There has been some big changes in the the way people use and wear hearing protection.  Now that suppressors becoming more and more common, the need for hearing protection with high decibel reduction is going down.   You still do have to watch your ears with certain calibers because you may not know that you are doing damage if you go with something rated low.   Every once in awhile we get people that I normally consider outside the industry, like drummers and construction workers that pick up the foam ear plugs or the Sonic Protectors that Surefire produces.   Not everyone likes to have those heavy headphones on, and anyone using eyewear (which you should) finds out real fast how uncomfortable they are together.

People often ask about the electronic Hearing Protection from Peltor but I find that better for firearms instructors or training instructors.   If I was going to get a best recommendation, I lean heavily towards the Surefire Sonic Defenders.  With the Sonic Defenders, you have color options, size options (you have to measure the inside of your ear with a ruler) and ear canal depths, Once you have your size down, you’ll never go back to foam ear plugs.   And if you really aren’t interested in that and just want the foam ear plugs, just get a jar of them (usually about 100) for usually under $30 and it’ll last you a long time, sometimes that’s a good option for people like me that are always bringing novice shooters to the range that don’t have their own gear.   Sometimes children have trouble with those so junior size hearing protection is the best way to go.