Don't Skip the Ear Pro! (Trust Me)

Hey everyone, just a heads up. Been running my new DeWalt pancake compressor all week and thought I’d save time by not putting on ear muffs for quick jobs. Big mistake. Now my ears are ringing and I can’t sleep. Anyone else been through this? What do you use for hearing protection? I usually just grab whatever is cheap, but maybe I need better ones.

Dude, that’s rough. I learned that lesson the hard way too. Now I keep a pair of Howard Leight earplugs on my belt loop so I don’t forget. For compressors, the constant droning can really get you. Also consider some over-ear muffs if you’re in a shop. Plan on hooking up earpro to the compressor so you can’t run it without putting them on.

Steve, you ain’t alone. Back in my framing days, we had a old Ingersoll that sounded like a jet engine. I went through hearing protection like water. Best advice: invest in electronic muffs. They’re pricy but you can hear normal talk while they cut out the loud noise. Saved my ears and my sanity. Plus you can hear your boss cuss at you from across the site lol.

Thanks guys. Sarah, which electronic ones do you use? I’m worried about spending that much and then breaking them. Also, anyone have tips for keeping the hearing protection from fogging up glasses when it’s humid? That’s another pet peeve.

I got the 3M Peltor ones, they’re solid. For fogging, try anti-fog wipes or adjust the muffs to not press the glasses arms into your face. Worst case, pop the glasses forward a bit. But yeah, tinnitus is no joke, dude. Spend the money now, you’ll thank yourself later.