Hearing protection for shooting is one of the most important items you can buy in regards to your personal safety. As a veteran, I can tell you about the years of shooting with the defunct 3M earplugs.
The years of firing guns and holding security posts on Air Force flight lines (airports) have caused at least a 30% hearing loss with tinnitus. OSHA states, that any noise with a decibel over 115 dB is enough to cause immediate damage to your inner ear.
I’ve been using the Caldwell E-Max Shadows as my in-ear hearing protection when I shoot my pistols at the range. I believe the Caldwell earplugs are the best in-ear hearing protection for shooting that I’ve used so far.
There are a lot of complaints that I’ve started to see and I’m confident I can dispel most of them by explaining how to use the E-Max Shadows.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is the governmental organization that sets the standards for the amount of noise you should be exposed to at any given time on the job and in recreation.
If you look at the chart below, a gunshot is around 140 dB and OSHA declares that the maximum permissible noise level is only 90 dB (sound of a lawnmower). The recommended noise dB is 85dB or the sound of a grade school cafeteria. Since the recommended dB is 85, most electronic hearing protection has the cut-off set at 85, instead of the max of 90dB.
When is it Too Loud?
An environment is too loud when you have to raise your voice to properly communicate with someone. The big difference with guns is the noise is in short bursts, but very intense with a dB from 130-172 dB for a rifle or shotgun.
Another big indicator is if you can’t hear someone speaking to you at 3 feet, then the environment is too loud and can cause hearing loss injury if exposed for more than 15 minutes. Oftentimes at gun ranges, this can be a big problem because multiple shooters cause that intense noise to be prolonged, further impacting your hearing.
How Do I Know if I Have Hearing Damage?
Fortunately, there are signs that you can look for to determine if you have hearing damage. first, if someone is talking to you after you’ve been exposed to intense noise and his/her voice sounds muffled (like Charlie Brown in school), then you have hearing loss and damage to your inner ear.
Second, you’ll notice a ringing in your ear (tinnitus) and all outside noise will sound muffled and near impossible to hear. I can tell you from experience, tinnitus is painful, uncomfortable, and is incredibly annoying to deal with on a daily basis. This is why proper protection of your hearing is instrumental in preserving your health and hearing capabilities.
Which Hearing Protection Does OSHA Recommend?
OSHA is a part of the federal government and regulated by the CDC, they’re not allowed to recommend specific products. However, they’re allowed to offer advice on the type of PPE you should wear for best results. For example, if you’re shooting a rifle, such as a 30-06, or 7mm Rem Mag, you should double up on hearing protection with an earplug and earmuff to be safe.
The best advice that I can see from OSHA is “The best hearing protection is the one you’ll actually wear". This applies to almost anything in life, such as body armor, guns, clothing, and boots. It doesn’t matter how expensive or cool a product might be because if you’re not going to use it, it’s worthless.
If you refer to the chart above, you want to at least have hearing protection with a 23dB noise reduction for handguns and 32dB for rifles. There are 2 types of hearing protection; passive and active. Passive hearing protection means that the hearing protection is always at the level listed on the product description. For example, if the passive protection says 23dB, they eliminate 23dB of noise at all times when they’re on/in your ears.
Active hearing protection is also called electronic hearing protection, which most people prefer in their daily lives. Active hearing protection either has an automatic cut-off switch or regulates the ambient sound to a safe level when the noise reaches a certain level. Personally, I don’t like the active hearing protection earplugs because there can be a split second that allows the dangerous level of noise inside your ears.
Active hearing protection that regulates the ambient noise to a safe level prevents that split second that can still damage your hearing. That split second that I’m referring to is often called attack time.
Provides the wearer with enhanced hearing from their environment
Creating a seal for maximum protection is easier with Passive earmuffs
Connects to Bluetooth, WIFI for use with a smartphone
Much more affordable than active hearing protection
Easier to use while shooting
Easier to use for every skill level with no training required
Perfect for hot, humid environments because air isn’t trapped inside the earmuffs
Passive hearing protection normally higher NRR
Enhances your hunting experience with magnified capability
Cons of Passive & Active Hearing Protection
Passive Hearing protection Cons
Active Hearing Protection Cons
Hot environments can make passive earmuffs uncomfortable and sweaty
Much more expensive
Takes up more storage space
Can be difficult to establish a seal inside your ear
Harder to wear with other PPE
Requires training to use them properly for shooting
Can make shooting rifles more difficult with establishing proper cheek weld
Best Ear/Hearing Protection for Shooting
The best in-ear electronic hearing protection for shooting from my experience has been the Caldwell E-Max Shadows. The noise reduction rating (NRR) is 23dB and is classified as active hearing protection.
The E-Max Shadows are Bluetooth compatible and allow me to play music, answer phone calls while shooting, and are rechargeable inside the small carrying case. My favorite part about charging is the case can be charged with a regular USB cord and provides 4-5 charges before the case needs to be charged again. This may not seem important, but I like it because I only have to plug it in 1-2 times per week with heavy use.
