# Ear Protection For Mowing



## Hapa512 (Mar 22, 2020)

I thought I would share these headphone I use to mow and do yard work.

I've always been a Bose guy when it comes to headphones especially noise canceling headphones when traveling. I have to say that these headphones blew me away ! Great sound ( better then my Bose Quite Comfort 35's. It has Bluetooth, charges quick and best of all saves the hearing that I have left. For $60.00 you can't go wrong, I bought two more as gifts because I love them so much ! I don't do any mowing unless I'm wearing these. Music sounds great and I can barely hear my mower or Seago trimmer head...lol

Thought I would share just incase someone was looking for some hearing protection.

Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Hybrid... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NM3RSRQ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share


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## UltimateLawn (Sep 25, 2020)

Those look good and I am in the market for some headphones. The on-ear headphones look to be rather hot and sweaty in the summer. Is this what you have found?


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## Hapa512 (Mar 22, 2020)

UltimateLawn said:


> Those look good and I am in the market for some headphones. The on-ear headphones look to be rather hot and sweaty in the summer. Is this what you have found?


@UltimateLawn

I've mowed in 100+ degree heat and have never had an issue with sweat on the ear muff's. They work great, also never found them uncomfortable either. I've had these for several months and no issues. Good luck on your quest 🤙🏽


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## dicko1 (Oct 25, 2019)

Just how well do the electronic noise cancelers work?

I double plug my ears. First I insert one of those silcone xmas tree looking plugs into the ear and then follow up with a 3M over the ear muff.

I still hear an awful lot. I dont know if its sound making its way around the PPE or if its just direct bone conduction into the ear, thus bypassing the PPE. I was thinking that maybe a noise cancelling muff might work better.


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## Hapa512 (Mar 22, 2020)

****o1 said:


> Just how well do the electronic noise cancelers work?
> 
> I double plug my ears. First I insert one of those silcone xmas tree looking plugs into the ear and then follow up with a 3M over the ear muff.
> 
> I still hear an awful lot. I dont know if its sound making its way around the PPE or if its just direct bone conduction into the ear, thus bypassing the PPE. I was thinking that maybe a noise cancelling muff might work better.


@****o1 They work just as good if not better then my Bose QC 35's. I have not tried them on a plane flight yet, but a friend that I bought a pair has, and said they work just as good as the Bose QC headset he has. That was my biggest concern, the quality of the noise canceling feature. I wanted to make sure that it was good as my Bose headset. I was almost going to pay another $299.00 for a pair of Bose, I decided to buy these for $60.00 and figured if they sucked I would just send them back. I couldn't be happier.

I think that having over the ear is much safer, and really reduces any possible of sound coming in, that's why I don't buy noise canceling earbuds, they just don't work as well as over the ear headsets do.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

It looks like they currently have a $10 coupon that makes them $50. :thumbup:

Soundcore AK-A3025011 Black Bluetooth Wireless Over-Ear Headphones https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NM3RSRQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_0mwSFb65HRQW1


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## uts (Jul 8, 2019)

****o1 said:


> Just how well do the electronic noise cancelers work?
> 
> I double plug my ears. First I insert one of those silcone xmas tree looking plugs into the ear and then follow up with a 3M over the ear muff.
> 
> I still hear an awful lot. I dont know if its sound making its way around the PPE or if its just direct bone conduction into the ear, thus bypassing the PPE. I was thinking that maybe a noise cancelling muff might work better.


Positioning of over ear muffs is fairly sensitive. I have a big head which means sometimes small movements moves the muff in a way that I hear a lot more. A small adjustment and it gets better. I dont think I need 2 layers but i have thought about trying while using a gas chainsaw

I use these

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BEENYCQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabt1_O6BSFbNJSB0BR?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1


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## 440mag (Jan 29, 2018)

Ooooo, and available in Extra Large, as well!


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## FATC1TY (Jul 12, 2017)

Serious Question...

