Tim West mentioned in a comment to my post on the Green Monster Whistle that the Fox 40 and the Green Monster can damage your hearing. Actually, over time any whistle can do so - as can the shooting of shotguns or primer pistols in the field. For years, I have worn ear plugs in training and in competition when running my dogs and ear muffs when shooting in the field. However, I do not like how either the muffs or the plugs deaden every day conversation when training.
This Christmas, my lovely wife purchased me a pair of Peltor tactical muffs. They have a mechanism which allows everyday conversation, but shuts sound off when a loud noise - such as a whistle or a shot - is identified. I love mine and recommend them highly, if you are looking for ear protection.