Specs
E-Max Shadow Electronic Hearing Earplugs
Bluetooth Version
5.0
Charging Time
2-3 hours
Operation Range
10m (33 ft)
Battery
Lithium-Ion
Battery Capacity
3.7V (60mAh)
Charging Case Battery Capacity
3.7V (600mAh)
USB Charging Input
5V (500mAh)
Bluetooth Profiles
HSP/HFP/ A2DP/AVRCP
Pairing Name
SHADOWS
Stand Time
100 hours
Music Time
5 hours
MSRP
$127.46 (normally $164.99)
Pros
Great versatility
Pairs easily with an iPhone or Android
Music quality is clear and perfect for the range, yard work, office work
Very affordable right now
Sleek with a low profile for hunting
Charging storage container for easy charging and storage
Multiple tips to accommodate any ear canal
Caldwell has always shown me great customer service
Enhances your hearing in the woods to identify movement well before you normally would with a naked ear
33 feet is the max for Bluetooth connectivity
5 hours of charge with music
100 hours of charge if I’m just sitting in the woods or shooting at the range with no calls or music
Cons
I notice that if I lose my connection, I need to do a factory reset most times (only take a min, but can get annoying sometimes)
If you’re in an area with no service, they won’t work as well
The silicone tips didn’t help me at all with noise reduction (highly recommend the foam tips)
How Do I Charge the E-Max Shadows?
Remember to charge the earplugs inside the case and close the case in order for the earplugs to charge properly. There are 2 considerations to charging the E-Max Shadows that you must consider before turning them on.
Charge the Earplugs
Keep the earplugs inside the case with the lid closed and the earplugs will automatically charge
The LED lights will glow solid red while charging and turn green for 1 minute while fully charged (green LED will shut off after 1 minute)
Charging the Case
Use the USB cable that comes with the earplugs to charge the case
The LED lights on the case will blink green when the battery is below 30% charge
The Left LED light will glow solid green and the right LED will be blink green when the charge is between 30%-90%
Both LEDs will glow solid green when the battery is above 90%
How Do I Turn On/Off the E-Max Shadows?
Once the case and earplugs are fully charged, turn on each earplug by touching the panel (I always place my finger on the LDW of the word Caldwell) for 1 second
To turn off the earplugs, simply touch the panels for 8 seconds, until you see a red LED for seconds
How Do I Pair the E-Max Shadows With My iPhone?
Once your earplugs are turned on place them back in the case for 1-2 seconds to activate the Bluetooth
Remove the earplugs and wait for both LEDs to glow solid green
Look up your Bluetooth connection and make sure both earplugs are connected
Bluetooth connection established
How Do I Wear the E-Max Shadows?
The most important step before you start shooting with the E-Max Shadows is to ensure you have the proper connection to them. Most of the complaints I see about these earplugs are because people don’t take the time to get the proper fit.
Make sure you put the correct earplug in each ear or you won’t get the level of protection needed
Choose either the foam or silicone ear tips and test the different sizes to find the best fit for your ears
I use the foam tips because they offer the best level of protection
Compress the foam tips between your fingers to make them small enough to fit in your ear canal
MOST IMPORTANTLY hold the earplugs in your ear to allow the foam tip to expand in your ear to create the seal!
How Do I Answer Calls/Play Music on My E-Max Shadows?
Once your Bluetooth is connected, you can answer a phone call or play music with your E-Max Shadows by double-tapping either panel
To ignore an incoming call touch either panel and hold for 2 seconds
To adjust the volume of the music or phone call, slide your finger up for more volume, down for less
E-Max Shadows come with a cool voice assistant to help with the clarity of your call by tapping the panel 3X
How Do I Fix Connectivity Problems?
The other big complaint besides fit is by far the connectivity problems that people are experiencing. I have experienced similar problems with the E-Max Shadows with inconsistent Bluetooth connection. However, all I have to do is to hit the factory reset to reestablish a proper connection with the phone and earplugs. I have yet to have any problem with the earplugs once I did the factory reset.
How Do I Factory Reset the E-Max Shadows?
Turn your Bluetooth off on your phone or cancel the pairing with the earplugs
Pick up both earplugs and hold for 8 seconds or until the LEDs glow red for 2 seconds
Once the red LEDs turn off continue to press the panels for 10 seconds or until the LEDs blink red and green 3 times (this places them in factory default setting)
Hold each panel for 5 seconds or until the LED blinks red & green
Finally, reconnect the earplugs to your iPhone and you should be golden
Why Should I Buy the Caldwell E-Max Shadows?
The E-Max Shadows are the perfect combination of technology and protection with incredible versatility. I use my E-Max Shadows when I mow the lawn, use my snowblower, leaf blower, and hunting. Right now the E-Max Shadows are the cheapest they’ve ever been listed for at just over $120 and give you Bluetooth compatibility to listen to music and enhance your hearing in any environment.
If you follow the instructions manual and this guide, you shouldn’t have any of the problems you’ll see from online reviews. Caldwell is a reputable company that specializes in shooting gear from the range to the woods and everything in between.
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