By IPC

Etymotic Research is a hearing protection company that has designed several specialized hearing protection products for use with music, firearms, and other applications. Their product lines include more classic style ear plugs for general use, all the way up to electronic noise cancelling ear plugs for professional music and shooting use. 

I have been using the Etymotic GSP15 GunSport PRO Electronic Ear Plugs for about two years now. Throughout that time, I have used them in different scenarios, including shooting, running loud machines and equipment, and hunting. The GSP15 have held up through rough use. The “Gunsport” model is aimed specifically at the shooting and hunting industry, this is the area that I did most of my testing.

The electronic GSP15 have two hearing protection modes and use small #10 earring aid batteries. The two modes are “Automatic Hearing Protection + Blast Protection Mode” and “Hearing Enhancement +Blast Protection Mode.” The first mode is the standard passive hearing protection that allows for natural hearing and shuts down to provide protection from blasts and loud sudden noises. The second mode amplifies the users up to 5X normal and still protects from blasts and sudden loud noises.  The GSP15 comes with a large variety of ear tips for different sized ears so that they remain comfortable for long periods of time.

I have used both protection modes, but for the most part, I did not need the enhanced hearing, so I left the GSP15 on the first mode. They were incredibly useful on the range and during competitions. The GSP15 were better than my old custom fit rubber ear plugs for when the range officer was calling out commands. I was able to hear all commands clearly with the GSP15. I mainly used the second mode when I was hunting, so that my hearing was amplified in the field and protected from the discharge of any weapon.

The downside to the GSP15 ear plugs is that since they are small, there is no room for an on/off switch. The GSP15 stays on until the batteries run out. They have a decent run time, but if you use them infrequently for casual shooting and hunting, it can be frustrating to put new tiny batteries in the ear plugs every time.

Overall, the Etymotic GSP15 GunSport PRO Electronic Ear Plugs are very effective for what they are designed to do, protecting your hearing from sudden loud noises. As long as they are kept clean and dry, the GSP15 will keep your ears safe for years to come.