It’s no secret that loud noises can have a significant impact on your hearing. With prolonged exposure to loud sounds, you may suffer from a drastic hearing loss over the years. This is particularly 
true for individuals who participate in a loud sport (such as hunting or shooting) or those who have military careers.
According to research conducted by the National Institutes of Health, military personnel have a greater exposure to excessive noise and suffer from noise-related hearing loss far more than the general public.
A noise-related hearing loss in the general public is considered to rank thirteenth according to years lived with a disability.
Despite the statistics, it is possible to protect your hearing with the right equipment and electronic earmuffs. With the correct protection, you can avoid some of the more drastic effects that loud noises can have on your hearing. The question is, how do you know which pair of headphones will offer you the best protection?
For individuals who spend a lot of time at the shooting range, the Howard Leight by Honeywell Impact Sport (R01526) earmuffs provides excellent protection for your hearing.
These electronic headphones have a number of benefits that can apply to any loud line of work or hobby.
To find out what we think of these headsets, be sure to check out our Howard Leight Impact Sport review below.
How Can These Headphones Help at the Shooting Range?
The sound of a gun firing is unmistakably loud, so you need to find a pair of earmuffs that is deadening enough to protect your hearing. However, this protection isn’t the only feature in a pair of headphones that you need to consider. You should also know exactly how the reviews say that they can help enhance your experience at the shooting range.[toc]
These are great for amplification of range commands and other less detrimental sounds. They have a built-in directional microphone to help with this function. Sounds that fall into these categories are amplified to just 82 dB, but they will automatically shut off when the sound surpasses this level.
These electronic headphones are actively listening and working to protect your hearing.
The other benefit to these pro headphones is their audio jack that allows you to plug in your mp3 player while you shoot. If you want to make your shooting range experience even more pleasant, you need to purchase a pair of these earmuffs.
How Long Does the Battery Life Last?
You should know how long the battery life is likely to last if you plan to use the electric features on these earmuffs.
Two AAA batteries will give you approximately 350 hours of life.
Fortunately, these earmuffs also have the advantage of an auto shutoff feature after four hours of use.
This helps to extend your overall battery life and keeps you from forgetting to turn them off with a manual function when not in use.
Read some of the testimonials that have used the Honeywell Impact Sport Sound Earmuffs:
Multiple pairs, multiple years, still doing great! If you have been on the lookout for an affordable pair of muffs, then you have found the right product. Just look at all the positive reviews! You can’t beat the cost with a product that works better than some of the more expensive options. The batteries are also pretty cheap and very easy to replace when needed. The fit is better than the $50 competitors’ muffs and they seem to be built better as well. Great purchase. Read the Testimonial of The_Biffster Here
Amazing product worth every cent! I have bought 4 pairs of these muffs which goes to show how much I like them! Don’t get me wrong, I still own the first pair I bought over 2 years ago, I’ve just bought additional pairs as gifts for friends and family. The quality of sound is great and the fact that you can increase the sound volume if you’d like to hear any little sound nearby works so well! See the Original Testimonial of Guy Here
What kind of noise protection do they offer?
When you’re comparing some of the other top earmuffs on the market (like the Peltor vs the Howard Leight T3 by Sperian), you need to know how their noise protection stacks up.
Our Howard Leight Impact Sport review shows that they have a noise reduction rating of 22 decibels. While this is certainly great for mowing or other minor activities, it isn’t the best hearing protection available on the market.
You can take a look at some of the other earmuffs that offer higher dB protection on our ranking of the best hearing protection for construction here. You will find some products on this list that will offer higher decibel protection, including the Clear Armor 141001 which offers a 31 dB NRR.
Are they comfortable?
Wearing a pair of earmuffs all day long can cause a headache if they don’t fit comfortably. Instead of wearing a pair that sits uncomfortably on your ears, you will want to consider how easily you can wear this pair of tactical earmuffs.
They feature an adjustable headband to help you create a custom fit for your unique head size. The inner headband is ventilated, which serves to reduce the amount of pressure on your head. It will feel far less restrictive than a full helmet.
The ear cups are relatively low profile so they won’t interfere as much with the stock of a gun at the shooting range. This does make them ideal for this purpose.
This model is not only comfortable, but it’s also very convenient. In just a few easy steps, the Howard Leight Impact Sport review shows you how you can fold them up for easy storage.
This allows you to keep them with you no matter where you go at the shooting range or in your vehicle.
If you were hoping to purchase a pair of plain black earmuffs, you may be out of luck with this model.
According to our Howard Leight Impact Sport review, the most common (and the least expensive) color on Amazon is their signature OD green.
While other more “classic” colors such as black are available, they come at a much higher cost. Sticking to your budget may require you to purchase them in this muted shade of green instead.
For a signature look, you can find more expensive options available in teal, purple, and pink as well. This makes them far more appealing to women who may also want to spend some time at the shooting range.
