Howard Leight "Impact Sport" electronic muffs. They amplify sound + protect your ears very well. I have used it shooting next to .408 CheyTac and ARs with loud brakes.
Cost is a reasonable $45 at most places. Battery life is super long. I have had a couple pair banging around in my truck/range bag for years.
These are what I bought for my wife when I was looking for some that weren't too expensive and they were on sale for a good price at the time and I heard a lot of good about them. I wanted to get her the Peltor 6's because I had experience with those and they were a good price too, but she liked those because she could hook her phone/ipod up to it. They aren't bad and are pretty popular, the HL, but my wife still likes to wear plugs with 'em with most calibers, which defeats the purpose for me. The ones I bought when I was an SDM instructor on the range all day with 20 rifles going close together, yet still be able to hear voices LOUDER if I chose, were the Peltor Tactical 7 Classics. They have about a 10dB better NRR than the HL's. Enough so my wife now always wants to wear those. Bigger and more expensive, but well worth it. They last forever, comfortable, I love 'em. Dillon sets are cheap, but total junk. We bought those for the students so they could hear us.
The Tactical 6's are thinner and have about the same NRR as the Howard Leight's and cost about the same I think. I don't know how they sound though.
In addition to NRR, you also want to know how fast they cut off when there's a loud noise. A high NRR with a slower cut off time is better than a lower NRR set with a faster cut off time. But if you get a thinner, lower NRR set like a HL or Peltor 6, and NRR is similar, then go with the ones that cut off fastest. Info is online. That's my opinion on it.
I still pass my hearing tests, I don't know how I do. But I have tinnitus from damaged cilia (ear hairs that pick up sound) from blast waves farting with Claymores and C4 at close range (anytime they gave me the chance!). I reckon some loud calibers with insufficient ear pro like say, a .357 magnum in close quarters, that'll make you deaf for a week and may do similar damage (done that too). I think .357 is one of those insanely loud calibers. Some are MUCH worse than others, so it depends on what you shoot a lot too.
I also agree, a suppressor is a great way to go, and I LOVE to shoot .300BLK subs "naked". It feels alien not having ears on. But I still wear those 7's with a suppressor with most other rounds when I fire a lot.
Also, if you gotta stuff 'em under a helmet, I know you can stuff the HL's in an ACH in a pinch. Not Peltor 7's, not sure of 6's. Keep that in mind though if you have to do that, and if you do you're gonna lose NRR unless you shell out cash likely. Or get a special helmet and shell out cash anyway.
FWIW, the 7's come with a mic/radio socket, but not sure what kind. Batteries last a good while too.
Good luck, take care of those ears and eyes!
