Thank you for your kind words. I’m definitely getting more comfortable in front of the camera. Like everything, it takes practice. :) Thanks for watching!

Thanks so much for the kind words, Patrick! Much appreciated!

Thank you so much for the comment! I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know it helped.

Excellent! I'm happy to hear that! Thanks for sharing! :)

Thanks so much for the feedback! I'm so happy to know it helped you! :)

The Noisefighters are a great upgrade, I believe. I agree, gotta take care of those ears! Thanks for watching & commenting! :)

Great! Thanks for watching & good luck with your project! :)

Thanks for watching! I hope it works out well for you. :)

That's great! I'm glad it helped! :)

I was surprised the first time I took them out, too, especially coming from a "full sized" set of muffs. With my mod, they are much better though, and I think that in combination with the gel ear pads would really make a solid set of muffs. Once I get a set of gels, I'll definitely report back. Thanks for the comment!

I was really surprised, too! Thanks for watching! :)

That's great! Thanks so much for letting me know, I'm really glad it helped you! :)

Electronic over-ears are generally not very effective at reducing sound. An NRR from 18 - 23 dB is pretty normal for this variety. Outdoors with smaller calibers they are fine; however, if you're indoors, you need to wear both earplugs and electronic over-ears. I've actually heard a few complaints about the consistency of sound reduction in Howard Leights and Walker Razors. Something to take into consideration is that apparently there are counterfeit Howard Leights floating around the market that are occasionally mistakenly sold as the real thing but which have nearly no sound reduction capability. You can verify the veracity of your pair by checking the contacts in the battery compartment and looking for QC stickers in the same place. Fake Howard Leights have coil spring contacts and no QC stickers present. Real Howard Leights have flat spring contacts and QC stickers. Also consider buying more expensive electronic over-ears such as MSA Sordins/SWATCOMs (same thing) or 3M Peltor Comtac IIIs. People who moved from Howard Leights to Comtacs generally seem to have better hearing protection results, even if theoretically both headsets have similar NRR. My guess is that Comtacs are built more consistently and are better able to prevent high frequency sounds from bleeding through vs. Howard Leights. Due to the fact that the low end of the frequency spectrum is responsible for most raw amplitude in sound waves, a difference at the top end isn't bound to change NRR much, so I bet Comtacs are much, much better for protecting your ears.

Thanks! That's definitely a possibility!

Hi David. Thanks so much for the kind words! Good luck with your project & thanks for watching! :)

Thanks! I think the gels will make a huge difference. The stock cups make my glasses hurt my noggin, too. Good luck with your mod! :)

Thanks for the comment, Steve! Good luck with your mod! :)

Excellent! Thanks for watching! :)

Just based on my experience with them in their stock form, I would have to agree that they didn't attenuate well enough for my comfort. I believe the Noisefighter cups along with additional deadening material inside brings them much closer to more comfortable protection. I'll check out the video you mentioned, too. 👍

Thanks for watching! I hope it helps you! :)

What foam do you use for this?

@@LOGANNICHOLE I used closed cell foam from an old yoga mat. It's very similar to craft foam sheets but it's thicker.

Excellent! If the sticky stuff is a pain, maybe you can just leave the backer on it. You're right, earplugs and the muffs definitely do the trick, too. Thanks for commenting & let me know how the sticky stuff works out. :)

@@EndlessDIY I just did this with one of my HL sets an hour ago. Super easy! The sticky stuff wasn't a problem at all. Really not all that sticky. The backing is kinda stiff paper, so that would not work at all. I don't know if this kind of foam the absolute best type of foam to use in there, but it has to help a little. As you said, a better job might be done by pulling those screws and getting under the components better, but I didn't feel like messing with the electronics either. I'll leave that well enough alone. I also plan to swap to the NoiseFighter ear pieces, or one of the cheaper knockoffs. (NoiseFighters are completely sold out in the US right now. Supply chain problems they say.) I don't shoot indoors anymore, just out in the open desert. But I shoot highpower rifle mostly and I plan to do my best to preserve my decent hearing. That's why I'll likely still double up on the protection even with these improvements to my HLs. Had a funny thought while I was packing that sealing foam into the hollows of the HL. I happened to look over at a little jar I have of earplugs on the bench and thought, heck, why not just cut up those as needed and pack them in here!?! That'd be the perfect material! As proven by laboratories and so forth. Maybe next time.

