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Are you a lawn care aficionado? Whether you’re a certified landscape professional or just the designated lawn mower in your household, hearing protection is necessary for anyone operating outdoor power equipment. On this page, you can learn more about the importance of hearing protection for lawn care, the ISOtunes difference and our top recommended models for your next landscape project!
How Noise Isolating Headphones Can Help Landscapers
While it's tempting to want to listen to music, a podcast, or an audiobook while doing yard work, it’s often difficult to hear over the sound of heavy-duty machinery. Between running your equipment and cranking up the sound on your headphones, you not only have a significant lack of situational awareness, but you could be causing significant damage to your ears.
Yard tools are loud. Keep in mind that in order to hear music, the volume needs to be loud enough to drown out the equipment that you're using. Being that prolonged noise over 85 dB can cause hearing loss over time, and noise above 120 dB can cause immediate hearing loss, wearing conventional headphones while you work can be detrimental to your hearing. Unfortunately, there's no cure for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). An estimated 40 million U.S. adults ages 20 through 69 have NIHL - much of which was caused by prolonged exposure to tools and other loud noises.
That being said, yard work takes time - and you want to do a good job. It's nice to be able to listen to music, take a phone call, or listen to your favorite podcast while you work. This type of multitasking doesn't just help you stay productive; it also creates a sort of entertainment value that makes working more fun. The good news is that with the right hearing protector that combine noise isolation and Bluetooth technology, you can do it all.
Noise-isolating headphones are crucial when mowing lawns or performing yard work for a few key reasons:
They reduce noise: As you can see from the chart below, a typical lawn mower emits about 90 decibels while it's running. Noise-isolating headphones can reduce sound levels down to a safer dB so you're less at risk of experiencing hearing loss from these loud noises.
They improve sound quality: Noise-isolating headphones keep loud noises from landscaping equipment at bay while enhancing the noise from your music, podcast or audiobook for your listening pleasure (and at a safe volume, too). This can help you multitask while you're working in the yard, improving productivity and morale as a result.
mowing/lawn care activities (and their decibel levels)
Many landscapers wear conventional headphones when doing yard work, but is this always for the best? Let's examine a couple of frequently asked questions we receive from professionals in the outdoor landscaping business:
Should you wear headphones when mowing the lawn?
Yes, but as we've hinted at throughout this post, there are both correct and incorrect headphones to wear while you're mowing the lawn and doing yard work. The best mowing headphones are certified hearing protector headphones that dull the sound coming from the yard equipment while amplifying the likes of the audio that you want to listen to - whether it's music, a podcast, or taking a phone call via Bluetooth. All audio coming from your headphones should be carried out at a level that's safe for your ears.
Can you use noise-canceling headphones for mowing lawns?
Wearing noise-canceling headphones in place of hearing protection is highly discouraged. That's because noise-canceling lawn mower headphones are not certified hearing protectors. In other words, you're not likely to get the same protection from them as you would from noise-isolating headphones. It's a key difference that can have a significant impact on your hearing - and it's why it's so important to select the right type of headphones to wear when doing work with loud equipment.
What should you look for in lawn care headphones?
There are several factors to look out for when it comes to selecting the best type of hearing protection for lawn care. Here's a look at these considerations:
Hearing Protection
Hearing protection is a top priority when you're working with loud equipment - and as you can see from the chart earlier on this page, lawn and yard maintenance is no exception to working with noisy equipment. Keep in mind that even prolonged equipment use at 85 dB may be enough to damage hearing over the long term and any exposure to noise at 120 dBA or above can lead to immediate hearing loss. Thankfully, the best Bluetooth headphones for mowing and yard work also offer adequate hearing protection that keeps noise levels under these volumes.
All ISOtunes headphones also include SafeMax™ Technology, a hearing conservation feature that ensures that all headphones limit volume output to 85 dB.
SafeMax™ Technology helps ensures OSHA compliance. More than 25 million Americans are believed to suffer from noise-induced hearing loss from exposure at work or during leisure activities. SafeMax Technology helps ensure that any professionals wearing ISOtunes headphones are safe from adding to this statistic.
Bluetooth Compatibility
Regardless of profession, workers strive to be as productive and efficient as possible. Simply put, doing so allows for more time during the day to do the things that we want to do - and less time put forth to do the things we need to do. The best headphones for lawn care and yard work won't just promote good hearing protection, but allow users to be more efficient in their everyday lives. One way is permitting users to take calls over their headphones via Bluetooth technology. This can save a lot of time by giving lawn and landscaping professionals the ability to speak with their clients as they work, rather than needing to return phone calls later in the day.
