Alright shooting enthusiasts, today I’m talking about my primary set of ear protection when I’m on the lanes. If you need a high quality set of shooting earmuffs for around $100, then the Peltor Sport Tactical 500 is the best bang for your buck in that price range.
Furthermore, the features of the Sport Tactical 500 stack up well against some more expensive competitors in the market. However, this set of ear protection is probably best suited to pistol shooters due to the bulk of the earmuffs.
Table of Contents
Peltor Sport Tactical 500 Features
Decibel Rating
Whenever you research ear pro, inevitably the first line item is always the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR). The Peltor Sport Tactical 500 earmuffs have an NRR rating of 26dB which is the best when compared to other headsets of similar price.
Additionally, finding a set of ear protection with equivalent NRR rating jumps the price significantly. If NRR rating is less important, you may be better off getting a cheaper set of ear protection. For example, the Bochamtec Norland or Walker Razors will save you some cash.
The cheapest model from Pro Ears is about $50 more expensive for the same protection. However, the Pro Ears Predator ear muffs are going to more than double your cost for the same quality of protection!
Peltor Sport Volume Controls
Unlike other less expensive models, the Peltor Sport Tactical 500 earmuffs use a digital push button volume control.
When you reach the upper and lower, extremities of volume you’ll hear a secondary beep. Because the buttons are so large, it’s easy to adjust once you’ve put the earmuffs on.
Additionally, the volume controls for the shooting headset do not control the volume of any Bluetooth connected device. Therefore, you should control media volume from your phone or other bluetooth device and set the earmuffs to the chosen volume of ambient sounds or voices.
Power Source & Run Time
Because of the extensive feature list, the run time on the Peltors’ will vary depending on what you’re using. However, these should easily last you multiple days of shooting even while using Bluetooth. I’ve made a dozen or more hour long trips to the shooting range while not using BT and haven’t had to swap batteries yet.
The Peltor Sport earmuffs run on a pair of AA batteries. However, the 100 and 300 models run on AAA batteries, which may account for the additional runtime I’ve experienced.
One small annoyance about the Peltor Sport Tactical 500 is the battery cover. While there is a small cutout to assist with opening the cover, I’ve had problems prying the battery cover off. However, I’m sure this is something you can easily overcome, especially given the level of hearing protection.
Bluetooth Capability
I can’t lie to you guys, I was super stoked about the Bluetooth capability of these shooting earmuffs. Part of the reason I got them was to be able to listen to tunes while on the shooting lanes by myself.
However, another bonus (in my mind) was that I would know if I received any important calls that needed immediate attention while I was on the lanes. Unfortunately, what I envisioned when compared to reality did not match up. More on that in the sections below.
Peltor Sport Tactical Sound Quality?
Alright, here’s where things fall apart a little. Don’t get me wrong, I think the Peltor Sport ear pro is a fantastic platform. However, I was a bit disappointed in the performance of the BT capabilities.
First, lets start out with the good news. The sound quality of any streamed media is just ok. It wasn’t Bose quality or anything but I had no complaints, given the primary function of these “headphones” is to mitigate damage to my hearing.
Another “problem” was the interaction between my phone and the earmuffs. I had expected some kind of voice alert to tell me I had an incoming call. Unfortunately, there was almost an indiscernible pop at the beginning and end of the call. If you aren’t paying attention (or know what to expect) you might consider it ambient noise.
Good Deal? Peltor Sport Price Point
Absolutely! Even with all of the quirks this is still the best shooting ear protection for $100. The level of hearing protection rivals more expensive models and blows comparably priced models out of the water.
However, don’t get your hopes up when it comes to the Bluetooth feature. While the audio quality isn’t atrocious, the way the earmuffs function are a less than perfect user experience. If you only care about having audio and you aren’t a sound quality snob then these are a must have.
Peltor Sport Tactical 500: Basic Operation
I just wanted to take a second to describe how easy the Peltors are to use. Once you get your batteries in place, there’s little more you need to do. Even without batteries, the Sport Tactical 500 just becomes a normal set of ear protection, so don’t fret if your batteries die on the range.
Powering On/Off
On the opposite side from the batteries, is the control panel for the entire headset. To power on, locate the small triangle-shaped button toward the outside edge of the earmuff. Press and hold until you hear a voice say “Power On” followed by a few do-do-do’s.
Use the same methodology to turn the headset off. Only, this time you’ll hear “Power Off” and a few more dings.
Connecting Via BlueTooth
In order to use an external device you’ll need to put both the Peltor Sport headset and the device into pairing mode. On the headset find the Universal Bluetooth symbol in the center of the control panel side of the earmuffs. Press and hold until you hear “Bluetooth Pairing On”.
At this point it should become visible on your device. Select the “Peltor Sport Tactical 500” from the list of available devices. You should hear “Bluetooth Connected” if you are successful.
Additionally, once you’ve paired a device, the Peltor’s automtically connect on power on in the future. To prevent this, you’ll need to remove the device from your “paired devices” list on your phone.
My Experience With The Peltor Sport Tactical 500
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Are Peltor Sport Tactical Earmuffs Comfortable?
Similar to every other headset, your ears are going to get a bit warm if you wear the Peltors for an extended period of time. However, I did find them more comfortable than wearing my backup headset.
The cushioning is nice and foam is soft. One concern I have is that the material on the padding may break down over time. But, it hasn’t yet and I’ve had these for about a year now.
The Peltor Sport Tactical headset has a rubber skeleton design headband. If you like shooting with a hat on, like me, you’ll be happy the headpiece doesn’t push down on that annoying little button on your baseball cap.
Best Type of Shooting
Unfortunately, I don’t think the Sport Tactical design is made for use with a rifle. The larger cupped earmuffs make attaining a good cheek weld near impossible. Using a scope? You might as well plug up and switch to a thinner model earmuff.
However, if you’re doing any kind of pistol work then the Peltor’s are a great choice. If you tend to spend your time on the range alone, these are a great companion. Listen to some good tunes or instructionals to help improve your shooting while actually putting rounds down range.
Parting Shots
Well, there you have it folks. The Peltor Sport Tactical 500 in all its glory. If you do end up getting these, I highly recommend picking up the LTGEM Clamshell case. Because the ear pro doesn’t come with its own case, you’ll need to search the aftermarket. I can confirm that the LTGEM case fits the Peltor Sport Tactical 500 series.
Anyways, if you found this article helpful then please leave a comment or share on your social network. Either one helps me out a ton. Thanks!
