Howard Leight L0F Leightning Folding Ultraslim Earmuff — NRR 23
$25.99
Final price set by Amazon · may vary
EDITORIAL REVIEW: 4.3/5 — WC Safety Review of the howard leight l0f, the ultraslim folding earmuff that fits in the pocket that foam plugs keep falling out of. Editorial assessment by Steven Eaton, WC Safety editor,...
Check Price on Amazon🔒 Amazon Associate · You pay the same price · We earn a small commission
Zero Sponsored ListingsNo paid placements. Rankings are never sold or influenced by manufacturers.
Independent Product ResearchBuilt from manufacturer specifications, published standards information, and cited sources
Standards MatterRatings and markings vary by model and variant — verify the manufacturer’s documented rating for your hazard
Built for Industrial BuyersResearch written for safety managers, procurement teams, and field supervisors.
EDITORIAL REVIEW: 4.3/5 — WC Safety Review of the howard leight l0f, the ultraslim folding earmuff that fits in the pocket that foam plugs keep falling out of.
Editorial assessment by Steven Eaton, WC Safety editor, based on published Howard Leight specifications and category fit. We did not laboratory-test this product.
Editorial assessment by Steven Eaton, WC Safety editor, based on published Howard Leight specifications and category fit. We did not laboratory-test this product.
The Howard Leight Leightning L0F bets that the best hearing protection is the one you actually have with you: an ultralight, ultraslim NRR 23 muff that folds to about four inches and disappears into a jacket pocket or glovebox. Patented Air Flow Control keeps slim cups honest, a telescopic steel-wire headband survives being sat on, and snap-in cushions renew the seal for years.
CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON → SHOP EAR MUFFS →
As an Amazon Associate, WC Safety earns from qualifying purchases.
Why the Howard Leight L0F trades decibels for portability
Attenuation you don't carry protects nothing. The L0F's designers accepted a modest NRR 23 in exchange for a muff that folds to four inches and weighs almost nothing — the calculus of intermittent noise: mowing, shop errands, facility rounds, the tasks where big industrial muffs get left behind. Our full L0F review rates it 4.3/5, and the best passive ear muffs guide maps where packable slim muffs beat bigger numbers.
Safety first: NRR 23 is a laboratory value — real-world attenuation is typically lower, and hearing conservation programs derate the rating when calculating protected exposure. An ultraslim muff is a lower-noise tool: sustained loud equipment, doubled protection requirements, or anything that leaves your ears ringing calls for an NRR 30-class muff or muff-plus-plug. Measure per the OSHA 1910.95 hearing conservation guide and match the number to the noise.
What the listing documents
From the published specs: an ultralight folding ultraslim earmuff rated NRR 23; collapses to about four inches for storage; patented Air Flow Control technology; a telescopic steel-wire headband; snap-in replaceable ear cushions; model R-01523. In the nrr 23 ear muffs class the howard leight leightning l0f distinguishes itself on maintainability — snap-in cushions renew the seal that other compact muffs let quietly die — and among ultraslim ear muffs it's the one built around a headband that tolerates pockets.
Where the L0F sits in the Leightning line
The Leightning passive ladder climbs by noise level: this L0F at NRR 23 for lighter exposures, the L1 as the range-oriented step, the L2F pairing mid-level attenuation with the same folding trick, and the L3 at NRR 30 — the line's flagship for demanding industrial and range use. Reviews of the L2F and L3 compare the tiers directly; Honeywell's industrial VeriShield VS120 covers the oil-and-grime shop niche the Leightning line doesn't chase.
Matching NRR 23 to your noise
The honest math: derate the rating per your program, then confirm the protected level clears 85 dBA — the NRR explained guide and the calculation walkthrough make it a five-minute exercise. Mowers, shop vacs, and most consumer power tools sit comfortably inside a sealed NRR 23; chainsaws, chippers, and sustained industrial noise don't. The when-do-you-need-hearing-protection pillar maps thresholds to tasks, and ear plugs vs ear muffs covers when a pocketable muff beats foam plugs — hygiene, dirty hands, and on-off convenience are the muff's turf.
Ownership: cushions, storage, and crew orders
Fold it closed for storage and the cushions stay clean — one more advantage over loose muffs in a truck box. Snap in fresh cushions when the old ones stiffen or stop rebounding; the seal is the protection, and replacements take seconds. Prefer folding with hi-viz compliance colors? The VeriShield VS120FHV folds the same way at NRR 27. Crews wanting audio or ambient awareness should compare electronic vs passive designs, the electronic shooting muffs guide, and the best hearing protection overview; jobsite picks live in the construction ear muffs guide and the full hearing protection collection. For crew orders, quantity purchasing runs through a free Amazon Business account — volume pricing, PO numbers at checkout, and tax-exempt eligibility for qualifying organizations, with the walkthrough linked in our footer.
