hearing aids for hunting
Equipment
I know this has been gone over before. What are the better otc hearing aids for hunting. I am currently looking at Tetra Hearing and would appreciate any feedback on them as well.
I think Tetra's are running about $700 for a pair, a lot cheaper than what hearing aids cost at the Hearing Aid guy and not sure how the Hearing Aids from him handle gun shots. I tried the Walker muffs but they interferred with my anchor. I used a Walker game ear for awhile but lost it. I have aids from the VA but seldom use them. Maybe this year for archery I will. If you qualify for VA it's the way to go for hearing aids.
I thought the stuff I read on Tetra was pretty impressive and worth the money. Be careful not to lose them if you get some.
I use 2 Walkers Game ears, HD. Work well for me. I wear 2 so as to better tell which direction the sound is coming from. I wear them for archery and rifle hunting. Without them I could not understand or hear what my spouse says when whispering. Big game changer for me. Now bugles are easier to hear as well.
I'm on my second pair of HA. First ones were Siemens. Worked OK. They had rechargeable batteries and were able to be switched out using throw away batteries if on long woodsy trips.
New pair, Starkey - $5,000; no insurance coverage so paid out of pocket. Use throw away batteries only. Are digital, connect to my iPhone via Bluetooth. I listen to podcasts mostly and some music now & then. Can adjust modes using phone as well as other settings & volume. Work better hearing-wise than the older Siemens did. But, I still hate noisy environments, even using the crowd mode. Large gatherings suck, I'd rather be home reading a book. Small groups of 3-4 are ok but still prefer smaller!
It was explained that HA are a 5 year investment. Technology changes so fast that new ones are SOO much better that you don't want to wait (some sales pitch for sure).
I would recommend: + get references if possible (how old, how do they use them, etc) + I will NEVER get another pair that are not rechargeable AND can also use disposables. Never, F****** NEVER.... The disposables always die at the MOST inconvenient times (on a phone conversation, snowmobiling with a helmet on, driving, you get the picture). Plus, you always have to carry spare batteries in a small case in your pocket. + check to see if they're waterproof or water resistant. Mine are supposed to be waterproof, but when running or biking , sweat shorts out the batteries unless its a cool day.
Bryce Towsley (outdoor writer) I think has written about them. Perhaps there's some info on his website - brycetowsley.com.
Best of luck!
I am on my 3rd pair of hearing aids. I have some issues with direction detection but the are a game changer for me. I am not interested in the rechargeable aids as I assume it is hard to recharge in a tree stand, meeting or if you forget the charger. Last 2 pair were from Costco.
I got some from Costco this spring. They are private label made by Resound. They have rechargeable batteries and come in a nice little case that functions as a battery pack and will recharge the hearing aids 3 times with out plugging in the battery pack. They are blue tooth and I can change the settings on my I-phone. Easy as can be and function very well. I can hear better than ever. Turkey hunting was a whole new experience. Can not wait for elk in Wy.
I have Oticon, believe they were $6000 plus. My hearing is real bad, but these aids sure help a lot. They use disposable batteries. I keep extra batteries in my truck, my wife’s truck, and my shave kit. I’m always close to replacement batteries. Sometimes, I’ll put in a new set of batteries before the existing ones die. That much reduces battery failure at a critical time. I’ve heard good things about Costco hearing aids at half what I paid .
Just curious you guys.... what kind of life can you get out of the batteries before changing out or recharging if you have that option?
Mine have never lost power. I have gone 36 hours with out them going dead. Battery pack will recharge them in just a couple hours and once stored in the battery pack they are kept fully charged and it also functions as a dehumidifier. About $3,00 total. I have a outdoor hunting setting in my favorites that I adjust them to on my phone that is optimized for reduced background noise and amplification of what I want to hear.
I have Oticon, had Siemens before. I get a little over a week from a pair of batteries. Had rechargeable before, never again. The run time decreases over time and it was a pia to charge them in hunting camp. Batteries can be found pretty cheap online. Hearing aids were a game changer for me, for life and hunting.
I will be curious to see how mine function in elk camp. I will have generator in camp - truck and also several of the recharging battery packs I can use to keep all electronics charged. Hearing aids are just one more thing to deal with charging. Phone, Gps, inreach, now hearing aids. Jaquomo you will know where I am at - you can bring me some power! LOL
I have Phonak rechargeable and bluetooth hearing aids. They made hunting a whole new game for me, but they are expensive.
Costco Resound brand for the last three years. They've been great and very good service. Five days on a set of batteries and batteries are cheap at Costco too. I really don't like rechargeable (especially only) electronics because of battery degradation over time. One of my settings is "Elk"!
Any of you guys have tinnitus? I have it bad. Constant ringing/buzzing. Do the hearing aids help?
Yes, my hearing aids took care of the tinnitus, no ringing anymore. I had starky first and now phonak thru the VA. Too much time around B52's and KC135's.
I didn't like the noise canceling "white noise" in the expensive tinnitus-canceling models I tried. Ive learned to listen through the ringing.
I've got Oticon courtesy of the Veterans Admin, and am on my second set. They are free and the same with batteries and other accessories. There is no income basis for hearing aids, if you served on active duty for the required amount of time, you are eligible. They are a game changer if you have bad hearing. Being outdoors now is like being in a virtual jungle with all the wildlife sounds. If I remove them, it's silence.
I have the same hearing aids/charger as joehunter. I was told by audiologists, there is no cure for tinnitus (at least for my hearing issues).
RD, what hearing aids do you have?
Yes RD, what hearing aids do you have now?
I have had several kinds of hearing aids including expensive and cheap. None last long enough for me. When I am hunting with a pistol, muzzle loader or rifle my hearing protection works better than any hearing aid. They are battery powered and the sound is adjustable. I can hear squirrels coming from way off. When I fire a shot it cuts off the hearing aid part. Also they keep my ears warm in cold weather.
I have hearing aids and I can’t stand them. I get ear infections easily and spent too many years playing music in front of huge stacks of speakers. My doctor suggested bone conduction so I am looking into that.
