Walker’s Game Ear GWP-XSEM XCEL 100 Digital Electronic Muff with Voice Clarity

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out of 5, based on 12 reviews

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I love this set of ear pro. I use it 5 days a week for about 3-5 hours a day and use the Bluetooth function daily. I’m in indoor range and the 27 decibel rating a definitely a plus because I deal with people that have 5.56 caliber 8-10” short barrel rifles with compensators on them regularly.The battery life itself is nice but the reason I’m giving it three stars is because of the audible “battery low” warning. If it was not for this issue I’d definitely rate it 5 stars but is obnoxious. Once the batteries are supposedly “low” the warning occurs every 60 seconds (I timed it) and is incredibly annoying as it shuts the amplifier off during the warning. As I’m writing this I’ve been receiving the warning for going on four continuous hours plus two hours yesterday. Clearly at the point the warning started the batteries were not low and I can either can listen to it for 6+ hours or replace batteries that have plenty of juice left in them which is entirely unnecessary.I definitely recommend the gel ear pad replacements from Noisefighters if you are buying these and will wear them for extended periods of time. It’s not that this pair is particularly uncomfortable out of the box at all, just that with any ear pro I wear I have bought the Noisefighters because it’s worth the replacement if you’re wearing them often.

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Works as advertised with all the features they say. I have only had it a few days enougb to test it once. But it was inside an indoor range where I was placed between a 357 revolver shooter and an AR15. I thought I would have to double up hearing protection but surprisingly I could feel the percussion blast alot more than I could hear it. As long as they last over the years itll remain 5 stars..I purchased from Nolan’s River Bay, seller is very resposnive and answered all my questions before even buying the product.

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When I first used them, there was a lot of electrical feedback and static. Then I realized I was in a room with some computer equipment and LED lights. I left the room and they were much better. They don’t seem to have a problem outside. I think they should be fine at the outdoor range. Will probably be ok at the indoor range as well, but I’m not totally certain. Having a sensitive antennae is probably a nice thing, just be aware there might be some issues if you are using them around electrical equipment.

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As a Range Safety Officer and Firearms Instructor for the past ten years I’ve used numerous types of electronic hearing protection. These are by far the best I have used. Sound dampening works perfectly and the voice clarity despite background noise is impressive.

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Best shooting headset I own. I have three other sets and this set is hands down the best. Bluetooth works great. Sound is crystal clear. The best part is how comfortable they feel. I usually have trouble with a headset being to small to fit my big head. They are not inexpensive, but you get what you pay for. Don’t even look at those cheap headsets. If you want to listen to music in comfort at the range, these are for you

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We have used Walker’s Alphas for years, they work well and never any problems with any of them. At less than 23DB, they are barely adequate for all but side blast from SBRs with compensators unless combined with ear plugs. Wanted a better set with Bluetooth so I tried these. First, these are gray, which is OK, but unclear in the description, which showed many colors. Camo would be preferable, but not available. I did expect better amplification and much less hissssss. Although these are much quieter, the Alphas are better at amplifying sound with pretty much the same hiss– better for hunting. Bluetooth to my phone for music is not high fidelity, but adequate – I would not give up my regular BT head phones for music only. For range work, these would be fine. It would have been better to directly compare these with other brands, but not too many stores are open yet to do that. Not sure yet if I would buy them again without trying other brands first. Although looks like 4 mics (quads), only 2 actually are there – the front mic on each side, but they are stereo. Also, BT (only) mode is not available. You must turn on the main power and turn the ambient sound as low as possible to simulate. No big deal, just informational point. The Razors with the (common frequencies FRS/GRMS) Comm. module would be interesting to try too. Although a lower 23 DB (better than the Alphas), the local Comms. with others in the group would be nice. Update: I did get a deal on the Razors and tried them. Although not quite as quiet, the Comm module is a plus. Not all Razor models will accept the Comm module. Models vary widely. They’re nice too though. The Alphas and some Razors have completely separate units for each ear, which I like. If one goes dead, you can still hear. Also provides better directional sound because they are naturally stereo. Some Razors are just mono with no directional indication at all.

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Tried them at the range yesterday for the first time. Comparing them to Howard Leight Impact Sport, they seem to offer a slight bit more noise reduction from gun shots. Control buttons for on/off and mode selection are small, but not a huge problem. Volume controls are large and easier to use. I ran mine in the voice clarity mode and could easily understand what my fellow shooters were saying when speaking in a normal voice. Also, they don’t seem slimmer than the Impact Sports, but for some reason they interfered with my rifle shooting much less. I normally have to switch to foam plugs for rifles, but was able to wear these with no problem. That was off a bench. Standing free hand may be different.

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I was disappointed in these ear muffs the on off volume buttons are too small or hard to find while you are wearing them once you do find the right button it’s too hard to get the buttons to do what you want on/off volume up down . I did like the fact that the ear muffs were thin and offered a 26 NRR but if I could do it over again I would spend a little more and get the pro ears brand one simple knob on each ear on/off and volume up and down that’s easy to find . One other thing the picture I saw on Amazon and other web sites show them to be tan or light brown mine were light grey .

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Comfortable, soft ear pads, controls are easy to reach and adjust. Bluetooth is great. You can listen to music, audiobooks and take phinrcallsWell worth the price, best earmuff IV ever had/used in 40+ years of shooting!

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I have tried both the Walker’s XCEL and the Howard Leight Impact Sport. Here are my thoughts on the biggest differences:SEAL: XCEL (and other Walker earmuffs) narrow near the bottom of the ear cushion. This design provides a way better seal. The Howard Leight is square and wide at the bottom which compromises the seal at the bottom corners. This one isn’t even close. XCEL wins.CUSHIONS: XCEL has thicker and softer cushions. Howard Leight has thin and harder cushions. I still plan on getting noisefighters at some point but the difference is that the XCEL cushions can actually be used effectively and its not REQUIRED to get the noisefighters. I would argue, like many others, that the Howard Leight’s NEED the noisefighters to actually become effective. XCEL cushions work although getting noisefighters would help even more in terms of comfort. XCEL wins.SIZE: Howard Leight is nice and slim and looks great on your head. The XCEL is medium sized. Not chunky but also not slim. I don’t shoot rifles so cheek weld isn’t a problem for me but it could be a problem for you. So if that’s a concern, you’ll need to test them out. I think the tradeoff is worth the extra performance but it comes down to personal preference. Howard Leight wins.

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I used these since Feb 2019 to go to the Range 4 times and when I put them on today the left eat cup came out when adjusting the size for my large head. When they worked they were very nice and comfortable. I hust think after 4 ueses they should work without coming apart.

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Having four modes of suppression is convenient. Does a great job of suppressing firearms while making it still very easy to hear fellow shooters talking. Having the controls moved onto the headband was easy to adapt to. The layout is simple and intuitive. I typically wear these for about three hours every time I’m out at the range and they never get uncomfortable. I snagged my first pair when they were priced at $50. A few weeks later they had already gone up to $65 so I grabbed another pair as back up. At $50 they were an impressive value. Even worth $65, but hopefully they don’t continue to go up in price. nice range muffs!