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There's no reason to think that noise muffs are "better" protectors with impulse noise due to this bone conduction concept. Keep in mind that attenuation limits are imposed by the flanking bone-conduction pathways, to INCLUDE transmission through the skull that's not covered by noise muffs (bone conduction can transfer throughout the skull, even from the contralateral [opposite] side, with nearly no attenuation via bone conduction), and noise can transfer directly through the devices themselves.

Moreover, the seals of the muffs might, in fact, be compromised by temples of eyeglasses, shape of wearer's head/TMJ... reducing the NRRs of the muffs... maybe less protection than a well-fitted set of earplugs!

Here are some links that might help explain details.
one simple.....http://www.e-a-r.com/pdf/hearingcons/earlog9.pdf
a more complex article.... http://www.e-a-r.com/pdf/hearingcons/limits2.pdf

L8RG8R wrote:

The Marshal wrote:Something I was told, that I do not now how much fact it is, but I will repeat as it sound really good is this:

the bone right behind your ear is 'uncovered' with in-the-ear plugs. Yet this bone transmits a high amount of sound to the inner ear.

Therefore, using ear plugs, rather than ear muffs, does not prevent the sound transferance thru the bone behind the ear, which will still cause damage to the inner ear.

That said, I tend towards the muffs....

My CHL instructor said the same thing.