Welcome to The Gear List, a semi-regular series where we spotlight the best discounts and deals on tactical gear, outdoor equipment, and everything in between.
The infamous military hearing protection class-action lawsuits of recent years have probably tarnished a lot of U.S. service members’ and veterans’ views of ear pro, but there are products out there that don’t suck. Two brands our gear testers keep coming back to are Peltor and Walker’s — and right now, you can scoop up a pair of either and save a hefty chunk of change while you’re at it.
The Peltor Sport Tactical 100 earned “best value” honors in our roundup of the best shooting ear protection on the market, and it’s currently on sale on Amazon. Better yet, you can get the upgraded Peltor Sport Tactical 300 for less than the 100’s original MSRP.
While Peltor has been building a reputation in the tactical community, the Walker’s Razor has been busy becoming arguably the biggest name in the recreational shooting and hunting world. We’ve done extensive hands-on testing with the Razor, and stand by it as one of the best purchases in hearing protection one can make.
Take a minute to dive into each product’s facts and figures, but read fast because we don’t expect inventory to last long at these prices.
These prices were valid at press time, but prices can change and deals do expire.
Price: was $84.99, now $58.99
Seller: Amazon
We’ve highlighted the Peltor Sport Tactical 100 on The Gear List before and we’ll do it again. Even at full price, this ear protection from a reputable manufacturer is a smart investment in your hearing. It’s comfortable, effective, and well-built. If you’re used to disposable foamies (you do know they’re not supposed to be reused, right?) or other forms of passive hearing protection, this will be a nice upgrade.
The Sport Tactical 100 is great for recreational shooters but we caution against using them on active duty. They aren’t designed to keep up with machine guns, mortars, and artillery. The sound quality from the active hearing system is certainly better than the muffled mess of passive hearing protection but it’s not on part with higher-end systems.
As long as you know what you’re getting and prioritize cost savings, this is a steal.
Price: was $122.99, now $73.60
Seller: Amazon
If you like the Peltor brand but want a little more performance than the Sport Tactical 100 can offer, make the step up to the Sport Tactical 300. At this price, that’ll cost less than a full-price Sport Tactical 100 anyway, so this is a fantastic time to take your gear to the next level.
The Sport Tactical 300 takes its little sibling’s good qualities even further with more advanced sound profiles, increased noise reduction (24 decibels rather than 22 decibels), and a vented headband that’s more comfortable when wearing a hat. Its more sophisticated electronics isolate voices to let you hear people around you over background noise. It tracks not only gunshots, but the following echos to offer more comprehensive protection against loud noises.
If you want to spend as little as possible, stick with the Sport Tactical 100. If you want to maximize value, this is the ear pro for you.
The Walker’s Razor flies off the shelves of outfitters and gun stores across the country at $69.99, but you can get this popular hearing protection for $40.54 right now on Amazon. It’s the most affordable ear pro on this list and it’s one of our staff favorites for a reason.
The Razor gets its name from the slim profile that stays out of the way and fits more comfortably than more bulky earmuffs. Packed inside those little covers is active hearing protection that lets voices and ambient sounds come through while reducing gunshots to quiet pops. Without Bluetooth to deal with, there’s just a single volume knob that also serves as the power switch. This is a simple, effective way to get quality hearing protection that has no learning curve.
At this price, don’t expect the deepest, richest audio tones or the ability to customize settings. This is a no-nonsense product that keeps costs down by eliminating features that aren’t necessary. All that’s left is a quality set of active earmuffs that will make you want to spend more time at the range.
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