AXIL GS Extreme All in One Ear Protection
I will be the first to admit I’m not a fan of change at all, and that even comes down to my hearing protection. The classic over the ear muffs were my standard go to ear protection for years. That was until AXIL (www.goaxil.com) reached out to us and asked if we wanted to test a few of their products. I decided to change things up a bit and for the last few months have been testing the AXIL GS Extreme Ear Buds, and honestly, I’ve never been so excited about ear pro in my entire life.
Why the Excitement?
Simply put, amazing real world results, flexibility and technological adaptability. I have seen people using wireless ear protection before but never though of them being useful outside of cell phone usage or listing to music, and boy was I wrong. In the GS Extreme I found a set of ear protection that was packed with features and allowed me to use one pair of ear protection across a wide range of uses. In the past few months during out testing I have used them as ear protection and just as ear phones while performing the wide range of tasks both on the range and around the shop.
Testing Situations
- Using table saws
- Using chain saw
- Shooting both pistol and rifle at both indoor and outdoor ranges
- Listening to music
- Listening to hockey games via my MacBook at home
- Listening to MLB games via my phone in the yard
- While exercising both indoor and outdoor synced to several iPod / iPhone
Real World Experiences
Once I read the instructions I was shocked how easy it was to sync these headphones across multiple devices with zero issues and I went on a mission to test them as many times as I could with the above list of activities. Since these come with a 2nd set of ear cups I was able to give a set of ear cups to my wife and enlist her help in the T&E sessions. She has been testing these while she prepares for her summer running season including her 12K Women’s Run. I am sad to report that she likes these so much that they have been permanently barrowed by her at this time.
Photo:Rick Dembroski
The design of the GS Extreme’s allows the ear buds to stay put in your ears without any discomfort and allows the end user to use either the foam or silicone tips depending on activity. When this is added to the flexible ear hooks, and the relatively small size or the ear bud the result is ear protection that can provide the end user a comfortable fit for virtually any ear size or shape. My evaluation of these attributes is based on the last two months of use between two users.
There are several things that stood out to me about the AXIL GS Extremes when it comes to controls and user interface that I liked a lot. These ear buds feature two separate controls on the built-in control sticks, one for hearing protection and one for Bluetooth volume and operations. This took a little bit to remember but once I figured it out I was good to go. The Micro USB recharging port is located on the Bluetooth volume control stick and features dust cover. I have found that recharging the battery is fast and easy, when the light is red the battery is charging and when it’s blue it is fully charged. Nice and simple and takes any guess work out of the process, charging batteries shouldn’t be rocket science.
Specifications
- 29 dB Noise Reduction Rating (MRR)
- Shuts Out Sounds at 85dB or Louder
- 5.0 Bluetooth Audio Provides Consistent Clear Sound
- 6X Hearing Enhancement if Needed
- 19 dB NRR with Silicone Tips
- 29 dB NRR with Foam Tips
- 0 Hz-$0,000 Hz Sound Spectrum
- 12 Hour Run Time
- 120 Hours Standby Time
- Micro USB Rechargeable (Provided)
- Medical Grade ABS Polymer
- Independent Controls for Bluetooth & Hearing Protection
- 2 Sets of Silicone Tips (Medium & Large)
- 2 Sets of Foam Tips (Small & Medium)
- MSRP: $279.00
Photo:Rick Dembroski
Final Thoughts
What many people will want to know are the AXIL Extreme GS worth the asking price? I would ask you “What is your hearing worth?” To me the $279.00 is worth it for a product that I can use across many activities as both hearing protection and hearing amplification. As someone who suffers from hearing loss in the higher frequency ranges I can’t stress enough the importance of protecting your ears. Hearing damage once done can’t be repaired short of investing in hearing aids, which interestingly enough AXIL does manufacture hearing aids if you need them.
I wasn’t sure when I first got these if they would meet my needs and I can now say that I am 100% on board with the AXIL GS Extreme ear buds. What AXIL was able to create in these ear buds is an all in one product that are light weight, easy to use and highly versatile without sacrificing quality and durability. I’m obviously very impressed with these and I am actually ordering a set with my own money so that I don’t have to beg to get my T&E set back.
It’s 2021 it might be time to take a serious look at your ear protection. Maybe it’s time to stop using old heavy ear protection that leaves your ears sweltering inside plastic and foam cups and embrace technology. I know if I can learn to embrace change that others can as well.