Comfort
Comfort is also key when it comes to finding the best headphones for mowing. When you're working in the yard, you're bound to be breaking a sweat on the regular, so you want something that's going to stand up to these conditions and not let you down during the summer months. That’s why we’ve designed ISOtunes earmuffs to be lightweight with a ventilated foam headband for increased air flow. Our muffs are also equipped with memory foam ear cushions, so they feel snug and comfortable on your ears as you move about the shop. As for our in-ear models, each product includes a starter eartip pack of four different sizes so you can find your best fit and ensure maximum comfort. Learn more about ISOtunes eartips here.
Other Factors
Noise isolation, Bluetooth compatibility, and comfort are all important when it comes to finding your go-to mowing headphones. Another factor to consider is durability. On this note, ISOtunes headphones are more than just sweat and water-resistant, but dust resistant as well.
Another factor to consider is battery life. When you're a lawn care or landscaping professional, you're largely working outside and traveling from job site to job site. It's rare that you're able to settle down during the day and charge your headphones or other devices. Hence, it's important to have a battery that's going to last all day. Battery life on earmuffs and earbuds varies, but ISOtunes hearing protection devices typically have batteries that last anywhere from 10 hours to up to 50 hours before a recharge is necessary, making for all-day (and in some cases, multi-day) usage in between recharges.
Lastly, ISOtunes stands behind its products, offering a best-in-class one-year warranty. ISOtunes aren't just OSHA certified, but they are built to last in any environment.
lawn care pros who use isotunes products
Don't just take our word for it. Hear it from some of the professionals that are wearing them out in the field on a day-in, day-out basis. One such professional is Brian Fullerton, who started his very own lawn care and landscaping business in 2007. Dubbed the "Lawntrepreneur," he now helps others start and grow their own lawncare businesses. Brian offers one-on-one coaching, how-to tutorials on everything from aeration to overseeding, and information on value-added service offerings such as mulch installation. He also hosts a podcast, "Fullerton Unfiltered," where he profiles the success stories of his clients and shares more information. And Brian doesn't trust any headphones that aren't ISOtunes earbuds or earmuffs.
Honorable Mentions
our best headphones for mowing
Here's a look at some of the best mowing headphones and earmuffs that ISOtunes has to offer for lawn care and landscaping professionals today:
AIR DEFENDER: Among the best Bluetooth earmuffs for mowing, the AIR DEFENDER model from ISOtunes blends comfort and convenience in a lightweight package. Estimated to be about 20 percent lighter than similar types of earmuff headsets, AIR DEFENDER has a noise reduction rating (NRR) of 24 and a long, 40-hour battery life. The memory foam makeup and foam headband makes AIR DEFENDER comfortable to wear, too.
LINK 2.0: ISOtunes' best-selling mowing earmuffs, LINK 2.0 keep users going with up to 50 hours of battery life. What's great about LINK 2.0 is you can integrate a separate boom microphone with them, which helps you speak and receive sound clearly when on the phone with someone. With a noise reduction rating of 25, raised buttons for easy accessibility, and a foam headband for extra comfort, you can't go wrong with the LINK 2.0 model. There's a reason why it's ISOtunes' best-selling model.
XTRA 2.0: These wireless earbuds are ideal for professionals who are frequently on the go. A neckband helps keep them in place securely on your head and side buttons make it easy for users to control. The XTRA 2.0 also features a 27 noise reduction rating, has a background isolating microphone for clear calls in loud environments, and features up to 11 hours of battery life before recharge is necessary. What's more is the XTRA 2.0 is so lightweight that it'll feel like it's not even there.
LITE: ISOtunes LITE earplugs offer Bluetooth technology, fine-fitting ear tips and up to 10 hours of battery life. LITE earplugs are sweat-proof, dust-proof and water-proof, suitable for any environment. The earbuds are able to fit snugly in the ear thanks to Secure-Fit technology, which helps prevent slippage. And there's a convenient, easy-to-use controller on the side that makes calling and volume controls a breeze. With a noise reduction rating of 26, 5.0 Bluetooth connectivity and a noise-isolating microphone, LITE is the perfect hearing protector for the lawn care and landscaping professional working daily in the field.
All of our headphones and headsets are designed to keep your ears safe, maintain productivity and increase your entertainment level while you're on the job. Built to last with a best-in-class one-year warranty, uses won't have to worry about premature failure when wearing ISOtunes. Ready to learn more? Click below to shop our full product line.
Looking to buy for your team?
We offer product fit consultations, risk-free demo programs, and bulk pricing for teams of 20+ users.
All of our headphones and headsets are designed to keep your ears safe, maintain productivity and increase your entertainment level while you're on the job. Built to last with a best-in-class one-year warranty, uses won't have to worry about premature failure when wearing ISOtunes. Ready to learn more? Click below to shop our full product line.