@@SDwriter.and.surfer Thanks for reporting back! I think the earplugs would be fantastic, too. You could roll them up, stuff them in tight areas & when they expand, they'd be the perfect shape. 👍🏻

@@EndlessDIY Exactly. FWIW, the best ear protection I own is a set of 3M ear muffs that I bought at an industrial HW store in my city. They're for working around loud machinery all day long. Work amazingly well. 30dB reduction. Cost me maybe $25, 10 years ago. Very comfortable as well. Problem with them is they don't fold so they're a little more awkward to carry around. And they're not electronic, so of course you cannot communicate with anyone very well while wearing them. But if I were to go to an indoor range again by myself, I'd grab those first. I keep them hanging in the garage and throw them on when doing loud stuff, like grinding or banging on metal, which some of my projects involve.

Thank you for your kind words! And thanks for watching! :)

Thank you! I'm a bit leery of such permanent "experiments", too. I like something that doesn't permanently modify something until I'm certain it works well. I didn't know that other people were trying to solve the same issue with these until I read the comments on my video. One one hand, I'm glad I'm helping to solve a common issue with these and on the other, I'm kind of bummed it's a common issue with these. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! :)

Thanks so much, Gary! :)

I didn't know the science behind it, so thank you. That's really interesting info for a DIY person like me. I'm glad you shared it and thanks again for watching! :)

@@variabl3 Will do! Thanks! :)

Excellent! I'm happy to hear it was helpful! Good luck in the field! :)

Oh yay! I hope it helps! Thanks for watching! :)

Thanks so much for the comment (and watching)! Good luck with your project! :)

Give it a whirl! It doesn't take long! :)

I’m curious how Dynamat type stuff will work. I’m guessing it’ll work pretty well. Please report back and let us all know how it goes! 👍🏻 Thanks for watching! :)

Thanks so much for watching! :)

Awesome! As they say, ' _more than one way to skin a cat'!_ right? Thanks for sharing your method! :)

Thanks for watching! :)

I debated between using earplugs or the yoga mat. It's the same material, so I went with the scrap of mat simply because it's cheaper. You should get the same result, though. You're right, more is definitely better. Good luck with your mod! :)

Thanks! That's a great use for them! I never thought of that! :)

Excellent! You're definitely one of the lucky ones. Thanks for watching!

That's great! I'm glad the video helped! Thanks for watching & commenting. :)

The gels sound like a must-have for these. They're definitely on my list! Thanks for commenting! :)

There is definitely room for improvement with the H&L. I'd still be nervous about using expanding foam, but since I haven't tried it, I can't really comment on the effects. I hope it works well. Also, a lot of people swear by the Noisefighter gel ear cups, it sounds like they really help, as well. Thanks for watching & good luck with your mod! :)

Thanks for commenting! I hope it helps you. The earplugs under the muffs definitely work to attenuate but I just felt like it kind of defeated the purpose of the electronic muffs; for my use, anyhow. Another thing that people seem to highly recommend are the gel ear pads. I guess they make a world of difference, too. Please let me know if it helps you after you mod. :)

@@EndlessDIY Oh no doubt, the plugs under the muffs are a trade off between increased protection and reduced situational awareness, which for infantry use is not ideal. That said, I only use the Howard Leights for training, and for an actual deployment, I'll spring for something better. I'll definitely be looking into the gel pads as well!

Hi there, I used little strips of foam I cut off a yoga mat I bought at Walmart for like $9. I use it for all kinds of projects. I believe it's closed cell foam, so it's really dense and doesn't absorb moisture. Another commenter suggested a scrap of Dynamat and I think that would work great, too. You can probably get a scrap from a stereo installer or interior shop or something. I think I'm going to get a piece & try that myslef, too. I just used what I had on hand. I'd say the mod probably reduced noise by 25%, maybe a little more. For the half hour or so it took, I feel like it was definitely worth it. Thanks for commenting! If you do the mod, let me know how it works for you, please. :)

Memory foam pillow material works well too, just cut a bit and fill in all the dead space.

Great! Keep us posted on how it worked out for you! :)

Did the Blu Tack work well?

@@wilsonchau7694 it’s so hard to tell. A side by side comparison would be interesting. I’d say the improvement is minimal.

That would be too solid. The foam should be uncompressed to slow down the waves.

Good info. Thanks for sharing! I hope the mod helps! :)

Hey! Great suggestion! Thanks for sharing!

is that still working well? I have my tube ready!

How did the silicone work out?

I’m planning on glueing the ear cups to that black piece with some silicone. The gel cups are just slightly smaller than it should be and slide around.

