This is a review of two related items: ~ Walker's Razor Slim Electronic Muff (RSEM) light teal color (ASIN: B076HG138S; item model number: GWP-RSEM-LTL; price on 2025/05/23: $32.79; price 2025/05/30: $46.46) ~ Walker's Walkie Talkie (WT) attachment (ASIN: B07QFCP93T; item model number: GWP-RZRWT; price on 2015/05/23: $26.20; price today: $28.99 down from $49.99) I've used the Howard Leight Impact Sport (HLIS) electronic earmuffs for years, so some portion of this review will be in comparison to the HL. The Walker's RSEM is very similar to HLIS in design and in function. The headband, the muffs, and the general construction is very similar as if they copied each other's design. The RSEM (just like the HLIS) has a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of low to mid 20s. For hearing protection while shooting, I don't consider 20 dB of reduction to be adequate, and I usually wear NRR 30 disposable foam earplugs under the muffs. Because the amplified electronic earmuff volume can be turned up, NRR 30 earplugs would be fine to wear underneath. In a traditional non-electronic earmuff, wearing foam ear plugs underneath maybe too much attenuation if you want to have a conversation with someone. The RSEM (just like the HLIS) has a slim design. Collapsed, they are moderately compact, and do not take up a lot of space in the shooting bag. The RSEM (just like the HLIS) has an auxiliary headphone jack, so you can plug in an audio plug to listen to music, or use this jack to plug in a two way radio attachment. Walker's makes the WT attachment which is affordable and easy to use. Meanwhile, I'm not able to easily find a simple solution for the lay shooter using the HLIS. There is no active noise cancellation, however, I could say this offers active noise reduction with passive noise isolation; noise isolation from the ear muffs, and noise reduction from the microcircuit that selectively amplifies ambient noise except for loud noises. The RSEM comes in many colors and designs, and while they retail for $79.99 on Amazon, some can be found on sale for around $32. It's hard to find them all and compare prices on Amazon because they're not all on the same Amazon page. Currently, it looks like the Razor Tacti-Grip Slim Electronic muff (ASIN: B08LXS9B9M; item model number: GWP-RSEMRH) is the least expensive at $34.45. The Howard Leight does offer some color and design options, but far fewer than Walker's does. These retail for $90 to $110 on Amazon, and some can be found as low as $60. The RSEM (just like the HLIS) is not that comfortable to wear, but it's tolerable for a few hours. They can be worn over a baseball cap. They won't fit very well over a normal thickness beanie. Now, onto the Walker's WT attachment. This is thing that sets the RSEM apart from the HLIS. This attachment is affordable, easy to install, easy to use, and requires no other equipment. (In contrast, I did come across two way radio adapters that turn a handheld radio and the HLIS into a communication device, but that's not quite affordable or easy to use.) After I installed three AAA batteries into the WT attachment, I attached it to the RSEM. The instructions didn't mention removing the rubber cap to the headphone jack, but I felt this was necessary for a good fit. I was initially unable to hear any received transmission. After a few moments, I found that this was because the WT attachment didn't fit onto the muff very well, and the plug wasn't fully seated into the jack. With some force, I was able to mate the WT attachment to the RSEM, and was able to hear received transmission. The mic seems a little short, but it picks up well even with VOX. There is a bit of delay from the time I start speaking until VOX activates. If you're familiar with two-way radio operation especially on a related frequency, you would know that you have to give it about a second after you key the mic to start taking, else you cut yourself off: it's almost like that. On the WT attachment, I don't think it's that it won't start transmitting, but I think the issue is the VOX activation is not fast enough. The solution is to talk like an airline pilot. "Uhhhhhhhh, this is your captain speaking...." The only adjustments to the VOX sensitivity is "HI" or "LO," so fine tuning may be necessary to talk louder or softer, or adjust the microphone placement away or closer to the mouth. I wish it had infinite sensitivity adjustment using a dial, and I wish it worked better. Being able to use the full list of 22 FRS frequencies is nice, unlike cheap walkie talkies that only offer 10 or so. The priority channel feature is nice and could come in handy at a large event when users are on different frequencies: this is basically a scan feature. The audio quality is OK, but this is a $50 toy radio, I guess. The 99 sub channels are not really sub channels, but by using CTCSS, transmission from radios not using the same CTCSS is not heard on the handset. Wikipedia has a good explanation: "CTCSS tone codes are sometimes referred to as sub-channels, but this is a misnomer because no additional radio channels are created. All users with different CTCSS tones on the same channel are still transmitting on the identical radio frequency, and their transmissions interfere with each other; however; the interference is masked under most conditions. Although it provides some protection against interference, CTCSS does not offer any security against interception or jamming, and receivers without CTCSS enabled will still hear all traffic." Being an FRS radio, if you use this in a busy area, you may unfortunately have to hunt for an open frequency. My only concern with the WT attachment is wether the WT attachment would stay properly mated to the RSEM during movements. I can pull on the bottom of the WT attachment and partially unplug it moderately easily even with the top clamp on. It may be that the plastic moulding of the RSEM or WT attachment is inconsistent, and some reshaping or modification is needed. I'll continue to monitor, and see if I can identify an easy solution. Overall, this is a great solution for on the shooting range.
