Our method
How we pick
Every pick on Bench & Berm is scored on a published rubric built from specs you can check. Here's the whole method, including what we don't claim.
By Mike M. · Updated September 2026
The short version
Most gear sites say they tested thirty earmuffs. We haven't put these on a sound meter, and we say so. What we do instead is compile each maker's published specs, check the standards they claim (the EPA-labeled NRR on hearing protection, the ANSI Z87.1 high-impact mark on glasses), read the manuals, and score everything on the weights below. Every spec on every product card links to the page it came from.
The two gates
Some products don't get scored at all, because they fail a gate first:
- Hearing protection must carry a published NRR. The Noise Reduction Rating is the number the US EPA requires on the package of hearing protectors sold here. A product that only publishes a European SNR doesn't qualify, because the two ratings aren't interchangeable. What the NRR means.
- Shooting glasses must be marked ANSI Z87.1 high impact (Z87+). If the maker's own page doesn't state it, the glasses don't make our lists, however good they look. Z87 vs Z87+, explained.
- Steel targets must come with a published minimum safe distance from their maker. See steel target safe distances.
What “Researched” means
Every pick carries an evaluation label. At launch, every one says Researched: chosen from published specs, manuals and standards, not tested by us. If we ever use a product ourselves, its card will say Hands-on with a dated note explaining exactly what was done. Scores are editorial judgments from that documented research, not lab results.
The rubrics
Each category has its own rubric, so a passive earmuff is never marked down for having no electronics and a target stand is never scored on hit feedback. Each metric is scored 0 to 10; the overall score is the weighted average, rounded to one decimal. A specification the maker doesn't publish scores lower, because you can't check it.
Electronic earmuffs
Gate: Must carry a US EPA Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) published by the maker. An SNR alone doesn't count.
| Metric | Weight | What we look at |
|---|---|---|
| Published NRR | 30% | The NRR printed on the EPA label, as the maker publishes it. |
| Fit with glasses & cup profile | 20% | Whether the maker describes a slim or low-profile cup that clears a rifle stock, and anything published about wearing it with glasses. |
| Electronics: amplification & shut-off | 20% | Sound amplification plus automatic shut-off of loud impulses, as the maker describes them. |
| Power: battery & auto-off | 15% | Battery type, published battery life and auto-off timer. |
| Comfort & adjustment | 15% | Headband adjustment, cushion type and any published weight or sizing. |
Passive earmuffs (adult and youth)
Gate: Must carry a US EPA NRR published by the maker.
| Metric | Weight | What we look at |
|---|---|---|
| Published NRR | 40% | The NRR printed on the EPA label. |
| Fit with glasses & cup profile | 25% | Cup profile and anything published about wearing it with glasses. |
| Folding & portability | 15% | Whether it folds and how compact it gets. |
| Comfort & adjustment | 20% | Headband adjustment, sizing (youth and small-head fits) and cushions. |
Earplugs and electronic earbuds
Gate: Must carry a US EPA NRR published by the maker. For electronic earbuds we quote the NRR for the named ear tip.
| Metric | Weight | What we look at |
|---|---|---|
| Published NRR | 40% | The NRR printed on the EPA label (for earbuds, the NRR for the tip we name). |
| Reusability | 20% | Disposable foam, washable reusable or rechargeable electronic. |
| Fit range & sizes | 20% | How many tip sizes or styles come in the box. |
| Works under muffs | 20% | Whether it sits flush enough to wear under earmuffs indoors. |
Shooting glasses (adult, over-the-glasses and youth)
Gate: Must be marked ANSI Z87.1 high impact (Z87+) on the maker's own page. No Z87+ mark, no pick.
| Metric | Weight | What we look at |
|---|---|---|
| Ballistic rating (MIL-PRF-32432) | 20% | Whether the maker states the MIL-PRF-32432 ballistic standard on top of Z87+. Nice to have; not needed for a first range trip. |
| Lens options & tints | 20% | How many lens tints are sold, and whether lenses swap. |
| Fit: OTG, youth, thin temples | 30% | Over-the-glasses sizing, youth or slim fits, and temple arms thin enough to sit under earmuffs. |
| Anti-fog & scratch coating | 30% | Anti-fog and anti-scratch coatings as the maker names them. |
Eye and ear protection combo kits
Gate: The muff must carry a published NRR. If the maker doesn't state a Z87.1 rating for the glasses, we say so on the card.
