The Honeywell brand is known for its well-balanced products. Howard Leight Impact Pro and Impact Sport are the highest selling units when it comes to hearing protection headsets. Hereis a detailed review of how they compare and their best features.
Electronic hearing protection go a long way in protecting your ears against loud harmful noise. Whether you are shooting a gun or using a power saw, you need ear protection headsets. In the U.S, Howard Leight protection headsetsare the most popular. The Impact Sport and Pro are loved for their lightweight, affordability and efficiency in cancelling out noise. Furthermore, they have some of the best battery life among protection earmuffs. The Impact Pro and Sport however differ in a few aspects which we’ll look at in the section below.
What are the differences between Impact Pro and Impact Sport?
Feature |
Howard Leight Impact Pro |
Howard Leight Impact Sport |
Noise reduction rating |
30 dB |
22 dB |
Comfort padding |
Thick, well-padded headband |
Padded leather headband |
Power source |
2 AAA batteries
|
2 AAA batteries |
Battery life |
10 – 12 hours |
Up to 10 hours |
Sound amplification rating |
82 dB |
82 dB |
Availability |
Howard Leight Impact ProvsImpact Sport- How do they compare?
Design
One of the hugest disparities between the Impact Pro and Sport is their design. The Impact Sport is a low profile headset. This means it is smaller and features slimmer ear cups and headband. On the other hand, the Impact Pro is large, with a thick headband and even thicker ear cups that really bulge out. Because of this, the Impact Sport’s slim design is more attractive and better for shooting than the Impact Pro. Some customers have reported that the huge bulges on the Pro make it difficult to aim when shooting. Sometimes, the gun hits against the ear cups due to recoil. Overall, the low profile of the Impact Sport make it the better choice in design
Noise reduction rating
Another key element we consider when looking at protection earmuffs is the noise reduction rating. The higher the rating, the better the earmuffs are at protecting your ears. Here, the Impact Pro beats out the Sport because it is rated higher in noise reduction. It is rated at 30 decibels against the Impact Sport’s 22 decibels. This huge difference can even be felt when using the products. In extremely loud environments such as lumberyards or indoor shooting, the Impact Pro certainly do a better job at cancelling noise than the Sport. The Impact Sport offers decent performance but not good enough for severely loud environments.
Comfort
Usually, ear protection headsets are worn for several hours per day. It is therefore very important to pick the most comfortable headsets available. When it comes to comfort, we consider two main aspects: the thickness of the headband and ear cups. Since the Impact Sport are designed to be low profile, they are quite slim in design compared to the Impact Pro. The Impact Pro is chunky and fitted with a rather thick headband and ear cups. For this reason, the Impact Pro wins against the Sport since it is thicker and more comfortable. The foam padded headband feels great against the head even after using the set for ears. On the other hand, the Impact Sports tends to get weary easily and may hurt your head over time.
Size and portability
While you want the most comfortable product, you also want a headset that is easy to pack and carry when going for a hunt. The Impact Pro feature a bulky design with huge ear cups and headbands. The ear cups are also adjustable to fit different size heads. There’s only one problem with these ear cups: they don’t fold. On the other hand, the Impact Sport use a low profile design that is specifically designed to be smaller and easier to carry. This therefore means that the Impact Sport is better as it is foldable and more portable than the Impact Pro.In fact when folded, the Sport can comfortably fit in the palm of your hand and you wouldn’t need a bag to carry it. For these reasons, it wins in this category.
Howard Leight Impact ProvsImpact Sport – A comparison overview
Howard Leight Impact Pro
- HIGH NOISE REDUCTION RATING (30 NRR): Designed for handgun and pistol shooters looking for high NRR;...
- AMPLIFIES AMBIENT NOISE UP TO 4X: Built-in directional microphones amplify range commands and other...
- BLOCKS HAZARDOUS NOISE: Actively listens and automatically shuts off amplification when ambient sound...
- COMFORTABLE, SECURE FIT: Rubberized pressure points prevent gunstock scratching; super deluxe padded...
The Impact Pro by Honeywell is a set of earmuffs built to deliver the highest form of noise protection without interfering with the user’s hearing ability. With a noise reduction rating of 30 decibels, it is able to offer such protection. Gun shooting protection is recommended to be between 26 and 30 decibels. These earmuffs are therefore great for both indoor and outdoor shooting and make it a comfortably quiet task. On each ear cup, the earmuffs are fitted with a microphone that allows you to hear the environment around you. This means you can have conversations with colleagues while the headsets are on.
To power these headset are two AAA batteries. They offer a battery life of up to 12 hours meaning you can take them to work for the day without worrying about the charge level. Additionally, there is an automatic shutdown feature after 4 hours for power conservation. There’s also a volume wheel that doubles as an on/off switch and a 3.5mm audio jack for music. But the most distinguishing factor about this earmuffs is the size. They are chunky and thick and also don’t fold like other headsets.
Pros
- Great ear protection with a high NRR of 30 decibels
- Thickly padded headbands and ear cups for ultimate comfort
- Long battery life
- Headphone jack for music
Cons
- Too bulky in design
Howard Leight Impact Sport
- Built-in directional microphones amplify range commands and other ambient sounds to a safe 82 dB,...
- Actively listens and automatically shuts off amplification when ambient sound reaches 82 dB; Noise...
- Features low profile earcups for firearm stock clearance; adjustable headband for secure fit; compact...
- Includes AUX input and 3.5 mm connection cord for MP3 players and scanners. Integrated power/volume knob
The Howard Leight Impact Sport is the best-selling ear protection headset in the U.S and this says a lot about it.It is a low profile headset designed for easy aiming and shooting. The thin ear cups allow the user to aim comfortably without the hindrance of large ear cups against the shoulder. On top of this, it comes with a noise reduction rating of 22 decibels which is efficient in cancelling out noise while amplifying ambient sounds. Like the Pro model, this one also has an audio jack for music which is a great plus. The sound quality on the speakers however isn’t quite good.
This product is powered by two AAA batteries that offer a battery life of up to 10 hours. So whether you are a construction worker or shooting enthusiast, they’ll last the day comfortably. There’s also a four automatic shutdown feature to conserve battery life.
Pros
- Affordable and great value for money
- Low profile design makes is easy to aim and shoot
- Two way fold design for easy carrying
- Automatic 4 hour shut off
Cons
- Slim headband may get uncomfortable over time
Conclusion
The Impact Pro and Sport are both great at cancelling out noise. They are however built for differentuses. The Impact Sport is an overall balanced device and better for daily use since it is a low profile headset. Impact Pro is better for extremely loud environments and less frequent usage
So which is better? Impact Sport or Pro?
All factors considered, the Impact Pro is better as it offers more comfort, better protectionsince it has a higher noise reduction rating. TheImpact Sport on the other hand is smaller and lighter which is great for portability.
FAQs
-
Is the Impact Sport water resistant?
Yes. Both of these headsets are water resistant
-
Does the Impact pro support Bluetooth connectivity?
No. There’s only an audio jack for music
