Thanks to the Marine Corps, I’ve got natural hearing protection…lol (moderate to severe hearing loss). So these days, I rely on solid in-ear foam earplugs when I hit the range.
I’ve grown to prefer this style of hearing protection for its minimalist footprint. Yeah, there are some slick electronic in-ear options on the market—and they work great—but they also tend to be pretty damn expensive.
For the record, I keep a set of electronic over-the-ear muffs in my range bag in case someone decides to mag dump with a comp on their SBR. But for regular range sessions, these in-ear options work just fine.
Let’s break down a few options I tested before landing on the one that’s now my go-to.
TL;DR: Best Earplugs for Shooting
- Top Pick: Walker’s Corded Earplugs — Best fit, reliable noise reduction, and they stay put all day.
- Runner-Up: Surefire EP5 Sonic Defenders — Durable, reusable, and comfortable, but less effective at blocking sound.
- Best Feature-Rich: Safariland Impulse Foam Earplugs — Dual-mode protection without batteries, but not as quiet as Walkers.
- Budget/Military Issue: USGI Earplugs — Do the job, but fit and noise blocking are inconsistent.
Bottom Line: For shooting range use, Walker’s Corded Earplugs offer the best combo of comfort, fit, and noise suppression.
Surefire EP5 Sonic Defenders
- NRR: 26 dB
- Design: Low-profile with triple-flanged stems
- Comfort: Hypoallergenic polymer for all-day wear
- Fit: Stays locked in with masks, helmets, or muffs
These are reusable, durable, and offer a snug fit. They’re great if you want maximum protection and plan to keep them in for hours. That said, while they’re solid, the sound suppression didn’t seem quite as noticeable as others in real-world use.
Walker’s Corded Earplugs
- NRR: 25 dB
- Material: All-rubber construction
- Cord: 24″ tether
- Fit: Flexible flanged design conforms to your ear canal
- Value: Comes in a 2-pack
Protect your ears while out on the range with Walker’s In-the-Ear Rubber Corded Hearing Protection. These aren’t foam plugs—they’re made entirely of rubber with a flanged design that flexes to conform to your ear canal.
The 24-inch rubber tether makes them easy to hang around your neck between strings, and with a Noise Reduction Rating of 25 dB, they effectively handle gunfire and concussion.
These are what I run 99% of the time. They fit the best, reduce the most noise (at least to my ears), and—most importantly—they stay in all day long. Bonus points for coming in a 2-pack.
Safariland Impulse Foam Earplugs
- Impulse Mode: 38 dB peak + 13 dB continuous
- Full-Block Mode: 20 dB continuous
- Fit: Memory foam tips
- Extras: Removable neck cord, no batteries
Cool design and concept. They allow for ambient sound when needed but switch modes on the fly. Still, the Walkers outperformed them in both noise reduction and long-term comfort in my ears.
US Government-Issued Earplugs
- NRR: 26 dB
- Case: Military-grade polymer with chain
- Fit: Basic, effective, but unremarkable
You’ve probably seen or used these if you’ve served in the military. They do the job, but I found them a bit inconsistent in terms of fit and not quite as effective as others.
So, Which One Do I Recommend?
All four earplugs work as advertised, but for me, the key is fit and staying power, especially during long training days.
My top recommendation for the best earplugs for shooting? Walker’s Corded Earplugs.
They deliver the best fit, reliable noise reduction, and stay in place once they’re in. The difference in sound suppression is immediately noticeable compared to the others. And yeah—the two-pack doesn’t hurt either.
The Safariland and USGI plugs just didn’t cut it in terms of blocking out sound, and while the Surefire EP5s feel like they’re doing a good job, the Walkers just edge them out in real-world results.
That’s just my 2 cents. Your mileage may vary.
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About Scott Witner
Scott Witner is a former Marine Corps Infantryman with 2ndBn/8th Marines. He completed training in desert warfare at the Marine Air Ground Combat Center, Mountain Warfare and survival at the Mountain Warfare Training Center, the South Korean Mountain Warfare School in Pohang, and the Jungle Warfare school in the jungles of Okinawa, Japan. He now enjoys recreational shooting, trail running, hiking, functional fitness, and working on his truck. Scott resides in Northeastern Ohio.
Ear plugs do not match what ear covers can do for decibel rating. Adding ear plugs to your ear covers reduces the DB noise by 5 %. Both together at the best rating still does not reduce a 5.56 at 145 db down to 95 db which is still bad for hearing, but it takes prolonged shooting at this level to do damage. Suppressors should be an option that everyone can have with no fee, no prints, no form, no bull shit. The reason why is it not only to protects the people from harm which is what the dems… Read more »
Save what hearing you have left and protect yourself from the start. A good set of electronic hearing muffs can be found under 40 bucks. Spend the money now and save yourself hearing loss down the road. The tinnitus ringing in your ears is no joke and should be avoided at all costs.
When I read a product review at Ammoland and elsewhere if I decide to follow the content producers advice and buy the item I always use the provided hyperlink it’s good for everyone. Since I wanted new corded earplugs I used the above provided link.
Only to find out unbelievably, the vendor refuses to ship earplugs to Washington State! So I went to Amazon. Not only will Amazon ship earplugs to Washington, Amazon’s price is 1/2 the cost of the provided vendor. $3.99 versus $6.99. That’s not cool.
Walker’s Silencer Wireless NRR25dB Electronic Sound Suppression Hearing Protection Earbuds Are $94 on Amazon. For what I get I what I get they aren’t expensive at all. They fit right and hold even while moving and I can hear normal voices and commands. Did some burst firing while forward moving the other day when it was hot and had no issue. I can wear my cowboy hat and keep the sun off me and run a chainsaw or help tune out the drone of the tractor motor. Whatever you get try and get the best you can afford. Hearing loss… Read more »
Akshully, if we do the math between the decibels from even a .22LR rifle and a single set of ear pro, we’re losing hearing with every round fired. While using both ear plugs and muffs doesn’t double decibel reduction, it gives us a much better chance to keep our hearing. So I use electronic muffs so I can hear at least as well as wearing ear plugs alone, which ain’t great considering I grew up at a time we used cotton balls and empty casings for “hearing protection.”
I never found an ear plug worth a plugged (no pun intended) nickel. I use a set of earmuffs that covers up the sound of the crowd at a Florida/Florida State football game.
Except for the Safariland plugs, I prefer Flents’ “Quiet Time” for their 32NRR reduction. This is what I use most of the time, but if I’m shooting with friends I’ll use electronic muffs so I can hear what they’re saying when we talk. I find the government issue plugs are the least effective and the most uncomfortable. But since I use plugs very frequently, I buy in bulk on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005DT25UG