I’ve said it before, there was more technology than you could shake a gun at on display at SHOT SHOW 2024. Even when it wasn’t the most glamorous or “in your face electronics”, technology is making the shooting sports world better in a number of ways.
Always a “thing” with shooting is your hearing protection and there were plenty of examples of advanced hearing protection available. One I sat down and spent some time with was a company called Aware who has custom biometric wearable hearing protection. Yes, custom but in a way most people probably haven’t experience before.
Aware has developed a groundbreaking, patented ear scanner and in-ear wearable device that will revolutionize hearing protection AND continuous biometric wearables for preventative health and wellness monitoring. This is a 3D scanner called eFIT, that maps your ear canal in order to provide a uniquely personalized custom set of in-ear devices. I sat down and had both ears scanned in less than 5 minutes while sitting in their display area at the Harrah’s Forum. Simple, painless and oh so quickly done.
The tech is good but putting it to use and seeing real results takes a lot of study and research and then a good group / way of testing your product. Aware has been working with Lt Commander Kyle Shepard, a resident audiologist at Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division who is at the forefront of hearing research for the Navy. I was stationed on an Aircraft Carrier and later in my career spent to much time at the shooting range with standard old fashioned hearing protection that barely fit my ear so this was a big thing for me. https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/Article/3437151/the-navys-new-hearing-protection-made-to-measure-for-every-sailor/
The next generation of hearing protection will be very personnel and do more than just protect your hearing. Listen to Jon and judge for yourself! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SriI4w3IfI
What comes after protecting your hearing, your eyes of course and again, technology is enabling companies to make better eye protection and bring it to you.
As I went by their display I thought, “gee another eyewear company” and to an extent I was right. But they’re more than that and it comes from a very personal reason. The founder of the company, Don Bechtel lost an eye as a child but created a lasting legacy with his company. Now his Grandson, Mike Bechtel, continues his that vision with the same determination to produce eyewear that will protect the user’s eyes from almost any harm.
First exceptionally strong lenses crafted from shatterproof polycarbonate with a superior anti-scratch coating. Tested and approved by ANSI, (American National Standards Institute), all SSP sunglasses meet or exceed ANSI Z87+ and are marked as such. Each pair is tested with a complex machine that shoots a 1/4 inch steel ball at over 100MPH. That’s serious protection.
the lenses are made as high-quality optically correct Decentered Lenses. This makes them optically correct so that the center of the lenses align with your pupils and you don’t get a headache but you do get better vision with the elimination of the refraction on curved lenses.
Combine that technology with good fashion and frames that eliminate unwanted pressure points and you have SSP’s product lines of great eyewear. I tried on some of their models and I can agree with the quality of the lenses, crystal clear with an exceptional field of vision. Their wrap around design positions the lenses in a way that gives you the widest and clearest field of vision possible and I’d say they hit that mark solidly. Check out what Bill has to say about the company and their eyewear: https://youtu.be/F16vg1DDwUw
There was more to see for technology in all phases of the industry and I’m not even sure if I got a chance to pass by all of it. SHOT SHOW is huge but obviously there are some really great companies with products we can all use.
Garfield out.
