Chad Wallace

October 10, 2026

Gear, Review

Elgin USA Hearing Protection

Chad Wallace

October 10, 2026

Gear, Review

Elgin USA Hearing Protection

There is a ton of hearing protection on the market. You can get everything from the foam ones to active styles that even connect to a two-way radio. Elgin USA has something that fits in the middle, which is where most of us fit in anyhow. Their hearing protection is mainly passive with Bluetooth connectivity, so one can listen while they do work. Whatever that “work” may be.

Elgin's main market is industrial hearing protection. Which is why most of them are passive style. This means that they just block noise, instead of being the active style that cuts off when a loud noise is heard. One main advantage to this style is that they always work and they tend to block more noise than the active style type. I like passive style hearing protection when it is just me at the range. It lets me focus more on what I am training.

Elgin USA sent me a bunch of different styles of hearing protection. They sent their “Rebel” and “Discord” in ear along with their “Fury Dual Defense” over the ear. Also in the package was their "Thumper", which is a tiny clip on Bluetooth speaker. As well as an Elgin sign. I've only used the Rebel and the Thumper. I will add in a little on the Fury and Discord since they basically work the same.

I am starting with the Elgin Thumper. This is not hearing protection, but it is something you could use at the range. As mentioned, the Thumper is a little bluetooth speaker that you can stand up, magnet onto, or clip to various objects, like a range bag. At the range, one could play music, or maybe their favorite podcast, which hopefully is the Gun & Gear Review podcast. That way everyone around can enjoy it. The Thumper is 2.5 inches tall and has way better sound than I expected. It also has an impact resistant weatherproof case. Probably because Elgin knows that industrial equipment needs to be strong. I really thought the Thumper was a cool little item.

The Elgin Rebels were what I was really wanting to try out. They did not disappoint. The Rebel did take a bit to get used to. When I say that, it is because they are passive earbud style hearing protection, with the ability to use bluetooth. The earbuds themselves come with an assortment of foam and rubber tips, even regular earbud style for when not needing the protection aspect. I found the Rebels to be very comfortable. What I love about the Rebels is that they block sound great. Of all the in-ear plugs I have tried, they do the best job at reducing the sound level. The Rebels also have really good sound. You can answer phone calls by double pressing the button on either ear. You can play music, pause it, or go forward or backward a track, by using the buttons on the earbuds. If you hold down the button, it brings up your phone's virtual assistant. This is how you have to adjust the bluetooth volume, which I do not care for. I would like to just use the buttons, but they are hearing protection, not dedicated earbuds. The Rebel lets you do everything you want to while really dampening the outside noise. I really enjoy these ear plugs/earbuds.

If you don’t care for the earbud style, Elgin has the Discord. The Discord is essentially a corded version of the Rebel. It still has the same hearing protection and ear tips, plus bluetooth. It just comes on a permanent strap. You also get the volume up/down that the Rebel does not have. This kind of wireless hearing protection works really well if you are going to and from noisy areas. The strap allows you to pull the plugs out and then just hang them around your neck, thus not losing them.

Now if you want the ultimate in hearing protection, this is where the Fury Dual Defense comes in. The Fury is an over the ear style bluetooth headset. The cool thing about the Fury Dual Defense is that it also has removable earplugs built into the ear pieces. So if you use both the built in plugs and the muffs, you get an outstanding noise reduction. They also have a built-in light. So if you are looking for the best noise reduction, the Fury is it. They would probably work great if you were working a big shooting event all day.

If you are looking into getting some new passive hearing protection, Elgin might have something for you. Their products really cut the noise to your ear. I was pleasantly surprised at how much noise they cancelled out. Having Bluetooth is a nice addition also. Plus the sound quality is better than expected for hearing protection. If you work somewhere that earplugs are needed, or you are like me at the range, the Elgin USA product line is worth checking out.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Hearing protection with Bluetooth

Target Market:

Shooters, Industrial professionals, and anyone that needs hearing protection and wants to listen to music

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

Rebel:

Type: In-Ear wireless
Noise Reduction Rating: 31dB NRR ANSI Certified (Comfort tips excluded)
Noise-Cancelling Type: Passive
Play Time: 12 Hours + 50 Hours in the case
Charging Time: 2 Hours
Quick Charge: 10 min = 2.5 hour play time
Charging: Via charging case with USB-C connector
Earbud Dimensions: 20W x 15D x 25H mm
Weight: 6g (without tips)
Charging Case Dimensions: 50W x 35D x 70H mm
Weight: 57g (without earbuds)
LED flashlight integrated into the charging case
Wireless Range: 30 Meters
Bluetooth Version: 5.3

Discord:

Type: In-Ear wireless with neck strap
Noise Reduction Rating: 31dB NRR ANSI Certified
Noise-Cancelling Type: Passive
Playback Time: 14 Hours
Charging Time: 2.8 Hours
Quick Charge Time: 5 min = 40 min
Headphones Dimensions: Ø30W x 38D x 900L mm
Battery and Controller Cases: 14W x 8.5D x 55H mm
Weight: 20g (without tips)
Storage Case Dimensions: 80W x 39D x 120H mm
Wireless Range: 30 Meters
Bluetooth Version: 5.3

Fury Dual Defense:

3 wear modes: Run over-ear muffs alone (27dB NRR), in-ear plugs alone (31dB NRR), or both together for maximum protection when the decibels spike (40dB NRR)
Built-in task lighting with 100-lumen LED
IP65 rated
Style: Over-Ear & In-Ear
Noise Reduction Rating: 40dB NNR ANSI Certified
Noise-Cancelling Type: Passive
Playback Time: 70 Hours
Charging Time: 3 Hours
Quick-charge: 10 min = 2.5 hours of playback
Headphones: 215W x 146D x 95H mm (Unfolded)
Weight: 355g
Storage Case : H193 x W148 x D99 mm
Wireless Range: 30 Meters, 100 ft.
Bluetooth Version: 5.3

Thumper:

Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Built-in 100-lumen LED work light
Integrated high-strength magnet
Clip on mounting
Playback Time: 35 Hours
Charging Time: 1hr 30min
Quick Charge Time: 5 min = 1 hour
Dimensions: 43W x 41D x 65H mm
Weight: 2.5oz, 72g
Wireless Range: 50ft, 15 Meters
Bluetooth Version: 5.3

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Many

What others are saying?:

Elgin has a good list under each product - Elgin USA

Link to other reviews:

There are some on YouTube

Price point:

MSRP:

Rebel = $134.95

Discord = $62.95

Fury Dual Defense = $125.95

Thumper = $59.95

Retail: Check Amazon

I need it now! Availability:

Elgin USA or Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

All come with multiple earpieces, except speaker
Great Noise Reduction
Really good sound quality
Flashlight on many models
Comfortable

Cons:

Wish they were active sound or had active sound option

Score: Average of 8.00 Great

Favorite Link: Civivi SOKN review

Chad Wallace

November 14, 2020

review

Pro Ears Stealth Elite

Chad Wallace

November 14, 2020

review

In the world of hearing protection, everyone is looking for the newest and greatest earbud style protection. This brings us to the Pro Ears Stealth Elite in ear hearing protection. The stealth elites are essentially electronic hearing protection, in a small compact, earbud size package.

When I first heard about the Stealth Elite’s, I was very curious. If I could get the benefits of electronic sound cancellation, in an ear bud, what more could I ask for? Part of what made these so attractive, was the price. At an msrp of $159.99, they are less expensive than other brands in this market. Plus they have the added option of using a rechargeable bluetooth lanyard.

The specifications on the Stealth Elite’s is quite extensive. They have a very good noise reduction rating of 28 db’s. Are IPX6 rated, so you can drop them in water or use them in the rain. The pair weighs 28 grams. A neck lanyard, that clips to the ear buds, is included for when you don’t have the bluetooth one connected. Plus they are supplied with a variety of compressible foam or silicone ear tips. All of which can be stored in a nice little carrying case.