What the NRR on the box is, and is not
The Noise Reduction Rating is a labelling requirement, not a performance promise. It is mandated by the EPA under 40 CFR Part 211, Subpart B and derived from laboratory testing to ANSI S3.19, on trained subjects under ideal fit conditions.
Attenuation achieved in the field is materially lower, which both regulators acknowledge. OSHA 1910.95 Appendix B converts the rating for A-weighted measurement by subtracting 7, and OSHA separately recommends halving the result as a safety factor; NIOSH derates earmuffs by 25%. At or above an eight-hour TWA of 85 dBA the employer owes a full hearing conservation program — audiometric testing, training and protector choice — not simply a rated product.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Howard Leight L0F?
The entry point of the Leightning passive line: an ultralight, folding ultraslim earmuff rated NRR 23 that collapses to about four inches. Patented Air Flow Control technology, a telescopic steel-wire headband, and snap-in replaceable cushions complete the package.
Who is an NRR 23 muff right for?
Lower-noise environments - shop visits, mowing, general facility work - where noise is real but not extreme, and where a muff that actually gets carried beats a bigger number left in a drawer. Sustained loud industrial exposure deserves the L3 or another NRR 30-class muff.
How small does it fold?
To roughly four inches - jacket-pocket and glovebox territory. That's the L0F's core argument: hearing protection that travels with you instead of waiting where you left it.
What is Air Flow Control?
Howard Leight's patented cup acoustics: it manages sound across frequencies so slim, light cups deliver more attenuation than their bulk suggests. It's the same technology that lets the flagship L3 hit NRR 30 without oversized cups.
What are snap-in cushions worth?
Cushions are the seal, and they wear out. Snap-in replacements renew the L0F in seconds without tools - cheaper than replacing the muff and better than tolerating a hardened, leaking seal.
L0F or L2F - which folding Leightning?
Noise level: the L0F is the ultraslim NRR 23 for lighter exposure; the L2F carries mid-level attenuation in a similar folding format. Pick by your measured noise, not by the folding feature they share.
L0F or L3 - where's the line?
The L3 is the top of the Leightning passive line at NRR 30 for demanding industrial and range use; the L0F is the packable lightweight for lower-noise tasks. If you double protection or work near sustained loud equipment, step up.
Is NRR 23 enough for mowing and power tools?
Usually - typical mowers and consumer power tools sit in the range where a well-sealed NRR 23 muff protects comfortably after derating. Chainsaws, chippers, and all-day loud equipment justify more attenuation.
Will it fit over safety glasses?
Yes, with the standard caveat: temple arms crossing the cushion cost real attenuation. Thin, flat temples minimize the leak on any muff, slim cups included.
Is it electronic?
No - it's a passive muff with nothing to charge. If you want ambient awareness or audio, that's the electronic category; the L0F's job is simple, packable attenuation.
When should I replace the cushions?
When they stiffen, crack, or stop rebounding - a hardened cushion leaks decibels silently. With snap-in replacements there's no excuse to keep a dead seal in service.
How do I order for a crew?
Quantity purchasing runs through a free Amazon Business account - volume pricing, PO numbers at checkout, and tax-exempt eligibility for qualifying organizations. The bulk-ordering walkthrough is linked in our site footer.
Brand / Vendor
Howard Leight
Model / SKU
R-01523
Product Type
Ear Muffs
Price
$25.99 (Amazon)
Rating
4.6 / 5 — 2490 Amazon ratings
Availability
Check current availability on Amazon
No Paid Placements
Every product earns its place on documented safety credentials and specifications — never advertising spend.
Industrial Grade Only
Coverage focuses on equipment built for professional use in manufacturing, construction, and industrial environments.
Independent Product Research
Product information is compiled from manufacturer specifications, published standards information, compatibility data, and other cited sources.
Affiliate Disclosure
WC Safety may earn commissions from qualifying purchases made through affiliate links. Affiliate relationships never change the specifications presented.
