Jack Pyke Electronic Ear Defenders

Ear defenders have been used for many a moon by shotgun and rifle shooters. The obvious reason is that if shooting is done frequently, then the noise from the firearm will soon damage the shooter’s hearing if not protected. They were once little more than padded ear muffs but have now developed in line with all other types of electronic devices, so are now far more advanced in operation and effectiveness, as is the case here. In fact, as you’ll soon read later in this piece, there are more uses for them than for the protection of hearing, as they can even be used to amplify low-level sound.

Familiar by design

The Jack Pyke Electronic Ear Defenders consist of a black, heavy-duty Nylon headband with a padded inner for security and comfort when worn. The ear pieces are manufactured from tough ABS casings, with soft inner synthetic surrounds and meshcovered inner sections that perfectly fit over an average adult’s ears, ensuring noise is blocked out from the start. They attach to the headband with articulating, weatherproofed wire prongs that also can be slid up and down into their ABS housings, allowing for a perfect fit. When these articulating arms are allowed to turn inwards, the ear pads can be pushed upwards to sit neatly inside the headband, making them very compact to transport and store.

No more noise

Before use, you need to place a pair of 1.5v AAA batteries (not included) into the slide-open battery housing. This is located in the upper part of the left-hand ear cup casing, depending on which way you wear them. Once in place, you can then use the recessed rotary switch on the other earpiece to switch them on (also the volume control).

Quieter or louder!

The ear defenders have an NRR (Noise Reduction Rating) of 23dB, which denotes a very high level of noise reduction when used correctly. They’ll even reduce potentially harmful gunfire noise above 82dB. The easy access rotary on/off volume control switch allows quick and easy adjustment to suit your requirements, but as mentioned earlier, it can also be used to increase low-level sound. I’ve found this particularly useful at night when air rifle hunting with an NV scope, as you can even hear rabbits munching grass before you begin sighting them. Also, if hide shooting at first light, you can hear birds quietly alighting in trees, so you can be ready for anything that might be stealthily dropping down into a decoy pattern or baited area.

Conclusions

The Jack Pyke Ear Defenders outwardly follow the same design as others, but the price and performance mean they stand out from the crowd. Also, for many shooters, they’ll soon become a key part of ancillary kit, plus they’re wellmanufactured, comfortable to wear, lightweight and easy to use.