*All photos by author
Thanks to the Marine Corps, I’ve got natural hearing protection — lol (moderate-to-severe hearing loss). So these days, I take ear pro seriously and rely on solid in-ear earplugs every time 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. I keep a set of electronic over-ear muffs in my range bag for when some guy decides to mag dump with a comp on an SBR. But for typical range sessions, a good pair of earplugs handles the job just fine.
Here’s a breakdown of the four options I tested before landing on my current go-to.
Quick Picks: Best Earplugs for Shooting
- Top Pick: Walker’s Corded Earplugs — Best fit, stays in all day, and noticeably better noise suppression than the competition.
- Runner-Up: SureFire EP5 Sonic Defenders — Durable and reusable, but slightly less effective in real-world use.
- Best Feature-Rich: Safariland Impulse Foam Earplugs — Dual-mode protection with no batteries required, but the Walkers outperform them.
- Budget/Mil-Spec: USGI Earplugs — They work, but fit is inconsistent, and noise blocking isn’t as reliable.
SureFire EP5 Sonic Defenders
- NRR: 26 dB
- Design: Low-profile, triple-flanged stem
- Material: Hypoallergenic polymer
- Compatibility: Works under helmets, masks, and over-ear muffs
These are reusable, durable, and offer a snug fit. If you need something that stays in during extended wear and plays nice with other gear, the EP5s are a solid choice. That said, in real-world range use, the sound suppression didn’t feel quite as noticeable as others on this list, despite the slightly higher NRR on paper.
Walker’s Corded Earplugs
- NRR: 25 dB
- Material: All-rubber construction
- Cord: 24″ tether
- Fit: Flexible flanged design
- Value: Comes in a 2-pack
Technically, these aren’t foam earplugs; they’re all-rubber with a flanged design that flexes to conform to your ear canal. But if you’re looking for the best earplugs for shooting overall, these are what I run 99% of the time.
The 24-inch tether lets you hang them around your neck between shooting strings. NRR is 25 dB, and the difference in sound suppression is immediately noticeable compared to the others. More importantly, they stay in. That’s the thing with a lot of earplugs — they look fine on paper but work their way out during extended sessions. These don’t. 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 needed
The Impulse plugs (<-newer version than shown in the photo) have a cool concept: they allow ambient sound passthrough when you need it and switch to full-block mode on the fly, all without batteries. If you want something with a little more functionality than standard foam, these are worth a look. In practice, though, the Walkers beat them in both noise reduction and comfort for my ears during longer sessions.
If you’re specifically after the best foam earplugs for shooting, these are probably the most feature-rich passive foam option on the list.
US Government-Issued Earplugs
- NRR: 26 dB
- Case: Military-grade polymer with chain
- Fit: Basic
If you’ve served, you’ve used these. They do the job in a pinch, and the case is actually handy, but I found the fit inconsistent across different ear canals. In terms of actual noise blocking at the range, they landed at the bottom of this list despite having one of the higher listed NRR ratings. Fit matters more than the number on the package.
Which Earplugs Should You Buy?
All four work as advertised, but the key differentiator is fit and the ability to stay put in my ear, especially during long training days when you’re on and off the line repeatedly.
My top pick for the best earplugs for shooting: Walker’s Corded Earplugs.
They fit better, stay put longer, and provide noticeably superior noise reduction. The Safariland and USGI plugs just didn’t cut it for effectively blocking sound, and while the SureFire EP5s feel solid, the Walkers edge them out on the shooting range.
That’s just my 2 cents.
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