I couldn't agree more. I think there should probably be some sort of note on the packaging saying they're not the best for large caliber or inside shooting. I've only used them on my private outdoor range but I can only imagine what my .44 mag would be like in an indoor or covered range. Yikes. When I get a chance, I'm going to try the Dynamat pieces inside to see if there is a further improvement. Thanks for watching and commenting! Good luck with your mod! Sorry about your tinnitus, too, that's a bummer.

Endless Ice I also have some "gel" type inserts ordered for mine. These are supposed to seal a tad better and be more comfortable.

Excellent! I've seen those but wasn't sure if they'd make a difference. Will you please report back on whether they help? If they do, I might get a set, as well.

Endless Ice Yes, I will. The Amazon reviews went: "Don't think, just buy them." etc. I will report back. May even do a review on my channel.

Excellent! I look forward to it! :)

Thanks Cameron! :)

I agree. The gel cups are supposed to be a huge improvement, as you mentioned, too. I like the slim line of these muffs but they definitely needed improvement for me to be comfortable with them. Thanks for watching! :)

Those will work perfectly for it! Thanks for watching & good luck with your project!

Thanks so much for watching and commenting! I appreciate it! :)

Thanks! And thank you for commenting, too! :)

I haven't got a set of the gels yet but I've heard really great things about them. Lots of people swear by them.

Thanks, Gary!

Thanks! I see what you're saying, it might! Could be worth a try, anyway! 👍

Thanks for watching! 🙂

Thanks, BW!

I'm actually not sure exactly how they work, but I think that's the idea. If you read through some of the comments, there are some mixed statements on how they actually work. They do seem to mute when the noise happens but it wasn't quite enough for my liking. Good luck with your project! :)

You are so right. The arms of my glasses do exactly as you said; create a sound leak. Unfortunately, in my case, I couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn without glasses. Lol!

@@EndlessDIY Check out these gel replacement ear seals that are setup to give a spot for the eyeglass frames. Search for "Noisefighters SightLines Gel Ear Pads For Earmuffs"

@@2gnospam They come highly recommended by many users. They will probably be my next upgrade. 👍

Personally, I don't think it'd be effective because it's so light & porous. I'd also be a little worried about it budging the electronics out of place while it's expanding. I can't really say for sure because I haven't done it, but that's just what goes through my head when I think about it. If you decide to do it, please report back so we all know if it works well or not. Thanks for watching & good luck with your trial! :)

Endless Ice another KZfaqr posted a video and claimed that silicone worked too. I may have to do some tests with something else like empty cans to see what materials work best.

Oh! See? I wouldn't have thought of silicone, but I think it would work. It's probably pretty heavy, but I bet it's dense enough to help. 👍🏻

Thanks! As far as I can tell, these are authentic (they've got the spring), but it's definitely good to check. Based on what people are saying, this simple mod along with the gel earpads are the way to go. Never hurts to be extra cautious with our eyes & ears. PS: I hope your wife doesn't read this or you'll be using that memory foam in the dog house! Lol! ;)

I have heard great things about the Noisefighter gel pads. I haven't gotten myself a set yet, but I'd like to. Thanks for watching! :)

Thanks! I'd love to see what you come up with! Please share when you're finished! :)

@@EndlessDIY you got it

@@EndlessDIY ok here it is . A little long but worthwhile I think. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ibpgl6mouMemY40.html

@@ITZGR82BFREE Great job! I like your approach, especially with the measuring of the results. Well done! :)

Thank you so much! I'm glad the video helped! :)

That's great! Love the creativity! Thanks for sharing! :)

Here an update after a good bit of using the flip flops. I found that if they are packed too dense the electronics would start to malfunction and the material itself was not that good at increasing the NRR of the headset. I am now trying out stuffing the inside with orange expanding foamies. They are softer and fill the cavities better that are left over from stuffing.

👍🏻 Lots of rave reviews for the gel cups in the comments. That will be my next mod, for sure. The standard cups hurt my noggin after a while.

Great to hear! Let me know how it works for you! :)

So far, so good. No issues. 👍🏻

Excellent! Thanks for sharing! Always great to have another option. :)

Hopefully that works out! If its regular porous "cushion" foam I'm not sure it'll be dense enough but please let us know how it works. :)

@@EndlessDIY update:. I went to indoor shooting range and had no double ear protection. While it was still loud, noise decreased and blast was not as bad as before. I am planning to take out everything and place some other denser foam and then place parts over top of it and see if it help even more.

