3M Tac 500, Black, One Size

This review is for Peltor Sport Tactical 500 Smart Electronic Hearing Protector with Bluetooth Wireless Technology, NRR 26 dB. What initially brought me to order this set was the outstanding reviews (both customer and professional), high NRR rating, digital voice listening (for person-to-person communication), and wanting Bluetooth capability for phone/multimedia interactions. I'm going to break this review up into sections.Pros:This set has a high 26 dB NRR rating. This is one of the higher NRR ratings I have seen for headphones. Since they are headphones, you can wear them with earplugs to further increase your ear protection. I have been able to wear these for an hour at a time without any issue. I have not tried them longer than that. These are quite adjustable for a large range of head sizes. The headphones do collapse for better storage, and they come with a nice storage bag. These also feel sturdy and appear to be very well constructed. These fit fine with thin safety glasses. I have not done much with the Bluetooth functionality or the digital voice communication. These have auto power shut off and lower battery warning.Cons:These headphones are a bit on the bulky side. They are definitely not the bulkiest out there, and they aren't obnoxiously bulky. However, there are applications where they could be in the way that you may need thin headphones or earplugs for instead. The headphones are medium in weight. They are definitely not heavy, but if you need to wear these for hours continuously, you might start to notice the weight. The padded cups don't feel very comfortable at first, and they apply a fair amount of pressure. It takes me a bit of positioning to get them into a comfortable position so that they aren't applying pressure to my temples, so that I don't get a headache.Other Thoughts:Overall, these are outstanding headphones for hearing protection. They are feature rich, very adjustable, high NRR rating, and well made. I don't really have much to say about the price, because I find the price to be equal to the quality and feature set. Therefore, I find the value to be good for the price. I ordered the ALPHA1100 rechargeable Li-ion battery pack for these headphones, and I definitely recommend this battery over 2 AA batteries. I do regret not ordering the gel replacement earcups. I have gel replacement earcups for a different set of hearing protection headphones, and they make a big difference. The gel replacement earcups are far more comfortable, provide a better seal, especially with safety glasses on, and they have the potential to offer a slight increase in NRR. This potential NRR increase is possible by achieving a better seal (particularly with glasses on), the material used, and the double hump design (allows two chances to create a complete seal).Update - 10/21/2023I finally upgraded the stock ear pads on the 3M Peltor Sport Tactical 500 to PROHEAR gel ear pads. It was immediately a significant improvement. The noise reduction was noticeably improved. The gel pads are more comfortable, and they seal much better, especially with glasses on. Each gel pad is about 1mm thicker than the stock pads. I looked at both the gel pads with and without the replacement plastic base. I went with the version without the plastic base, only because they were a bit softer. I'm going to assume it just happened to be a sample variance, and that normally they are both the same. To install I peeled off the original pad, no tools required. I removed the original adhesive residue from the plastic base. Then I did a dry lineup of the new ear pad, removed the adhesive cover, and installed the new pads.I can also say that the digital capabilities for listening with the built-in microphone and speakers is excellent. I am able to hear everything just fine while having hearing protection. It is also very good about muting loud noises but keeping speech audible. I'm also able to hear the digital output (speech/sounds) just fine with earplugs in. This is great, because I can get a very high level of hearing protection, while having very good situational awareness. I would never consider anything other than digital headphones for hearing protection.

Bluetooth sound is a bit quiet, basically have to turn ambient pass through to lowest setting to hear it, but decent quality. Comfortable to wear for hours, excluding hot and sweaty ears due to the trapped body heat.Good noise protection though. I wore them 30-40 hours a week for a year at work, where I am around loud machinery all day.Lower score due to the side where the left ear cup is mounted to the head band snapping the other day when i took them off. The clip to hold it broke out, and the end of the band that holds the adjustable wire frame snapped open. Managed to force it back in place, but it breaks open anytime outward pressure is placed on it, like when putting it on or off.Edit- bumping the score up. I did put a lot of wear on the unit, up to and including banging them against steel on more than one occasion. It only broke at a small plastic clip that holds the earcup in place, the part with likely the most wear out of the entire unit. Good product, I honestly bought another whrn the first broke straight away+2

As someone who frequents the shooting range on a weekly basis, I can't help but express my absolute satisfaction with these ear protection headphones. Having tried three other models in the past, I can confidently say that this one stands head and shoulders above the rest.Comfort is paramount during my range sessions, and these headphones deliver in spades. Their ergonomic design ensures they sit snugly over my ears without causing any discomfort even during extended wear. The large buttons for volume control are a practical and welcome feature, making adjustments on the fly a breeze.What sets these headphones apart is their versatile functionality. I frequently use the Bluetooth capability to enjoy some music while at the range, which adds an enjoyable dimension to my shooting experience. To enhance comfort even further, I invested in the gel pads, and the difference is remarkable.Admittedly, on scorching hot days, these headphones can make you a bit sweaty, but I consider this a minor inconvenience given the substantial benefits they offer. The most crucial factor, of course, is their ability to dampen sound. In this regard, they outperform any ear protection I've ever used. My hearing is precious, and these headphones do an exceptional job of safeguarding it without compromising my range experience.In conclusion, I wholeheartedly endorse these ear protection headphones for fellow shooting enthusiasts. Their comfort, user-friendly controls, Bluetooth functionality, and sound-dampening capabilities make them a standout choice. While they may get a bit sweaty on hot days, their overall performance and safety benefits more than compensate for this minor drawback. These headphones have truly elevated my range sessions to a new level of enjoyment and safety.