Verified Buyer Reviews
Customer Reviews
★★★★★4.6 / 5· 2,490 ratings on Amazon
★★★★★
Excellent, Comfortable, Effective, & Inexpensive
The overall quality of these Leightning L3 Earmuffs are EXCELLENT. They are very comfortable to wear for extended periods. They are extremely effective at suppressing loud noise. . . and they are startlingly inexpensive.I've had mine for about a month now, and I use them weekly for shooting firearms. LOUD firearms. . . with several other shooters firing very close to me. Typically I ALWAYS wear BOTH earplugs AND earmuffs when I go shooting. With these, I find that there is little actual difference if I skip wearing earplugs with them.Frankly, I am surprised that there are ANY people on here who gave bad reviews, but I guess there will always be certain people who will find something to complain about. . . even if you gave it to them for free. Listen, I suppose it's possible that there could be better earmuffs out there. . . especially if you have loads of money to burn, and cost is no object. But seriously, for $20, I really think that these are pretty hard to beat. Heck, at ANY price, I think these are pretty hard to beat.** NOTE ** I've read some other buyers complaints that these muffs are not adjustable, and that they were too small to fit their heads and reach their ears. I think that's probably because they couldn't figure out how to adjust them. It took me a few minutes to figure it out myself: The way you adjust them is to pull the metal headband wire out of the black plastic mounting swivels which are mounted on the plastic ear-cups. When the muffs are shipped, they are fully collapsed down to their smallest size, with the metal headband wire pieces pushed all the way down into the black plastic swivels. It's actually a FAR better design than my old earmuffs which adjusted by telescoping the top of the headband instead.Bottom line? Buy 'em & don't look back. I've used alot of earmuffs over the years, and these are the best ones I've had yet.
Verified Purchaser · November 2 · ✓ Amazon Verified Purchase
★★★★★
Hearing pro for the office and outdoors
I picked these up for some quiet in a crowded office with talkative coworkers. Great for blocking out noise! I can still hear muffled voices if I focus on them, but it's much easier to ignore them. They're comfortable to wear, even with blue light, computer glasses. I'll have to see how long I can wear them comfortably, as they are snug. If I had to complain about something, they're rather stiff and tough to adjust. Then, if you fold them up, you have to adjust them to fit your head when you open them again.Amazon suggests that I also mention the fantastic battery life! They last forever on no charge with no batteries, almost like they were passive earmuffs. And they are black, just like the product pictures.
Verified Purchaser · December 1 · ✓ Amazon Verified Purchase
★★★★★
Excellent Value
Fit great and incredible sound hearing protection. Very satisified especially for the price!
Verified Purchaser · June 2, 20 · ✓ Amazon Verified Purchase
★★★★☆
Compact, comfortable, great value, decent NR
These are very nice, affordable, "no frills" earmuffs for the shooting range. They fold up compactly, fit snugly, seal well around the ears, and dampen gunshots to a comfortable level. I particularly like the soft, thin, flexible headband. It feels more comfortable than some of the thicker plastic bands on other earmuffs I've owned. The muffs are reasonably adjustable for different head sizes. In my case, I need them fully extended to fit well. The noise reduction rating is sufficient to reduce gunfire to a comfortable level, yet mild enough that you can still have a conversation with someone without having to raise your voice very much. I think it's a good balance.One (minor) downside is that you can't leave the earmuffs adjusted to the proper length for your head. You have to compress them back down to the shortest setting in order for the earmuffs to fold up inside the headband properly for compact storage. I don't see this as a problem, but some people may find it irritating. Also, I wonder how long the adjustable wires that attach the earmuffs to the headband will last. They don't seem cheap, but they aren't very robust either. I hope they'll hold up well and have no reason to doubt them yet, but they're small enough that I wonder if they may bend or break over time--especially since they need to be adjusted every time I don or stow these earmuffs. For under $20, it's worth the risk.The earmuffs may also interfere with some safety glasses, depending on the thickness and shape of the frames/sides on your glasses. Mine have very flat sides that fit fairly close to my head and run straight back to my ears, so the earmuffs seal fine over them and around my ear. However, if you wear glasses that have flared or curved sides that stand out from the sides of your head a bit, they may not fit well with these earmuffs, or the cups may not seal around your ear properly.
Verified Purchaser · May 31, 20 · ✓ Amazon Verified Purchase
★★★★★
Comfortable & Effective
I compared several ear protectors and this was the best one:Best: Leightning L3 R-03318: Howard Leight R-03318 Leightning L3 Shooter's Premium EarmuffNRR rating 30Attenuation at various frequencies: 34 at 125, 36 at 500, 38 at 1000, 44 at 4000, 45 at 8000Very comfortable, lightweight, fully adjustable without fear of breaking it, padded headband.Muffles office chatter, typing, and lighting or computer humming very well. Does something, but not enough, to block loud mechanical hums and banging.Bottom line: This is my new favorite. It's so comfortable!Acceptable: AO Safety 90559 AO Safety 90559 Folding EarmuffNRR rating 21Attenuation at various frequencies: Don't knowComfortable, lightweight. Plastic unpadded headband adjusts in preset increments, and you have to be gentle when you put it on to avoid breaking it; the plastic broke after a couple years.Reduces the volume of voices but doesn't block them, muffles lighting or computer humming, actually amplifies the sound of typing.Bottom line: Despite its lower NRR rating, I used this one for years and liked it a lot.Uncomfortable: Peltor Optime 105 H10A Peltor H10A Optime 105 Over-the-Head EarmuffNRR rating 30Attenuation at various frequencies: 21 at 125, 37 at 500, 41 at 1000, 43 at 4000, 41 at 8000Uncomfortably tight fit, heavier than the others, padded adjustable headband.Muffles office chatter, typing, and lighting or computer humming well. Does something, but not enough, to block loud mechanical hums and banging. (Same effectiveness as the Leightning)Bottom line: This was effective but so uncomfortable squeezing my head I didn't want to wear it. And I have a small-ish head.Unwearable: Tasco Golden Eagle 2950 Tasco 210-02950 29db Golden Eagle Blk 1pos Ovr-The-Head Earmuff(sold by another vendor as "built to military specifications", no brand name given, at twice the price)NRR rating 29Attenuation at various frequencies: 21 at 125, 36 at 500, 43 at 1000, 37 at 4000, 36 at 8000Very uncomfortable. The adjustable headband looks padded, but in reality there's a piece of unpadded plastic that digs straight into the sides of your head.Did not block sound for me at all, because the earpieces were too big for my head, leaving a gap. Maybe this would fit better on a man with a big head.Bottom line: Hated it.