What mowers are you all using that you feel the need to use hearing protection?

I use a toro GM1600, and a rotary scissor on a husquevarna trimmer. Aren't silent but, never felt the need to totally isolate sound. I enjoy some music so I use my AirPods and use the noise recursion modes and I can't barely tell my mower is running if I'm not touching it.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

FATC1TY said:


> Serious Question...
> 
> What mowers are you all using that you feel the need to use hearing protection?
> 
> I use a toro GM1600, and a rotary scissor on a husquevarna trimmer. Aren't silent but, never felt the need to totally isolate sound. I enjoy some music so I use my AirPods and use the noise recursion modes and I can't barely tell my mower is running if I'm not touching it.


I almost always wear foam ear plugs when operating my GM1600 - or really any outdoor power equipment for that matter.

Here are the dB levels from the GM1000/1600 Operator Manual:



I'm not sure at what levels hearing loss begins to occur, but I just don't like to risk it. Ear plugs are easy and hearing loss is cumulative.


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## massgrass (Aug 17, 2017)

I starting wearing hearing protection many years ago after my new lawn tractor left my ears ringing. My wife claims I have selective hearing, but I disagree.


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## Thejarrod (Aug 5, 2018)

I use 3M headphones with bluetooth for listening to endless podcasts. the hearing protection makes it more enjoyable for me. 
I never really understood how the electronic noise cancelling worked. i guess it sends out sound waves that are "opposite" waves as the sound around you...sounds like witchcraft to me.

https://www.amazon.com/3M-WorkTunes-Protector-Bluetooth-Technology/dp/B0723CYHPZ/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=3m+hearing+protection&qid=1605503686&s=hi&sr=1-3


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## BermudaBoy (Jun 27, 2019)

I use my Jabra Elite 75Ts. I bought them for gym usage but they work just as good doing the lawn. They've got great passive noise cancellation and when the ANC is activated the noise from my mower is minimal.

They seem to work equally well for blocking out female voices, or at least that's what the angry face my wife gives me when wearing them in the house suggests.


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## Allan-00 (Aug 6, 2019)

I also use the 3M WorkTunes and love them. I'd buy them again if something happened to them.


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## Hapa512 (Mar 22, 2020)

Ware said:


> It looks like they currently have a $10 coupon that makes them $50. :thumbup:
> 
> Soundcore AK-A3025011 Black Bluetooth Wireless Over-Ear Headphones https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NM3RSRQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_0mwSFb65HRQW1


@Ware

Great deal ! I would use the 10.00 saving to buy the extended warranty. It looks like they have a newer version, so my guess is that if something were to break, you would get the newer version ?


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## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

FATC1TY said:


> Serious Question...
> 
> What mowers are you all using that you feel the need to use hearing protection?
> 
> I use a toro GM1600, and a rotary scissor on a husquevarna trimmer. Aren't silent but, never felt the need to totally isolate sound. I enjoy some music so I use my AirPods and use the noise recursion modes and I can't barely tell my mower is running if I'm not touching it.


I used to be a sound recording engineer so sound, decibels and hearing is very important to me.

I agree - my Toro is super quite and I never need to mow at anything barely above an idle so no hearing protection needed for the amount of time an average homeowner will use it.

I do, however, wear ear protection when I use my gas trimmer or gas blower. I just use the cheap disposable $10 over ear from HD and get a new one every season. I only need it to take the edge off the loudness, and any crappy ear protection will do enough to protect you for all but the most obnoxiously loud equipment.


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## Oneacer (Sep 27, 2020)

Mowing at an idle ?????

I only use any mower, snow blower, etc., in the factory recommended mode of operation, which is usually implemented with a notch, set at the full throttle position, as intended.

An exception of course would be the backpack blower, when approaching the house landscape areas, etc..

My hearing protection of choice is the regular over-the-head muff type ..


