Hearing protection

[Doofy]

I have cab envy.

Hahahaha. It is Glorious! I just need to install my stereo and front and rear camera system so when the wife banishes me to the garage or doghouse, I won't be to upset.

[Jstpssng]

Either high quality ear plugs (their db suppression varies greatly, so read the fine print) or my top quality full muffs I use for chain saw operation. I actually like the convenience of the full muffs, but wear something. See what works best and use them. Your loved ones will appreciate it. Living with someone with severe hearing loss is no fun.

Being the one with the hearing loss is even worse. I'm not there yet, but getting closer. Listening to the TV, radio, or especially CB can be a challenge.
I have all of the above; helmet and over the head muffs are nice but can get warm in summer.
The inserts are great- if you put them in properly. I keep several disposable pairs in each pickup, plus have them scattered throughout every building on the property.

[Phillip w]

I dont wear any protection, wife says i cant hear anyway (lol). In all seriousness I like the muffs. I refer to them as Mickey mouse ears. Ear plugs seem to get all gunky and you always got to buy more. When I was invloved in aviation, we wor both plugs and "Mickey mouse ears". f-18's literal scream/roar that they will literally hurt your ears, forget ringing in your ears, it hurts without protection.

[newbury]

What? Huh? Speak up, I have ringing in my ears.

For those of you who wear some sort of hearing protection while operating your tractor, what do you wear (brand/model)?

Thanks! You may now return your tv volume to its normal level.

As posted before

Since the '80's I've been using a pair of Thunder 29's or equivalent with a good pair of earbuds jammed in the between the "cuff" that covers my ear and the insulation in the muff. Sometimes I would be using a tiny radio/mp3 player strapped to the Thunder's so cords didn't extend, lately I've a pair of Sony BT headphones I can strap to the Thunders. I've used things from cassette player to CD players hung on my hip and run the earphone line up under my shirt. I've used several phones with BT paired to BT headphones.

Lately my favorite combo is my Samsung Note 8 in my cargo pants pocket running BT to my headphones. Full fledged powerful computer in my pocket with all my tools, camera, recorder, note taking with handwriting recognition, E-reader, all my repair PDF's, network access, plus music player. Something I only dreamt of in the '80's.

At this time I've 3 or 4 pair of the Thunder earmuffs, some 20 years old. The plastic seems to harden and crack after about 15 to 20 years. I try to keep a pair near my MAJOR sound sources - One on the FEL lever, one at the sawmill, one with the chainsaws. This system has allowed me to have "flexible" sound sources, good earbuds and plenty of backup options.

And when I don't need the hearing protection I can just set the muffs aside.

[TheMan419]

I wear over the ear type. I am likely going to change to in the ear plugs. The muff does not fit well w a stocking cap on for cold weather. In the summer I壇 like to wear a wide brim hat to help w sun protection.

If I am going w in the ear I値l get ones that are made to be reusable not the orange foamy ones meant to be worn once and tossed.

[Deere Dude]

3M Peltor Optime 105 Over the Head Earmuff, Ear Protectors, Hearing Protection, NRR 30 dB

I have 3 sets of these. I hang one on my FEL and 2 in my shop by the saws and grinders. The first two pair lasted about 10+ years before the cushion cover started to crack. They are very comfortable to use and cut down on most irritating noise.

I have a couple pair of Stanley and another brand. I wore the Stanley once and never again. They just didn't fit or feel right but I never took them back.

The best advice I could give is to buy a set of Peltor Optime and try them. They work well over caps also. Try some on at the store if possible before you buy because they might not fit you correctly and you would be disappointed with them. I have a melon head and they work great for me.

I don't use earplugs to much anymore but they are fine but these muffs seem to cancel out almost everything, or else I am getting deafer.

[jajiu]

I have cab envy.

I LOVE my cab. After years of open station, now it's warm in winter, cool in summer, and NO BUGS!!!

[Einthewoods]

I LOVE my cab. After years of open station, now it's warm in winter, cool in summer, and NO BUGS!!!

This is going to sound dumb, but when I was looking to buy this tractor I just got, I didn't look seriously at the cab mainly due to the price jump. I told myself for my first tractor a cab would be overkill and need to rough it for a few years before I upgrade with a cab. Sorta like have to 'earn' the cab. I have owned my tractor 3 days now....starting to search on adding a cab to it. Lol

[ericm979]

Ordered some Peltors, thanks. I'd been meaning to for a while and yesterday I noticed that the cheap muffs I use on the tractor don't work all that well any more.

[Gary Fowler]

Cabs are certainly great for comfort and noise abatement but I find that they restrict vision to excess. I don't think I could run my backhoe from a cab. I use my cab tractor for rough grading but have to go to my open station one for final grade or finesse work.
I don't find my kubota B26 sufficiently loud to require hearing protection even though it is open station. I don't run it at 2600 RPM though. It is pretty quiet up to about 2000 RPM but starts to get loud past that point. Since I don't use it to bush hog with, I find no need to run it at 540 PTO speed(WOT@2600).

Although I probably should wear hearing protection when mowing, chain sawing, etc., I don't. Ear plugs are an ear infection waiting to happen and muffs are too hot. My hearing is already shot anyway from when I was a kid driving super loud tractors 16 or more hours a day. We didn't know better at the time, so now my high frequency hearing is gone. I hasn't deteriorated so much in the last 50 years though. The damage was done before my 18th birthday. Most hearing damage is from long term exposure above 85 dBs. None of my loud noise producing work last more than an hour or two.

The only time I wear hearing protection is when using firearms which is really a requirement for that if you don't want to hear the loud ringing in the ears for a few days.