Besides the specifications mentioned before, the Stealth Elite’s has electronic noise cancellation. There are 3 modes in which each earbud can be set. These are Isolation, Awareness, and Amplification. On each earbud is a tiny switch to change between these settings. A “0” setting for off, or “isolation”. A “I” setting for “Awareness”. And a “II” setting for “Amplification”. The off, or isolation setting, makes these earbuds work as a regular earplug. The awareness setting allows the wearer to hear their surroundings. Essentially letting you hear normally, at a normal volume. Then there is the amplification setting. This, as the name implies, amplifies what you hear at 5 times normal volume. Both the latter two modes will cut any loud sounds, down to hearing safe levels. In my experience, they work very well at cutting out unsafe noise levels.

Because of the electronics needed to make the Stealth Elite’s work, they run on batteries. They designed the earbuds to use a #10 hearing aid battery. The batteries will last about 80 hrs each. There is one battery in each one of the earbuds. The batteries are relatively inexpensive and can be found at just about any local store. 60 of them cost between $15-20 on Amazon. So for $20 you can run the set of earbuds for 2400 hours, that’s 100 days straight. The batteries are easily changed, through a little built in door, in each earbud.

Also included is the aforementioned bluetooth lanyard. The bluetooth lanyard is rechargeable and gives around 9 hours of use. As with most bluetooth stuff, it has up/down and a larger button in the middle. The middle button is also the power button, answer call, etc. The lanyard uses a tiny little connector that just plugs into the bottom of the earbuds. It is a pass through connection. This means that it powers the earbuds for sound, so one can actually use this feature when the battery is dead or missing. I mainly use the bluetooth, when using the earbuds for other things, like mowing the yard. It works good enough for me. One interesting thing about using the bluetooth is: it has a built in sound limiter, so you can not turn the volume up past 110 db’s and damage your hearing.

Since you are probably wondering how they perform, let's get into it. I have used the Stealth Elite’s on the range a lot. They do a great job of letting me hear my surroundings, while cutting out gunshots. Battery life is good, as explained earlier. When the batteries start to get low, I get a crackling sound. I have learned that when it gets to that point, I just change the battery. Even though they supposedly have a “wind shield”, they still pick up wind noise and amplify it. When using either of the “on” settings, sound is really good and I am able to hear conversations at a noisy shooting range. The Stealth Elite’s stick out of one's ears more than some earplugs and I was worried about this when shooting rifles and shotguns. Well, after using them with both, there is nothing to worry about. I never had any problems with them hitting the stocks of various rifles and shotguns. In fact, I prefer them over muffs because they don’t get pushed out of the way. Because they are “in ear” hearing protection, they also keep your head and ears from getting hot like “over ear” hearing protection does. With the compressible foam ear tips, they are very comfortable to wear all day. I have worn them continually for 8+ hours on the range without causing me discomfort. Of course, results may vary on your comfort.

So if you are looking into getting some electronic hearing protection, do check out Pro Ears and their Stealth Elite’s. I’m pretty happy with their performance. The price seems good. Battery life is good. The noise reduction is top notch. Plus, they are a USA based business.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

In ear, electronic noise reduction hearing protection

Target Market:

Those who dislike ear muffs, or those wanting in ear hearing protection

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of 28db
IPX6 rated -Water Resistant & Sweat-proof.
Amplification Mode: Let’s you hear faint sounds from a distance while protecting your ears from extremely loud sounds (5x amplification).
Awareness Mode: Allows ambient sounds to pass through even while you are listening to music or talking on the phone so you remain situationally aware.
Isolation Mode: Enjoy complete peace and quiet when you want to focus or recharge.
Wind Shield
In ear, earbud style
Rechargeable BlueTooth lanyard
80 hour battery life for earbuds
Uses #10 batteries (60 pieces are around $20)
Foam and Silicone tips included

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

None

What others are saying?:

Richard M. on Amazon 5/5 stars

Nice hearing protections and excellent hearing enhancement

I bought these for hunting in the blind. The hearing enhancement feature is unbelievable. I can pick up the slightest of sound. It did take a little time to set it up to select the right ear buds and clips for my ears. I was surprised with all the options it came with to make sure the fit is comfortable and secure. I also like the fact it comes with a line that attaches to each ear piece so I can't lose one.