Walker’s Firemax Rechargeable Digital Muff
Are you looking for quality electronic hearing protection for the shooting range with a bit of a “tactical” edge? The Firemax model from the renowned manufacturer Walker’s, which we subjected to a thorough and long-term test, might be just the right choice for you.
Walker’s offers an extensive selection of thirty models of electronic earmuffs, differing in functionality, performance, and price. Almost everyone will find something suitable. For our test, we picked one of the higher-end and relatively new models called Firemax. These are earmuffs in the classic format with an overhead headband, in a reasonable size—though not exactly a low-profile design like the Razor line. However, I had no issues achieving proper cheek weld in any shooting position, whether prone or when switching shoulders during tactical drills or with various firearms. The surface is rubberized, which provides a non-slip grip even with wet fingers. The build is solid and robust overall—quality just radiates from it. Combined with IP54 rating, I have no concerns about its durability or service life. The buttons are sufficiently large for comfortable and secure operation even when wearing gloves.
Title photo: Walker’s Firemax earmuffs
Modes
The earmuffs feature 4 modes. Clear Voice amplifies human speech and allows seamless communication on the shooting range. Universal delivers a faithful and unaltered sound reproduction (my preferred mode on the range). For tactical use, the Power Boost and High-Frequency Boost functions enhance ambient sounds. And they work brilliantly! In short, they really let you hear better than without them, and sounds that would otherwise be on the edge of audibility become distinctly perceivable. Thanks to the directional microphones, you can also tell the direction the sound is coming from. While it’s not perfect—you can tell it's processed audio if you focus—the noise suppression works excellently. For shooters with some degree of hearing loss, it compensates the handicap quite well. Power Boost amplifies all sounds equally, while High-Frequency Boost puts more emphasis on higher frequencies, like the snapping of twigs or the clink of metal. If a gunshot or any sound exceeds a certain threshold, the microphones do not reproduce it to your ears. The rated sound attenuation is 20 dB, which is not a record-breaking number on paper, but in practice, it is very comfortable.
Thanks to USB-C interface, you can charge even in the field. But with battery life up to 150 hours, you may not need it much.
Control is handled via four buttons with good tactile feedback.Comfortable All Day
By nature, comfort evaluation is a bit subjective, but speaking for myself and my colleague who also participated in the testing, I can confidently say these are very comfortable to wear. The tension of the adjustable silicone composite headband feels a bit firm, but even after a full day on the shooting range, I experienced no pain or pressure points—thanks to the high-quality and pleasant gel ear cushion padding. The earmuffs can be paired via Bluetooth with a well-designed mobile app that allows you to switch modes, adjust volume, check battery status, and even stream music from your phone. While the sound quality may not impress true audiophiles, it's more than sufficient for everyone else. The Firemax can be further upgraded with a decent Walkie Talkie-style radio unit that clips directly onto the headset, or other devices can be connected via the 3.5 mm jack. Charging is done via the included USB-C cable, so you can recharge from your car or power bank without issue. On the other hand, with integrated battery life rated at up to 150 hours, you likely won’t need to charge often. I haven’t come close to draining the battery even after more than two months and eight visits to cold shooting ranges. And even if they do run out of power, they will still serve you well as passive earmuffs providing full hearing protection.
Overall, I don’t have much to criticize about this model. Sure, it’s not the lowest-profile headset, and the noise reduction rating could be a bit higher (on paper, that is—I had no real-world issue), and of course, there will always be someone who wants slightly better sound quality. But these are premium earmuffs, and the only thing that might limit their broader adoption is the slightly higher price of CZK 4,886. However, considering the performance and feature set, the price is fair for this category.
You can purchase the Firemax and other products from the Walker’s brand at STROBL.CZ s.r.o. More information is available at strobl.cz or directly from the manufacturer’s website at walkersgameear.com
Advantages/Disadvantages
+ quality
+ mode selection
+ sound reproduction quality
+ comfort
– higher purchase price
Photo sources: Author’s archive
Author: Tomáš Prachař
Originally published in Lovec magazine by Extra Publishing
Due to high-quality padding and well-designed headband, long-term wear is very comfortable.