Today we bring you an Active Hearing Protection shootout with multiple brands such as Caldwell, Peltor, Walker, and Sordin. We go over all the different hearing protection so you can see what headset features fits you and your budget best.
| Get the Gear in this Shootout |
Caldwell
E-Max Pro
E-Max Power Cord
E-Max Shadows
Discount code: Thin10
Sordin Supreme Pro-X LED
Discount Code: BR549
Comm Gear Supply
Discount Code: TLDco
Baofeng QD Adapter
Mic Kit with QD
3.5mm adapter
We’ll review the headsets from our lowest price first and move on to more expensive options. Our lineup will start with the Caldwell E-max pro and move to the Walker Razor slim and Caldwell power cords in this video.
The second part of this series will continue with the Caldwell E-max Shadows, Peltor Sport Tactical 300s, and Sordin Supreme Pro-X LEDs
Looking first at the Caldwell E-max Pro, we see our most wallet-friendly active hearing protection. The Caldwell E-max pro housing and buttons are of plastic construction all around. The Caldwell pro uses three AAA batteries that are located underneath the external shroud. The E-max pro comes in a variety of colors from Tan, teal, and grey.
The E-max pro uses light padding on the ear cups and they also include a headband that uses a similarly light style of padding.
The Caldwell e-max pros use a microphone located on the center top of each of the headset to detect and activate on loud noises. To turn them on, you simply press the button on the side of the headset and hold it for 2 seconds. The plus and minus buttons on the side of the headset increase and decrease the volume.
Moving to the Walker razor slims, again we see the construction of the headset made almost entirely of plastic. The Walker razor slim has a battery compartment above the right ear of the headset that houses the two AAA batteries.
The top of the headset uses a similar design to the Caldwell E-max pros with a light set of padding and the logo placed atop the head strap. The padding around the ear of the Walker razor slim is noticeably thin and offers little support in terms of padding.
The Walker razor slims use a forward-facing microphone to detect loud noise and the speaker position aids in the proper orientation of the headset. To operate the Walker slims, there is a rolling knob located on the left side of the headset. As you rotate it upward, it gives an audible and tactile click that the headset is turned on. Rotate further upward to increase the volume. To decrease the volume, simply rotate the knob down and turn further for the audible click that the headset has turned off.
Looking at our last set of active hearing protection in this initial video, we look at the Caldwell E-max power cords. The power cords deviate in design from our previous two headsets and use two earpieces connected via a shielded wire with a set of controls nearest the left ear.
On the headset ends, we see a similar design to usual foamies. The ends can be pinched down and inserted into the ear where they then expand in the ear canal to form a tight protective seal. Each headset is clearly marked as left and right and also includes a flange to keep the headset secured in position in the ear.
To operate the Caldwell E-max power cords, hold down the center button on the controls for 3 seconds to turn them on. In order to increase or decrease volume, simply press the + or – buttons accordingly.
The Caldwell E-max power cords offer an additional feature where they can swap between active and passive hearing protection also. So you could be in passive mode while listening to music via Bluetooth then tap the center button two times to swap into active hearing protection mode.
Here, the music drops down to a conversational volume and you are able to hear all ambient sound while still protecting your hearing. This is ideal when you need to communicate with a coworker or solve complex problems around loud machinery or engines.
Hopefully, this video was helpful in your active hearing protection purchasing decisions. Stay tuned as we move into the next video in the series and dig into the Caldwell E-max Shadows, Peltor Sport Tactical 300s, and Sordin Supreme Pro-x LEDS.
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Music by the amazing Barren Gates