Author Topic: Walkers Game Ear (Read 842 times)

daddywpb · « **on:** November 20, 2005, 11:02:17 PM »

My wife bought my Christmas present early yesterday. Got a set of Walkers Quad Power Muffs. I have permanent damage to my hearing from too much shooting with no protection when I was young (yes, I know it was stupid). I always hear ringing in my ears, sometimes louder than others. I usually hunt alone, but recently found someone to go with me, and he is always saying "Did you hear that?". I never do. I mentioned to my wife that I might be missing things out there, and she saw the muffs at Bass Pro yesterday. I'll get to try them out on a Thanksgiving morning hog hunt, but I'd like to hear comments from anyone who uses the Power Muffs or Game Ear.

victorcharlie · « **Reply #1 on:** November 21, 2005, 05:44:39 AM »

I haven't been to the ear doctor, but my ears ring too.........I can tell that I don't hear as well as I used to.....I'd be interested to know how they work for you........

Siskiyou · « **Reply #2 on:** November 21, 2005, 06:49:35 AM »

Very interesting. Next she will have you wearing them while watching tv. No more selective hearing. :-D

A few years ago my wife sent me to get my hearing checked. The doctor wanted to know why I wanted to be examined. I told him that I had spent a lot of time shooting, around turbine helicopters, and power equipment. And my wife complained that I never heard her.

The doctor told me that I would never win that one!

I assume that the Walkers operate on a similar principal as the old Wolf's Ears. The one thing I did not like about the Wolf's ears was they are none directional in the woods. When conducting a surveillance on a shooting suspect with guns it can be a little spooky to hear sound and not know what direction it is coming from. I could not wear them while moving over dry oak leaves. The noise level was to great.

I was thinking this fall while setting on a stump that it would be great to have a pair. What price range are we looking at?

daddywpb · « **Reply #3 on:** November 21, 2005, 01:43:45 PM »

The Quad Power Muffs are supposed to be directional. There are two mics on each side, one in front and one in back. It's too noisy around here to tell how it works. Quiet woods should be better. Price was $220 at BPS. The single ear Game Ears go up to $500+ for the digital models. Doesn't seem to me that having one on only one ear would be helpful.....?

By the way, the suggestion that I wear them around the house has already come up from my wife. Whatd'ya say Honey?

quickdtoo · « **Reply #4 on:** November 21, 2005, 02:25:01 PM »

I have a pair of Walker Game Ears, never liked the hard foam inserts, doesn't compress and form to my ear well. The over the ear thing doesn't work well with my glasses either. I quit using them and am now using a pair of SportEars, they fit in the ear and offer true directional hearing(great for turkey hunting!), and noise reduction/cutoff above 85Db. I have the same problem with my hearing, too many years without hearing protection, bad tinnitus, too. The SportEars are so much nicer than the Walkers, there's no comparison, but they also cost more. Got mine NIB on Ebay for $310, they cost double that retail, dunno if I'd spring for em at $600 then, but I would now, knowing how well they work. :wink: The Ear Inc are very similar, FWIW...The Sportears web site has been on the fritz recently.

http://www.questessential.com

http://earinc.com/advertised.php

rickyp · « **Reply #5 on:** November 22, 2005, 01:49:50 PM »

I have a set of pro-ears stalkers D-2 and Love them/ they take some time to get use to but once you do you will hear things you never thought you could. They do not always pick up deer walking up to you but they help a lot. I have even heard deer fall and die way out of sight. I will never go hunting with a gun with out them.
They are not the best with glasses or with hats but you can work around that.

daddywpb · « **Reply #6 on:** November 24, 2005, 01:06:36 PM »

Tried out the Power Muffs this morning. It was disappointing. They do magnify sounds, some of them you want, some of them would be better not magnified. This morning we were in a WMA not far from Pratt and Whitney where they build jet engines. As it turned out, they were testing an engine this morning and I could not hear anything else. In order to hear the more quiet sounds they must be turned all the way up which results in a lot of constant 'white noise'. I kind of like the whole 'quiet woods' thing, so it was distracting. I think they will probably be returned to BPS. I didn't get anything, but my hunting buddy shot a hog about 7:30. A nice healthy boar, about 100 pounds or so. Took the two of us until about 11:00 to drag it back to the truck Deep mud, thick woods and palmetto scrub everywhere. It was a good day.

rickyp · « **Reply #7 on:** November 24, 2005, 02:21:30 PM »

before you send them back use them a few times and shot a few rounds in the woods and see how well you like them then

It is true you hear a lot of things taht you may not wnat to but it will also stop you from hearing things you should not
my pro ears will cloes down if a bird chirps at the right frequancy, other peoples shots as wwell as my own

they will take some time to get use to. check the instructions it may come with a way to turn down the sensitivaty so you will not hear so much white noise. I know the pro-ears has 3 settings on each muff that I can fine tune. if I put them on the highest setting I do get a lot of white noise but I have them on MED and get some but nothing reral bad I do keep them turned all the way up as I like it that way. one feature I love about mine is, I have a input jack I can put my MP-3 player and still hear in the woods.

Siskiyou · « **Reply #8 on:** November 26, 2005, 04:28:40 PM »

Unfortunately some of those with the most serious hearing damage suffer when sounds are subject to a high level of amplification. Sounds are distorted.

Most women hear on a different frequency then men, and are more sensitive to high pitch sounds. The job provided me with a nice little handheld device that produced a high pitch sound that made most dogs back off. I could not hear the sound. But when making a contact two large attack dogs came agressively at my unit. I pulled the trigger on the device and the dogs quickly came to a halt. I heard a "Oh..............! What was that?" from my female partner. I looked over and was suprised to find her pasted to the windshield and door post on the passenger side. :shock: The sound was not audible to my male partners.

From my little experience with Wolfs Ears one must train with them. After trying them on the job I did not run out and buy a pair. The lack of directional hearing was disconcerting and a safety issue. I always felt it required two people, one with the ears and one without in the field.

daddywpb · « **Reply #9 on:** November 27, 2005, 12:25:40 AM »

I used the Power Muffs again yesterday morning. I agree that they do what they are intended to do, but it's just not for me. I was under the impression that they would be quiet unless something was making a noise. If there was a noise, it would be amplified. I just don't like the constant background noise. I tried changing the batteries and turning them down, but neither one worked. And they did not seem to be directional at all. Maybe my hearing loss affected the way they work - not sure. One of the things I enjoy most about hunting is the quiet in the woods. Anyway, they have been returned to BPS. My wife tried to get me to try the single in the ear Game Ear, but i think I'll just stick to my tired old ears. It's a lot easier to nap.