Walker’s keeps improving the hearing protection, my ears are still ringing and so we keep reviewing the new Walkers ear pro products to save you from the same fate. We’ve done other Walker’s ear muff review stories, and generally we like them. I think the summary statement for this Walker’s Razor Digital Bluetooth X-TRM review is this: incremental design improvements that net a real level up for the brand.
Another Hearing Protection Review?
Allow me to reiterate my usual statement on ear pro… I’ll cover it every chance I get. I’ve had a single tone ringing in my ears for the better part of a decade now. It is ever-present, and I’ve only shot a few times without some sort of ear pro. It’s frustrating.
Given my preference, every gun would have a suppressor. Rarely do I shoot without one anymore. But silencers can still be louder than we’d like and for hunting or other environments that benefit from the enhanced hearing options that modern electronic hearing protection provides, good ear pro still matters. If a manufacturer is willing to send ear pro that doesn’t stink, I’ll review it.
Walker’s keeps iterating and innovating with its hearing protection product mix. Those are two different things and I’d say the Walker’s Razor Digital Bluetooth X-TRM ear muffs are a combination of iterative improvements. The Walker’s that we’ve reviewed in the past are still good, still recommended. But these are better in numerous ways.
Walker’s Razor Digital Bluetooth X-TRM Comfort
Walker’s muffs products are typically comfortable enough. Not amazing, not fantastic, but they are certainly good at a utilitarian level. The X-TRM is quantifiably better.
The X-TRM has “Comfort Gel” earpads, vs. the “Gel” earpads of prior models I have. The “Comfort” gel feels more gel-like, more substantial. It feels like a higher quality gel, conforming around my face and eye pro better than the standard Walker’s gel pads.
The headband on the X-TRM Walker’s is improved as well. Walker’s says it’s both “moisture wicking” and separately, “cooling mesh.” I live in Colorado, and it’s not been warm enough to really prove out the moisture wicking part. And I still have plenty of hair on my head, but if I were bald and hatless, I’d likely appreciate that a lot more. Of course, if you live in a wet, mildew-prone environment, this would be a huge win. Still, I appreciate the more generous padding of the X-TRM ear pro. It adds to the higher comfort level of these muffs.
Walker’s Razor X-TRM Low Profile Design
One knock on some of Walker’s other ear muff designs is the size. To be fair, I’ve seen much larger ones protruding from a shooter’s head. If you’re shooting handguns, that’s fine. But slide in behind a precision rifle or a real stock on an AR and you might find bulky ear pro problematic. As you get into your cheek weld, the stock tends to push your regular muffs up, separating them from your head below the ear. Let’s just say they don’t work very well that way.
The new Walker’s Razor X-TRM taper significantly toward the bottom of the muffs. So do others from Walker, like the Excels that we previously reviewed. But the Excels are thicker in every dimension except the gel ear pads. Consequently, the X-TRM Walker’s will have fewer contact issues with your long guns.
Still, fewer issues don’t equal zero issues, and in-ear solutions (and silencers!) simply don’t have those problems. Some people can’t stand in-ear hearing protection (I’m talking to you, Jared Hilton!), and in freezing cold temps with wind, muffs offer other benefits over in-ear options.
X-TRM Electronics
Walker’s has done a good job with their electronics, and the Razor X-TRM muffs are no exception. I like the knob for power/volume (as opposed to other models and makers who use only buttons). Noise attenuation is very fast, and the return to enhanced hearing after attenuation is instant. The usual Walker’s Bluetooth functions are part of this model.
I appreciate Walker’s for including batteries with the hearing protection. The X-TRM muffs require a couple of AAA batteries to power the electronics. Batteries are easily changed with the battery compartment door on the outside of a muff. Should your batteries fail when you don’t have replacements handy, you’ll still get the hearing protection, you just will miss out on the electronic features.
Review Conclusions
Ear pro is a non-negotiable to me. I’ll sing that song forever. The Walker’s Razor Digital Bluetooth X-TRM muffs are the best muff’s I’ve personally seen from Walker’s to date. With an MSRP of $149.99 they may not be the super-budget deal of the century, but compared to some others, they are quite a good value. Besides, I hope you value your hearing at something higher than $150.
