As I started writing this review for the new Safariland Pro Impulse Charger ear buds, it occurred to me how lucky we are these days. Years ago, hearing protection was an afterthought. Some even considered your tolerance of loud noises a direct gauge of how “tough” you were. That mentality only led to increased sales of hearing aids over the years.
If you wanted something to help with the noise, you were stuck with two choices. Neon foam plugs stuffed in our ears or bulky, passive muffs that felt like wearing two bricks on your head. I used to have an old set that was so heavy and smashed my ears so badly, I almost preferred to just deal with the loud noise.
But eventually, basic electronic muffs arrived. I hate to admit it, but I am old enough to remember when “electronic” versions came out. Being able to hear regular sounds while blocking out loud ones was a giant leap for mankind. Ok, maybe not quite that big of a deal, but they were pretty cool.
Today, we have moved beyond the “one size fits all” mentality. We now have access to all kinds of cool gear, including sophisticated, Bluetooth-enabled earbuds that give us high-fidelity audio and active protection without the bulk of traditional headsets.
Safariland has put a lot into communication and hearing protection products over the years. The Pro Impulse Charge earbuds are the latest to hit the market.
Pro Impulse Charge ear buds
The Safariland Pro Impulse Charge is a professional-grade, in-ear electronic hearing protection system. Unlike traditional plugs, these use advanced digital circuitry to provide a 28 dB Noise Reduction Rating (NRR). They function by using sound-activated compression with a lightning-fast 0.02-second reaction time to instantly “shut out” dangerous decibel levels from gunshots or other loud noises.
The are two battery systems with this product. First is the internal battery inside each earbud, providing up to 16 hours of runtime, which is impressive for earbud-style hearing protection. Second is the battery in the lanyard, which provides up to 14 hours of runtime (using Bluetooth or playing music). This lanyard is what provides a Bluetooth connection for the earbuds.
Basically, you can use the earbuds without the lanyard for sound reduction and enhanced hearing, or add the lanyard for Bluetooth capabilities (more about that later).
Everything you need to get started
When you purchase the Pro Impulse Charge earbuds, you get everything you need to use them. This includes:
- Two electronic earbuds
- One lanyard with Bluetooth capabilities
- One extra bag of foam ear replacements
- One bag of ear hooks
- Charging USBc cable
- Soft carrying pouch
Each earbud is lightweight to prevent ear fatigue, and even though they are a little longer than some other earbuds out there, I didn’t have any problems with them staying in place.
I’ve worn some before that worked great, but started to hurt my ears in just a few hours. These, however, didn’t bother me after wearing them for more than 6 hours.
Just like with regular foam earplugs, I compress the foam before inserting them. Once they expanded, they were nice and snug.
PRO Impulse Charge Specifications
- Noise Reduction Rating (NRR): 28 dB
- Reaction Time: 0.02 seconds (Instant Compression)
- Battery Life: Up to 16 hours of continuous use
- Charging Method: USB-C rechargeable lanyard
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 for calls and audio streaming
- Sound Modes: Three modes (Isolation, Hear-Through, and 5X Amplification)
- Microphones: Omni-directional for 360-degree situational awareness
- Weight: Ultra-lightweight, ergonomic in-ear design
Operating the PRO Impulse Charger ear buds
Turning the earbuds on is extremely easy, and in my opinion, more reliable than some other brands. Instead of a push button for powering up the ear buds, Safariland used a manual 3-position switch. I’m probably being way too picky, but I get a little annoyed with the “push and hold” buttons on some earbuds. I’ve had times where it takes me a few minutes to figure out if they are powered up.
With these, you simply push the small lever over one or two clicks, depending on which setting you need. This makes it easy to put them on quickly when needed.
The first position of the switch is 0, which is the same as “off.” This makes it easy to visually see they are turned off and not continuing to run when you put them away.
When the switch is moved to position 1, it activates “hear-through mode.” This mode compresses loud sound while slightly amplifying quiet sounds. Position 2 still compresses loud sounds but provides maximum amplification of everything else around you.
So, to use them, simply flip the switch over 1 or 2 slots and place them in your ears. That’s about as easy and simple as it gets.
Using the Bluetooth Lanyard
Being able to hear notifications on your phone while at the range, hunting, mowing, or doing some other activity is a great convenience. You can even listen to music while you block out loud noises.
To use the Bluetooth option, you need to plug the lanyard into the earbuds. There is a small plug outlet in each earbud that protects the port. Simply insert the lanyard plugs into each earbud.
Next, press and hold the center button on the lanyard until you see a green light flash three times. Repeat this process to turn the unit off, and a red light will flash three times to confirm it’s off.
To connect it to your phone, double-click the center button (with the Bluetooth symbol), and the green light will begin flashing. Find the device on your phone and hit connect.
Music and phone calls
Once the PRO Impulse Charge earbuds are connected to your phone, you can play music and answer phone calls. While music is playing, use a quick press of the + and – buttons to adjust the sound level. Press and hold the + button to skip to the next song, or press and hold the – button for previous songs.
By double-clicking the center button, you can call back the last person who called you. Press the center button one time quickly, and it will play/pause music and answer an incoming phone call.
The first time I used the PRO Impulse Charge earbuds, I made sure to use the music and phone capabilities, and it worked great. The only issue I had was remembering which buttons and clicks did what. I hung up on someone once, called someone back by mistake, and turned on music when I didn’t intend to.
This, of course, is a learning curve for the specific Bluetooth features on the earbuds. Once I got used to them, it wasn’t hard at all to operate them correctly.
Affordable, covenant hearing protection
These two small earbuds are easy to use, portable, comfortable, and affordable. The Bluetooth version runs for about $110, and you can also buy a non-Bluetooth version for around $70.
While the Bluetooth functions take a little practice to master, the earbuds are as simple as it gets. They are easy to charge and turn on/off, and most importantly, they work. I think the price is extremely reasonable as well. If you want compact, easy-to-use ear buds for the range, you can’t go wrong with the PRO Impulse Charge ear buds.
