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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want true firearm-grade hearing protection with active sound amplification, choose Howard Leight Impact Sport Electronic; if you need a soft, washable headband that plays audio for two people at once, choose Perytong 2. These two products share almost nothing except the word "headphones" — one is a hard-shell electronic earmuff built for the range, the other is a fabric sleep-and-sport headband built for beds and treadmills. In my opinion, the right answer comes down to one question: are you trying to block out gunfire, or are you trying to fall asleep to a podcast without waking your partner?
• Howard Leight Impact Sport Electronic — biggest strength: Active listening with a 22 NRR and impulse-noise shutoff to a safe 82 dB, plus 4X amplification of low-level sounds like range commands and conversation.
• Howard Leight Impact Sport Electronic — biggest trade-off: It's a purpose-built shooting earmuff. No Bluetooth, no sleep-mask function, and it's a hard over-the-head unit that isn't meant to be worn against a pillow.
• Perytong 2 — biggest strength: A two-pack of washable Bluetooth 5.4 headbands with ultra-thin speakers, 14 hours of playtime, and independent audio for two people at once.
• Perytong 2 — biggest trade-off: It does not protect your hearing. There's no NRR and no impulse-noise cutoff — it's a comfort audio device, not safety equipment.
• Who each pick is for: Howard Leight for shooters, hunters and anyone who needs hearing protection with situational awareness; Perytong 2 for side sleepers, couples, students and light exercisers who want private audio in a soft band.
This is a hearing protector first and a listening device second. The core job is stated plainly: it actively listens to your surroundings and shuts off loud impulse noises like gunfire down to a safe 82 dB, with a Noise Reduction Rating of 22. Two high-gain, omni-directional microphones pick up sound directionally, and their recessed placement helps cut wind noise — a detail that matters if you're outdoors on a breezy range day. The 4X amplification boosts low-level frequencies, which is the whole point of an electronic muff: you can hear a range officer's commands, a buddy talking beside you, or an animal moving through brush, and still get the loud stuff clamped down.
Who should buy it: hunters, target shooters, range regulars, and anyone who works around loud impulse noise and still wants to hear what's going on around them. Who should skip it: anyone shopping for sleep audio, side-sleeping comfort, or wireless music streaming. It has no Bluetooth and no touch controls — it's a safety tool, and it behaves like one.
Perytong 2: Who It's For
The Perytong 2 is a completely different animal. It's a two-pack of fabric headbands that each hide ultra-thin 40 mm speakers flat enough that side sleepers can lie on them through the night. The 3-in-1 pitch is accurate to the design: sleep headphones, sport headband, and light-blocking sleep mask in one piece of stretchy spandex/nylon fabric. Because the speaker pods are removable, the band itself is machine washable — genuinely useful after a sweaty run or a few nights of wear, and a hygiene feature you don't get with earbuds.
The connectivity story is where it separates itself. Bluetooth 5.4 gives each headband its own connection to its own phone or tablet, so two people in the same bed or the same car can listen to different things without disturbing each other. Stated range is 43 feet, which is plenty for moving around a house or hotel room. Battery life is listed at up to 14 hours of continuous playtime on roughly a one-hour charge (the sheet also lists 1–2 hours), and there's a microphone for hands-free calls plus touch-sensitive controls on the band. No jack at all — it's wireless only.
Who should buy it: side sleepers and insomnia sufferers who use sleep sounds or audiobooks, couples or roommates who want separate audio, students grinding through long lecture playlists, travelers on overnight flights, and yoga or jogging types who want sound without earbuds falling out. Who should skip it: anyone expecting noise reduction, impulse protection, or a boom-heavy sound signature. There's no NRR here and the noise control is described as sound isolation — it softens the outside world, it doesn't defend your ears from it.
• Best for hearing protection → Howard Leight Impact Sport Electronic. A 22 NRR and 82 dB impulse cutoff are the whole reason this product exists; the Perytong 2 offers no rated protection at all.
• Best for hearing your surroundings while protected → Howard Leight Impact Sport Electronic. 4X amplification, two omni-directional mics and recessed placement for wind noise are designed exactly for that.
• Best for sleeping and side-sleeping comfort → Perytong 2. Ultra-thin flat speakers and soft fabric are built to be pressed against a pillow; a hard over-the-head earmuff is not.
• Best for two people at once → Perytong 2. The two-pack with independent Bluetooth 5.4 connections lets each person run their own device and content.
• Best for battery life → Perytong 2 on paper. Up to 14 hours per charge is long for a night of sleep audio — though the Howard Leight's 350-hour AAA lifespan is a different kind of endurance, since it's powering electronics rather than streaming audio.
• Best for washability and hygiene → Perytong 2. Removable speaker pods and machine-washable fabric are a real advantage for sweat and repeated wear.
• Best for firearm stock clearance → Howard Leight Impact Sport Electronic. The slim, low-profile cup and folding design are deliberate range-oriented choices.
• Best for wireless music and calls → Perytong 2. Bluetooth 5.4, touch controls, and a built-in mic versus the Howard Leight's wired AUX input only.
If you're buying hearing protection, I'd pick the Howard Leight Impact Sport Electronic — nothing about the Perytong 2 substitutes for a rated 22 NRR and impulse-noise shutoff, and if you shoot, that's the entire purchase. If you're buying comfort audio for sleep, exercise or shared listening, I'd pick the Perytong 2 — the two-pack, washable fabric and 14-hour battery are exactly what that job needs, and an earmuff would be miserable in bed. In my opinion these aren't competitors so much as two tools for two different problems. Buy the one that matches your problem, and check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since that's the one thing that can tip a close call.
FAQ
No. The Perytong 2 is a Bluetooth audio headband with sound isolation, not safety equipment. It has no NRR and no impulse-noise cutoff, so it shouldn't be relied on around gunfire or other loud impact noise.
No. It uses a 3.5 mm AUX input jack for music players and scanners, and a single power/volume knob. If wireless streaming matters to you, that's a point for the Perytong 2 and its Bluetooth 5.4.
The Perytong 2, without question. Its ultra-thin 40 mm speakers sit flat inside a soft fabric band so you can lie on your side, and the band is machine washable. A rigid over-the-head earmuff like the Howard Leight isn't designed for sleeping.
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