSpoons]

Hey, I'll let you all know how those £12.50 ear plugs work out for me, might save you all a few quid 🤪

[Groot]

10 hours ago, RostokMcSpoons said:

Hey, I'll let you all know how those £12.50 ear plugs work out for me, might save you all a few quid 🤪

100% better than nothing

 

I saw a post about a newbie saying how he really enjoyed this first CQB game and how his ears were still ringing. This post was on a Tuesday. 

 

It's going nanny state a bit but i think sites running pyro in confined areas, should be more responsible with ear protection.

We go full autism over eye pro and both are kind of useful. 

Edited May 11, 2022 by Groot

[Speedbird_666]

15 minutes ago, Groot said:

We go full autism over eye pro

 

It's funny innit? Eye protection gets quite a response on forums, but ear pro doesn't get anywhere nearly as much attention.

 

I wouldn't run without ear pro in CQB, even a .209 BFG in close proximity can cause me problems. It amazes me that other players just kinda laugh about it when their ears are ringing.

 

This is just a game, shooting tiny bits of plastic at each other - for fun. We should be doing it as safely as possible, even if that means shoving cheap ear plugs in.

 

(woohoo- 1000th Post)

[Lozart]

7 minutes ago, Speedbird_666 said:

It amazes me that other players just kinda laugh about it when their ears are ringing.

 

I think the perception is that one BB to the eyeball causes permanent, immediate damage whereas your ears ringing for a bit is "temporary". The thing people don't get is that if you do it enough, it isn't temporary. Neither are the headaches, the lack of sleep and the inability to hear conversation over background noise that comes with hearing loss associated tinnitus. Of course I'm sure some quick witted young spark will pipe up that it's because we're old but my tinnitus started when I was in my 20's (gigs, playing in bands, working in and around factories).

11 hours ago, RostokMcSpoons said:

Hey, I'll let you all know how those £12.50 ear plugs work out for me, might save you all a few quid 🤪

 

I have some, they're...OK. Make sure you get the right size for you otherwise they'll be useless as they keep popping out. I changed to ACS plugs that worked better but now I use Earmor over ear protectors or Howard Leights and they're both way better.

 

As stated though, something is better than nothing!

[RostokMcSpoons]

If I enjoy CQB then I'll definitely look at the good headsets.   
Actually the idea of a headset that ups the volume on all the stuff I want to hear, while suppressing the loud / bad stuff, sounds like a good thing for a partially deaf bloke!

Taking my own thread rather off-topic, what else do I need to consider when going from woodland to indoor CQB?
Obviously I could ditch all my camo gear, but should I do things like swap my para boots for trainers?  Do I choose the shortest gun in my collection? Do I go for a lightweight loadout, or am I actually likely to run less and it doesn't matter?  Do I need as many mags?
Honestly it's appears to be so different in game style I'm not sure where to begin!

(I know some of this will be dependent on just how big the play area is, how long sight-lines are in my site, and whether its full auto or not... etc etc etc, but some general hints would be welcome) 

 

[Floperator]

2 hours ago, Groot said:

 

 

I saw a post about a newbie saying how he really enjoyed this first CQB game and how his ears were still ringing. This post was on a Tuesday. 

 

It's going nanny state a bit but i think sites running pyro in confined areas, should be more responsible with ear protection.

We go full autism over eye pro and both are kind of useful.

 

If you're an indoor site and allow pyro then you'd have to be mad not to mandate ear pro. It's a massive lawsuit waiting to happen IMO.

 

I have hearing loss (no tinnitus thank god) due to a combination of congenital issues, shotguns and drum + bass, and it's no fucking joke.

Like to chat with some friends while you have a little light music playing? Not anymore you don't. Enjoy asking everyone to repeat themselves for the rest of your life.

[RostokMcSpoons]

2 minutes ago, Floperator said:

Like to chat with some friends while you have a little light music playing? Not anymore you don't. Enjoy asking everyone to repeat themselves for the rest of your life.

 

If there's any sort of ambient noise I have to ask people to stand on my right if they don't want to repeat everything twice.  
It does suck

Still, my self-inflicted damage from a number of years of accidental abuse I can sort-of live with. 

Poor old Andy Partridge of XTC got all his shit in one go:
"What is your greatest regret?

Being in the studio on the afternoon I got tinnitus. This complete fucking dolt of an engineer pressed the wrong button while I was checking a supposedly silent loop with the desk at full volume, and generated a click track that went off like gunshots in my head. It left me with extreme tinnitus that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. I contemplated suicide, just to stop it. This was ten years ago now."