Help me choose ear protection for trackside.

Kinja'd!!! "Jason Spears" (shadestalker)
07/18/2017 at 11:57 • Filed to: ow my ears, trackside, that noise tho

Kinja'd!!!0 Kinja'd!!! 11

I was at Petit Le Mans last year and bought some ear muffs at the track, Howard Leight QM24+. I used those along with foam earplugs that you compress and shove in your ears, and the combination seemed almost good enough. I plan to go again this year and would like to not need the earplugs. I mainly want muffs that are more comfortable and effective.

Oppo, please recommend!


DISCUSSION (11)


Kinja'd!!! RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Jason Spears
07/18/2017 at 12:06

Kinja'd!!!1

The basic 3M 30NRR ear muffs are pretty nice, and I have also received very good hearsay reports on the Peltor lines and equivalents with the rebroadcast/thresholding - though they’re less useful under sustained noise than intermittent noise like shooting.


Kinja'd!!! Montalvo > Jason Spears
07/18/2017 at 12:12

Kinja'd!!!0

3M makes some decent stuff. I was pretty happy with the worktunes headset I got. I liked them because they were strong enough to quiet down .50 Cal guns at the range and I could play music with them.

Kinja'd!!!


Kinja'd!!! Slant6 > Jason Spears
07/18/2017 at 12:16

Kinja'd!!!0

https://www.amazon.com/SensGard-SG-31-Lightweight-Hearing-Protection/dp/B00S1JQUR4/ref=pd_sim_200_4?_encoding=UTF8&refRID=S695TA05PDMSJ072R8MZ

These are the best. I use them in the woodshop for hours at a time and they never get uncomfortable. Great part about them is that you can hear someone talking next to you, say someone yelling to get out of the way of table saw kickback, but will silence the high pitched noise of the saw. I also use them when I facilitate fire drills.


Kinja'd!!! SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Jason Spears
07/18/2017 at 12:33

Kinja'd!!!0

How loud was it that that combination was only “almost good enough?” Seriously curious as I’ve never been to any professional motorsports events, but am looking at doing the Canadian Grand Prix next year and while the new F1 cars are “quiet,” the schedule also features a ton of other races such as the historic championship. I have sensitive ears and always wear foam plugs to concerts and was planning on just bringing them, but should I be looking at more protection?


Kinja'd!!! jvirgs drives a Subaru > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
07/18/2017 at 12:57

Kinja'd!!!0

Thats what I want to know. I normally wear the foam ear plugs or just the radio ear-muff style headsets, if I have a scanner, to the NASCAR races. I’ve never needed both.


Kinja'd!!! Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner > Jason Spears
07/18/2017 at 13:01

Kinja'd!!!0

Don’t use earplugs. I was at the race too and only covered my ears when the corvette passed but I got used to the loudness after a while


Kinja'd!!! Jason Spears > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
07/18/2017 at 13:02

Kinja'd!!!1

Personally I would have both available, and use whatever combination you decide works best. Going underprepared is risking diminishing your fun.

I’m being subjective, I have no idea what actual SPL measurements might be. For me it depends some on the frequency, and some cars are just louder than others. I seem to remember the prototypes being uniformly very loud, but the GTs vary quite a lot in volume and the character of the sound (which is one reason I like them so much.)

The 911 RSR has a higher pitch than the others when it exits a corner hard, makes me think of a high-revving street bike sound but much louder. That cut through the muffs pretty well. I love the sound, but of that class it was also the most bothersome up close. :)


Kinja'd!!! Jason Spears > Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner
07/18/2017 at 13:03

Kinja'd!!!1

See, I thought that was just called hearing loss. :)


Kinja'd!!! Shoop > Jason Spears
07/18/2017 at 13:18

Kinja'd!!!1

I’ve been to an Imsa race, and unless you were directly track side for a long time, you didn’t need hearing protection.

Top fuel on the other hand...


Kinja'd!!! Hammerdown > Montalvo
07/18/2017 at 13:30

Kinja'd!!!0

I use these in the stands at NHRA events and I’ve never had a problem. Nice to be able to listen to the track announcer (they have a weak FM signal at the track) too.


Kinja'd!!! Schaef_Camaero Z/28 > Jason Spears
07/18/2017 at 14:59

Kinja'd!!!0

https://www.amazon.com/3M-Peltor-Over-Earmuffs-X5A/dp/B00CPCHBCQ

I have a pair of these, they’re pretty quiet and generally comfortable. I mostly use them when mowing grass, shooting, or if I need to be working next to the air compressor for extended periods.