@@mafana0 Awesome! That's kind of the beauty of a mod like this; you can switch things up until it works for you. Thanks for the update! :)

@@EndlessDIY thank you for a great idea to upgrade my headset.

It's definitely a safe option. The reason I chose not to stick with that method is that I felt like it defeated the purpose of the enhanced hearing feature the H&L has. I really like being able to hear others talking to me without all the yelling. Thanks for watching & taking the time to comment! :)

Thanks for watching and thank you for the comment! :)

I agree. I wasn't comfortable wearing them alone, either. I like the low profile fit and I really like the amplification feature, but just like you, I didn't think they were as effective as a good ol' cheap Winchester set. The additional foam I put in did help quite a bit, but I still kind of feel like these were designed broken. I have to mention that I've got really good hearing, so maybe someone with "average" hearing might not have any issue at all. Thanks for watching and commenting! :)

I think you're totally right. Lack of deadener is likely cost savings when it comes right down to it. One commenter claimed these are "engineered this way" and I'm a fool for modifying them. I find it hard to imagine something could be "engineered" to be 1/8 as good as they could easily be. Thanks for watching AND commenting! Much appreciated! :)

Mine do not have springs.

I'm happy to hear that you can wear your muffs comfortably now! Thanks for reporting back! As far as the buzz, I can't say for certain, but I'd guess that since the muffs are so quiet now, you're hearing the electronic buzz that was probably always there. I can't think of any way that the foam would cause any sort of interference. I can't hear any sort of hum in mine, but now I'm curious if I'll be able to hear it when I get the Noisefighters. 🤔

@@EndlessDIY Either way I'll write to Howard Leight, as they should still be under warranty. I'll see what happens. Thanks again for the tip!

@@OrangeSolaire No problem! :) I'm guessing they'll tell you you voided the warranty by adding the foam or something like that. I hope not, since it's not any sort of permanent modification.

@@EndlessDIY I won'r even mention that ;)

Thank you for watching and commenting! :)

Hi there! They may but I've not tried them for that type of application. Since the actual attenuation kicks in when a noise "happens" you might be better off with just a standard pair of muffs. But again, I don't know how the H&L would handle those noises for certain. The foam I used is 1/2 inch (1.27cm? I'm not sure how metric things like that are measured). Sorry I couldn't be more help. Thanks for watching! :)

@@EndlessDIY hi! Thanks for the reply! I will try my luck with these. I still need to be able to hear my wife when she needs help in a noisy environment 😁

@@jd5787 Definitely worth a try! Please let me know how they work out in those scenarios! :)

These are "noise canceling" headphones that activate when there's a loud noise but you can also amplify ambient sounds like voices or listen to music. Those are the circuit boards for those functions. Thanks for watching! :)

Good suggestion! Thanks!

I have heard from several people that the Noisefighters are an excellent addition. I haven't used them, so I can't offer any personal experience, but I'd like to upgrade to them and give them a "shot" . Ha! Thanks for watching! :)

Lots of people go that route, for sure. The Noisefighters get rave reviews. I haven't got them yet, but I plan to get a set at some point.

I bought walk walker razor slim ear muffs and was replacing the cushions with gel cushions and came across this video. I liked the idea so I did it to the walkers and it made them a lot better. I ended up using the foam out of the old ear muffs I was replacing. I got them dirt cheap on amazon, maybe 9 bucks or so. They had a nice thick foam piece in them that I cut into pieces and filled the voids of the walkers. So that's an option too if you have an old pair laying around.

@@hugeslacker Awesome! Thanks for sharing the option! :)

I have. The earplugs definitely make it quieter, but to me, it just defeats the purpose of the muffs. I bought them so it would be easier to shoot & talk with friends and things like that. I just got tired of the "WHAT?!" lol! If you were purely doing repetitive range time with no real interaction, the earplugs certainly would be fine, but exactly like you said, putting them in & taking them out all the time is a hassle (and they make my ears hurt after a while). A couple commenters said they were going to try using foamies to fill the dead space in the muffs and I'm betting that works well, too. What I really look for in creating any mod is to easily be able to reverse it, so that's why I decided to do it this way. I figured if I wasn't satisfied, I could easily remove the foam & they'd be exactly like stock again. I saw at least one other video showing how to do my mod, so I'd guess others are happy with it. Hope that helps & thanks for watching! :)

I always wear plugs underneath these muffs. I find that at max volume I can carry on a normal conversation.

Jacob Yingling Thank you good sir!