| Metric | Weight | What we look at |
|---|---|---|
| Published NRR | 30% | The NRR printed on the muff's EPA label. |
| Glasses impact rating as published | 30% | Whether the maker states a Z87.1 rating for the included glasses. |
| Fit & adjustment | 20% | Headband and frame adjustment; youth sizing where stated. |
| What's in the box | 20% | What's actually in the box (muffs, glasses, plugs, case). |
Range bags, backpacks, pistol cases and lock boxes
| Metric | Weight | What we look at |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 25% | Published volume or dimensions, and how many pistols it holds. |
| Organization | 25% | Dividers, pistol sleeves or rugs, magazine pouches and ammo storage. |
| Lockability | 20% | Lockable zippers, padlock holes or a built-in lock, as the maker states them. |
| Materials & build | 15% | Published fabric, shell and hardware. |
| Carry options | 15% | Handles, shoulder straps and backpack straps. |
Targets: paper, reactive, self-healing and steel
Gate: Steel targets must come with a minimum safe shooting distance published by their maker.
| Metric | Weight | What we look at |
|---|---|---|
| Hit visibility & feedback | 30% | How clearly a hit shows (color splatter, reactive rings, bright aiming points, sound on steel). |
| Indoor-range compatibility | 25% | Whether a typical indoor range will allow it. Paper usually yes; steel almost never. |
| Size & standard | 15% | Size and standard (bullseye, silhouette, B-27) for beginner distances. |
| Pack contents & portability | 30% | Targets and pasters per pack, and how easy it is to carry. |
Target stands and stand hardware
| Metric | Weight | What we look at |
|---|---|---|
| Stability | 35% | Base design, spikes or stakes, and how it handles wind as the maker describes it. |
| Portability & setup | 30% | Weight, folding and setup steps. |
| Target size it holds | 20% | What target size or backer it holds. |
| Materials & build | 15% | Published frame and backer materials. |
Cleaning kits and bore snakes
| Metric | Weight | What we look at |
|---|---|---|
| Caliber coverage | 30% | Which calibers the kit covers, as listed by the maker. |
| Component quality | 25% | Rod, cable, brush and jag materials as published. |
| Solvent & lube included | 15% | Whether solvent, lubricant or CLP comes in the box. |
| Storage & case | 15% | Case or organizer. |
| Easy for a first-timer | 15% | How many steps and pieces a first-timer has to manage. |
Range accessories: loaders, snap caps, staplers, lubricants, mats, wipes
| Metric | Weight | What we look at |
|---|---|---|
| Does the job as published | 35% | What the maker says it does, and whether that matches the job on this page. |
| Compatibility & fit | 25% | Which calibers, magazines or firearms it's listed for. |
| Easy for a first-timer | 20% | How easy it is for a new shooter to use correctly. |
| Durability as published | 20% | Published materials, warranty or life claims (labeled as the maker's claim). |
Where our facts come from
- Product specs: the maker's own product page, data sheet or manual. Marketing claims (battery life estimates, “highest protection”) are tagged “maker's claim.”
- Hearing: the EPA labeling rule for hearing protectors, OSHA's technical manual, NIOSH and the CDC, and ASHA.
- Eyes: OSHA's eye-protection rule and ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 as described by ISEA and eyewear makers.
- Safety and range rules: the NRA and NSSF safety rules, published range rules (quoted as examples, because every range sets its own), firearm makers' manuals, and federal law text for transport.
Why we don't print prices
Amazon sets its prices and changes them often. Rather than show a number that might be wrong by the time you read it, every buy button reads “Check price on Amazon” and takes you to the current listing. If we add live price data later, prices will show with an “as of” date and disappear automatically if they go stale.
Updates and removals
We re-check ranked lists every quarter: is the product still sold, has the maker replaced it, has its NRR or Z87 marking changed. A discontinued product comes off the list, and the page notes what changed and when. Our editorial policy covers corrections and independence.
Money never picks a winner
We earn a commission on some purchases through our links (details on the affiliate disclosure). Rankings are set by the rubric before we look at which retailer a link goes to, and no brand can pay for a position. Spot something wrong? Email mike@blackironathletics.com.