EP7 Sonic Defenders any thoughts?

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S7eed

Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2014
Messages
21
Location
East Anglia
Afternoon

Does anyone have any experience with the EP7 ear plugs? http://www.surefire.com/ep7-sonic-defenders-ultra.html I have been looking at an in ear solution as I'm finding that over the ear types are getting in the way and are very hot. I have tried a pair of Auritech Shoot Hearing Protectors http://www.uttings.co.uk/p115221-auritech-shoot-hearing-protectors-ashp/ which I like but they feel like they are about to fall out all the time.

I was just wondering if anyone has used the EP7 or any others and how they found them?

 
 

 
I use the EP3's(got mine from Avalon guns),they do the job fine and are comfortable to wear, infact i forget i'm still wearing them at times.

 
Why not try custom fitted ear protection from proshock?

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I've tried many types and the sonic valve type (metal valve) is the cause of my tinnitus which were the ones that I wore for most of my shooting in my younger days.. 

Wish I had gone for custom ones years ago but the sonics seemed OK at the time.  I would prefer ordinary foam plugs to the sonics and I won't let my lad use them (sonic). All of course IMHO ;)

It was Steve /SoR/Proshock who finally sorted me out properly at the shooting show in Warwick with a decent set of custom jobbies that both fit and work.

 
Emtec are the best by far in experience, service, & price. No hassle fast reliable service .

 
Emtec are the best by far in experience, service, & price. No hassle fast reliable service .
that's exactly what you would expect Pete for 1970s technology

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I like the surefire plugs, I use ep4s for hot weather game shooting and they're perfect. I tried moulded plugs but didn't get on with them, an expensive mistake! They're cheap so worth a try..... I must say that I prefer cans for clay shooting though.

Hth

Dave

 
............. I tried moulded plugs but didn't get on with them, an expensive mistake! .........

Dave
I has several moulded plugs done at game fairs - at least 3 times and none of them fitted or were comforable.  Until I mentioned it on here and SoR /Proshock arranged for me to be seen by their Pete Russell / Proshock at the Shooting Show this year and for the first time ever, I've now got a pair that properly fit me and work. 

AFAIK, anyone can set themselves up to mould these plugs but not everyone knows what they are doing.  My constant tinnitus reminds me of the importance of getting this right.  Although in my case, it was probably 7.62 service rifle shooting which was the main cause and that needed more than the sonic valve.

 
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Salopian, on 15 Apr 2014 - 8:05 PM, said:

Emtec are the best by far in experience, service, & price. No hassle fast reliable service .

SOR said:-

that's exactly what you would expect Pete for 1970s technology.

Steve my ears were made in 1945 and still working well. I think the Wheel is still being used as well?

Without doubt, foam plugs with Cans over the top are the finest ear defence, but sadly don't suit everyone.

I would be very happy to do a comparison test between Pro-shock and Emtec.

 
Emtech for me too, especially compared to my Cens.

I would also say that the mould taking is critical, the Cens had to go back twice for modification.

 
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Cheers Guys, I think I will go for a pair of SP's to start with and then save up for some Emtechs later in the year!

 
I had 2pairs of Emtec for years.....

Just last year lost one of one pair (silly) and both pairs had shrunk a little over the years...so need new ones done.

Now I cannot be assed to go having a mould done at the deaf shop and then sending off to Emtec........

Times move on. I did not want any fancy dancing digital stuff.....I just want full block out.....and I defo do not like these EP7 or the Cens hard plastic type.

SoR had not then set up shop or I would have tried him.

So I rang Antone Spiros-Tica who came to my house and made 2 perfect pairs (I think they were £60 a pair). They are perfect fit and block out the world when I shoot. If I actually want to hear anyone.....I just twist one in the ear and you can hear again.

Hope that helps.....MHO.

 
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I use Surefire EP4 atm i have also tried basic foam and the "North Sonic II Shooters Aid Ear Valves" and personally i really like the EP4's very comfortable and seem to drastically keep down the sound from shells. Plus price difference is drastic between premade and custom plugs.

With custom molded in ear protection, I have used a pair for motorbiking, but something I found and I know others have found (bikers that is) is that the fit of custom in ear plugs can also be affected by temperature though bikers tend to deal with higher temperature extremes between riding in winter and summer especially wearing the safety kit. Everything expands and contracts under different temperatures even your ears. so some bikers found that in really hot temperatures the fit was too tight and some found in low temperatures the fit was too loose. But with custom plugs millimeters in fit matter, not sure if shooters have maybe found this i cant comment from that aspect.

So my advice for custom plugs is make sure you have the fitting done in as close to the ambient temperature of what you would normally shoot.

 
Hi quantum in ear custom plugs should not expand or contract they should mould to the ear canal I guess the problems your describing would be associated to acrylic type plugs, if my customers were reporting that problem to me there are alternative techniques for taking an impression that would create a tighter fit. Often used for in ear monitors for musicians who sing whilst using in ear monitors. You will find that talking or smiling whilst having moulds taken would cause more problems than ambient temperature, but the whole point to my post is your considering ear protection a lot of shooters don't give it enough or any at all.

Steve







www.proshock.co.uk
 
Hi SOR thanks for the comment it was along time ago I had custom plugs for motorbiking (lost them, and not really sure what the material was) but I was more meaning the expanding of the body itself rather than the material (though could have been the material) for example the ring finger of someone, when hot the ring is a lot tighter than when the body is cold.

When biking in weather extremes I found my custom ear plug fit tight or loose at times, I bike in hot weather usually around Spain or South of France in summers, ambient is 30c+ and with all my gear on and helmet it can easily be 40c+ i find that at times like that my custom ear plugs use to fit very differently. Now i can ONLY talk about biking and can't comment in shooting.

Oh and don't get me wrong I would again love a nice custom fitted pair of ear plugs for shooting just cant justify the cost currently, and the EP4's I'm using seem to really do a good job at fraction of cost. But the choice is all about personal preference and perhaps how big small your ears are :)   :pilot:

 
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