AllOutdoor Review – Walker’s Ultimate Alpha Muff Hearing Protection
Wes Littlefield 03.27.25
My grandpa constantly said phrases like, “Huh? What’d you say? I’m sorry, I missed that. Can you repeat what you just said?” and more when I worked with him on the farm. My favorite was, “I’m deaf in one ear and can’t hear out of the other.” To say the least, I had a glimpse into my future if I didn’t protect my hearing, and I didn’t want to struggle to hear my future grandkids, so I began using hearing protection every time I thought I might need it, which led to testing out the Walker’s Ultimate Alpha Muff. The Walker’s Ultimate Alpha Muff is the perfect blend of affordability and convenience at the range and field. Find out why in my Walker’s Ultimate Alpha Muff review.
Walker’s Coverage on AllOutdoor
- Walker’s Hearing Protection: A Three-Product Review
- New from Walker: Razor Tacti-Grip Series Electronic Ear Protection
- New Firemax Rechargeable Digital Earmuffs from Walker’s
- Walkers Game Ear Razor Series Electronic Earmuffs at the 2016 SHOT Show
Specifications – Walker’s Ultimate Alpha Muff Hearing Protection
- Two hi-gain microphones
- 5x hearing enhancement
- Power – 50dB
- 2 independent volume controls
- 0.02 second reaction time sound-activated compression (SAC)
- Noise-reducing rating, NRR 26dB
- Compact folding design
- Anti-microbial ear pads
- 2 AAA batteries (included)
Pros
- Don’t have to yell at the range to hear yourself talk
- Can wear them while hunting without having to worry about missing out
- Engages quickly
- Individual adjustable volume
- Reasonably priced
- Fairly comfortable
Cons
- Wind Noise
- Slight microphone buzz
- Less protective than foam earplugs
- A little tight on my head
My Experience with the Walker’s Ultimate Alpha Muff
My brother (named Walker, funny enough) introduced me to Walker’s ear pro a couple of years ago, and I was immediately impressed because we didn’t have to yell at each other while at the range.
He repeatedly told me to stop talking so loud because he could hear me just fine. I also had no problem hearing while wearing my Walker Ultimate Alpha Muff at the range. The two high-gain omnidirectional microphones captured the sounds of people talking (even whispering), birds singing, and even the highway sounds a mile away. The 5x hearing enhancement is no joke and will be a tremendous benefit while hunting.
However, they also picked up the wind noise on a windy day and had a slight buzz when everything was quiet, which was a bit annoying and made hearing anything else tricky. I’m still looking forward to using my flat, dark, earth-colored muff during turkey, dove, and duck season to protect my hearing while allowing me to listen for those vital subtle sounds.
Before using the Walker’s Ultimate Alpha Muff, my biggest concern was whether it would be quick enough to engage after each shot. My concerns were quickly put to rest after I pulled my shotgun’s trigger and the 0.02 second reaction time kicked in. I then promptly rattled off a few more rounds to see if it would dampen the sound of multiple rounds, and it did. While earplugs offer the best protection, the Walker’s Ultimate Alpha Muff is still NPR-rated at 26dB, protecting your hearing while hunting or shooting at the range.
The dual microphones are also nice because you can adjust one or the other at a time, so you can crank up the volume on a single ear if you’re hard of hearing in that one without blowing an eardrum in your other ear. You can also turn them off if you just want to wear them like traditional ear pro, which is nice if the batteries die or you want to tune the world out.
I have a relatively small head (my big-headed friends made fun of me for it in school), and this muff fits my head well, but it’s still a little tight. So, if you have a large head, you might want to keep looking for a larger pair. However, I was still comfortable even while wearing a hat and glasses. They also fold up nicely to easily fit in my range bag.
Overall, I’ve been pleased with all the Walker’s ear protection products I’ve used, and the Walker’s Ultimate Alpha Muff is no exception. While I would change a few things, the price is tough to beat, and it does everything it says it will, like protecting your hearing while allowing you to communicate.
Parting Shots – Walker’s Ultimate Alpha Muff
Protecting your hearing is a must for every shooter and outdoorsman, and the Walker’s Ultimate Alpha Muff is a significant step up from traditional hearing protection because it allows you to hear sounds you would have missed without risking damage to your hearing.
I look forward to many days in the field and at the range using this ear pro, so I won’t miss the precious sounds of my kids and grandkids or annoy them by asking them to repeat themselves a hundred times.