The final results are in with our Howard Leight Impact Sport review. These are truly one of the best noise reduction headphones available on the market today for use at the shooting range (or anywhere you will be exposed to loud sounds).
Protecting your hearing is essential to maintaining it throughout the years. A noise-induced hearing loss is one of the top causes of hearing loss, but it is completely preventable.
Howard Leight Impact Pro VS Impact Sport
According to recent studies, nearly one in four adults has some form of noise-related hearing loss that has led to long-term damage to the ear.
What If You Could Prevent This From Occurring?
The first step toward saving your hearing is to purchase a proper pair of noise-canceling headphones. You can view our selections of the top seven headphones for construction here or keep reading for a comparison of two prominent models: the Howard Leight Impact Pro vs Impact Sport.
Chances are that you want more protection than the simple foam earplugs that you can easily purchase a replacement for at the local drugstore. They may be inexpensive, but they aren’t going to cover as many high decibels sounds as a quality pair of earmuffs like the Howard Leight Impact Pro vs Impact Sport.
Both of these models are made by Honeywell, owned by the larger company known as Sperian. They are both extremely popular and don’t show any signs of being discontinued soon.
In many cases, consumers can become overwhelmed and confused by the comparison of Howard Leight vs Peltor. The Peltor brand (including the Peltor Sport Tactical 100) is very similar to the Impact Sport but Howard Leight tends to win the comparison. The same goes for other comparisons such as the Howard Leight Impact Pro vs. Peltor Tactical Sport or the Walker’s Razor vs Howard Leight.
About Howard Leight Impact PRO Earmuff
The benefit is that these two Howard Leight models are both electronic headphones. This is important because many individuals want to know the difference between electronic ear muffs vs regular. Electronic earmuffs make regular ambient sound easier to hear while still filtering out the louder sounds in order to guard your ears.
By definition, these electronic headphones are actively listening to your surroundings at the range and they run on battery power. Both the Howard Leight Impact Pro vs Impact Sport have a battery life of roughly 350 hours on two AAA batteries.
Many consumers wonder whether there is any real difference between the Howard Leight Impact Pro vs Impact Sport. According to reviews of each item, they have specific advantages depending on your usage. Consumers may want to consider what features they have in common first before moving on to how they differ.
Where Does Each Model Shine?
The Howard Leight Impact Sport vs Pro actually both have the same strong points when it comes to activities. They can be used for anything but they are ultimately ideal for hunting and shooting at the gun range.
Both have the built-in capability for amplification of range commands and a bi-directional microphone to improve communication. These ear muffs are also electronic which allows them to protect you from high decibel sound while still letting you to engage in a normal conversation.
Depending on what type of firearms you use (handgun versus shotgun), you might prefer one model over the other.
The Pro series headphones have a much larger ear cup because they have a greater noise reduction rating. To make up for it, they also have rubberized points to help protect the ear cups from scratching whenever you go to shoot.
On the other hand, the Sport model (Howard Leight R01526) is perfect for going to the shooting range because they have a lower profile ear cup. This allows it to stay completely out of the way while you’re shooting without much effort on your part.
They are both great choices for military personnel, tactical pros, and other avid sports enthusiasts. They are both considered to be some of the best electronic ear muffs for shooting in a direct comparison.
The other major advantage of these models is their mp3 and radio compatibility. You can wear these headphones to protect your ears while running and still listen to music without the annoying feeling of in ear headphones.
What Type of Protection Is Available In The Howard Leight Impact Pro VS Impact Sport?
The noise reduction rating is ultimately the biggest area where these two hearing protectors will differ. The amount of sound protection you need will ultimately determine which pair of earmuffs you should purchase. The Howard Leight Impact Sport earmuff has a much lower NRR than the Pro.
The Sport version has a noise reduction rating of just 22 dB compared to the Pro series that has a 30 dB noise reduction rating.
About Howard Leight Impact Sport Earmuffs
What Major Differences Do They Have?
Apart from their noise reduction ratings, the major difference between these two models is their appearance. The Howard Leight Impact SporttealIn case you want a flashier pair. , you can get a lot more bling with this model. OD Green is the original color that most consumers are familiar with. However, they also come in a variety of other colors including shades like teal. In case you want a flashier pair can get a lot more bling with this model.
The Howard Leight Impact Pro (R-01902) Only Comes in Black And Gray
The other major difference between these two types of ear and hearing protectors is the price. On Amazon, the tactical earmuffs are listed at roughly $35 for the Sport and $55 for the Pro. You will have to decide if the price is going to be a determining factor when you buy the best earmuffs.
When it comes down to a direct comparison, the Howard Leight Impact Pro vs Impact Sport are both excellent options to help you protect your hearing. However, it is clear that that Impact Pro does have a much greater degree of noise reduction than the Sport model. If you are very concerned about excessive exposure to very loud sounds, the Pro version is probably the model for you.
Don’t wait another minute to start defending your hearing. Purchase a pair of noise-canceling headphones today!
