REVIEW: Etymotic – GSP 15 GunSport PRO Electronic Earplugs

Etymotic – GSP15 GunSport Pro Electronic Earplugs:

I will post the specifics from the manufacturer below my review so you can get the full specs on these electronic earplugs.  I have owned the Etymotic GSP15 GunSport Pro Electronic Earplugs for over a year and love them.

Lets start with the good things first.  The main reason I purchased the Etymotic gunport earplugs is they offer the ability to hear everything around you EVEN when shots are being fired!  Unlike the other electronic ear protection these do not cut sound off  during a bang or loud noise.  They just simply keep all sounds at a safe hearing level.  My other electronic ear muffs would cut out all sounds when a loud noise occurs.  They worked great but really made it hard to have a conversation when the range was busy.  So kind of defeated the purpose of having electronic ear protection.

The second great feature is that they are small and do not interfere with your shooting in anyway, the ear muffs tend to get in my way with some firearms when trying to get a good cheek weld.  These for obvious reasons do not.

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The third great feature.  I didn’t even think much of this when I ordered them but once I received the gunport pros I loved it.  You can switch your earplugs from the standard sound level to a 5x amplified level.  You may wonder how that would be good at a range as you would think it blow your eardrums but no.  It still keeps all sounds at a safe level BUT amplifies everything around you so you can hear so much more.  I can hear people walking down the gravel path to the range doors when I normally would be hard pressed to without these on.  You can hear bees fly by.  No word of a lie!  This feature helps you keep your situational awareness and would be AWESOME for hunters.  This would help them track and hear all around them while keeping their ears protected.  This feature alone is a good enough reason for me to purchase these particular earplugs.  Just love it!

Fourth great feature.  If the batteries die while your at the range or hunting….  you still get protection so you won’t have to worry about them running out of power and your ear protection being hindered.  You just loose the ability to hear much while the batteries are dead, its like having regular earplugs in.  You will know in advance when the batteries are going to die as they start sounding fuzzy.

Things that aren’t so great:

Theres not much I don’t like about the Etymotic GSP15 GunSport Pro earplugs but there are a few things that I wish could be improved.

First not so great thing.  Battery life, I totally understand why the battery life is the way it is and am not overly concerned but would love to see a longer battery life.  Each earplug takes a single #10 battery and once you use a #10 battery they will continue to drain until they run out of juice, even when removed from the earplugs.  So if you only go to the range for an hour a week you will need new batteries every time you go.  You can get about 8-10 hours of continuous use with a good quality battery.  If you go for a few hours a couple days in a row you would be ok with 1 set of batteries.  You can purchase them at dollar stores but they don’t last long but may be cheaper then name brands if you only use them for short periods.  So basically what I would love to see is a battery type that does not drain without use.  But I am not sure if that’s an option with todays batteries and what the cost advantage would be if they do exist.  Due to the fact that the batteries drain regardless the only way to really turn off the earplugs is to remove the batteries.

Second not so great thing.  Price, I honestly cannot remember what I paid for these but I know they were not cheap.  Currently they are going for $299USD.  You also need to keep in mind that there are also battery costs to think about.  If you are happy with simple ear plugs/muff or other electronic ear muffs and you don’t find they get in your way then the price might not be something your willing to pay.  But for me they are worth every penny as I enjoy hearing everything around me and the fact that you forget your even wearing these.

Third not so great thing.  Now this is not something that really bugs me but more of a wish list item. I really wish they could have bluetooth so you can sink them with your iPhone or other music player so you can play music.  Again there are MANY reasons why this would be hard for them to do including battery life, earplug size….  so like I said not a complaint really just a wish.  This is probably the only thing I miss about the other electronic ear muffs I have.

Other things to mention.  Below is a picture of what’s included in the box.  You may notice that it shows a cord that connects the two earplugs together, you don’t need that and it’s not required.  I was worried that you had to keep that on when I ordered them but you don’t!

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MANUFACTURER PROVIDED INFO:

GSP•15 Electronic Earplugs are for gun sport enthusiasts who need protection from firearm blasts, but also need protection from loud continuous noise from vehicles, machinery or repeated gunfire from nearby shooters. Improves distance detection up to 5X.

PRICE USD:  $299 – can be found online in Canada as well.

Designed for

• Gun sport enthusiasts
• Professional shooters
• Guides and instructors
• Hunters

Dual-Mode Switch

Automatic Hearing Protection + Blast Protection Mode

• Allows natural hearing
• Provides 15 dB of automatic hearing protection when noise exceeds safe levels
• Protects from blasts

Hearing Enhancement + Blast Protection Mode

• Amplifies up to 5X
• Protects from blasts

In The Box

• 1 pair electronic earplugs
• Assortment of ACCU•Fit eartips
• Durable neck cord
• Filter tool and ACCU•Filters
• Cleaning tool
• Batteries (#10)
• Protective case
• User manual