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## RkFast (Nov 10, 2020)

FATC1TY said:


> Serious Question...
> 
> What mowers are you all using that you feel the need to use hearing protection?
> 
> I use a toro GM1600, and a rotary scissor on a husquevarna trimmer. Aren't silent but, never felt the need to totally isolate sound. I enjoy some music so I use my AirPods and use the noise recursion modes and I can't barely tell my mower is running if I'm not touching it.


I started wearing protection when I got a gas blower that left my ears ringing and just leave em on for the whole mow/trim/blow endeavor. I just use the basic protective earmuffs that I picked up at Lowe's. The way I see it, why wouldn't you take the extra step?


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## FATC1TY (Jul 12, 2017)

Oneacer said:


> Mowing at an idle ?????
> 
> I only use any mower, snow blower, etc., in the factory recommended mode of operation, which is usually implemented with a notch, set at the full throttle position, as intended.


Must have never used a greens mower around a yard before...


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## gkaneko (Dec 11, 2018)

most regular headphones aren't real good hearing protection. You end up turning up the music to drown out the outside noise which can be even worse for hearing.

I got the BT walker headphones. They are great because they are electronic too. The only issue is the BT range is really terrible.

I have been looking at MPOWs BT earmuffs cause they are cheap and look good. They aren't electronic though.


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## dicko1 (Oct 25, 2019)

But do the electronic noise suppressors work any better than just the boring old in/over the ear mechanical protectors?


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## gkaneko (Dec 11, 2018)

nope, all they do is relay outside noise at a safe level.

So there's really 3 features to the newer ear muffs (not all that new but getting more affordable)
-noise protection
-bluetooth to play off devices
-electronic sound

People are using normal headphones but many are not rated for high decibel protection.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

I don't usually use EarPro for when I am mowing since the GX120 engine is actually really quiet for what it is. But when I use any of my Stihl power equipment, I will use some EarPro and throughout the years I have found that I really like the SureFire EP7 Sonic Defenders as they sit comfortably in my ear and I even forget that I have them in sometimes. I like the foam tips as they expand to fit your ear canal and are comfortable. I'm not one to listen to music while working out in the lawn as I just enjoy the peace and quiet while I am out there and think of other things.


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## UltimateLawn (Sep 25, 2020)

I had been wanting a reason for some bluetooth noise cancelling earbuds, so I picked up a pair of these. It is rated very high for the noise cancelling algorithm. I used it today on a mow with my Honda and it really reduced the engine noise quite a bit. So much that when I played some music with I only had to set the volume at only 50%.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07T81554H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The downside...the price, but they are discounted about 25% from a year prior.


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## BobLovesGrass (Jun 13, 2020)

https://www.entinstitute.com/noise-canceling-hearing-protection-does-it-really-exist/

Thia was like the second article that came up when I searched if noise cancelling was hearing protection.
I use bluetooth ear buds under NRR rated earmuffs. Sometimes just $4 17NRR harbor freight or nice 34NRR rated 3M muffs I bought for shooting. My mowers are not that loud.

I have my eyes on IsoTunes products, jist not a spending priority yet.


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## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

Thejarrod said:


> I use 3M headphones with bluetooth for listening to endless podcasts. the hearing protection makes it more enjoyable for me.
> I never really understood how the electronic noise cancelling worked. i guess it sends out sound waves that are "opposite" waves as the sound around you...sounds like witchcraft to me.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/3M-WorkTunes-Protector-Bluetooth-Technology/dp/B0723CYHPZ/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=3m+hearing+protection&qid=1605503686&s=hi&sr=1-3


I got these for this season used them once so far and I love them. Thanks for the recommendation.


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## BobLovesGrass (Jun 13, 2020)

I got these for Christmas.
https://isotunes.com/products/isotunes-pro-2?_pos=1&_sid=9c37ed1bc&_ss=r
Foam is a little bit of a hassle to compress well but sofar with the snowblower chainsaw and chipper they have been great.


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