Verified Purchaser · January 29 · ✓ Amazon Verified Purchase
★★★★★
Good Earmuffs Make All The Difference
I bought these Howard Leight LOF earmuffs after using a cheap pair of another brand for many years. Makes all the difference in the world! These earmuffs are well made and lightweight. They fit my head gently and well. The old ear muffs squeezed my head and ears. Gave me a light headache. No one in my family wanted to wear them.The slim profile of these LOF earmuffs help them to be lightweight and compact and interfere less with the stock when shooting a rifle. If you wear them during outdoor shooting, the lower noise reduction of the earmuffs is fine. However, I recommend using ear plugs with the earmuffs if you are shooting at an indoor range. I bought a pair of Howard Leight L3 earmuffs for use at an indoor range because they have a higher noise reduction rating. They are equally comfortable and tame the harsh noise at an indoor range.The price of the earmuffs is great and Amazon Prime free shipping makes it a great value.I wish I had bought these LOF earmuffs a long time ago... I'll be buying another pair or two in the near future.
Verified Purchaser · April 28, · ✓ Amazon Verified Purchase
★★★★★
Great performance for the price, just know what you are buying and you will be happy
I was looking for a low profile, lightweight, folding compact ear muff to use at the gun range, and low and behold I found it on Amazon.Other reviewers complain that the fit is tight... well yeah it's only common sense that it has a tighter fit because 1) it is lighter than other big heavy ear muffs(like Peltor), and 2) the low profile ear pieces aren't as deep as other ear muffs so it needs to put more pressure on your head so that it seals the sound out effectively. Sure, it doesn't suppress the gun shots as much as the Peltor Ultimate 10 which has a NRR of 30, but what do you expect for having folding earmuffs that weigh 3.2 ounces less(the Peltor Ultimate 10 is 11.2 ounces)?They work fine with my Radians Revelation Protective Shooting Glasses... some other reviewers complain that wearing shooting glasses with these muffs will let sound into the seal around the ear. Well, sorry to bust your bubble but any ear muff will suffer a little bit if wearing shooting glasses with them. I use Radians Revelation Protective Shooting Glasses and they work extremely well with these L0F earmuffs, I just angle the ear pieces up 30 degrees so they are not resting on my ears... instead they are up on the side of my head and not interfering with the ear muffs. Perfect!Another added benefit of these ear muffs is that they will not interfere with the stock of your rifle when looking down the sights because of their low profile. Any other big ear muffs will interfere for sure.For their design and price, these Howard Leight ear muffs are excellent! Just know what you are buying so you don't expect the same performance of a larger, bulkier ear muff.
Verified Purchaser · June 4, 20 · ✓ Amazon Verified Purchase
★★★☆☆
Decent but there are more better and cheap options
Alright, so I had this ear pro and it is really good in terms of comfort. You also get somewhat decent hearing protection when firing guns and it is is slim enough to allow you to mount your guns easily. The foam is recessed inside the ear pro for more room which is why you can wear it for long hours. The cons is that you can get a cheaper pair of walker ear protection muffs which is slimmer due to tapering downwards, has more substantially mlre foam than the howard leight LF2, and will reduce sound much more effectively. These are decent headphones in that if you double up, it will be more comfortable than walkers. However the walkers will be much more quiet.
Verified Purchaser · March 22, · ✓ Amazon Verified Purchase
★★★★★
preserve your hearing
The Howard Leight brand of hearing protection is just about the best one can buy.
Verified Purchaser · June 17, 2 · ✓ Amazon Verified Purchase
★★★★★
Ear Protection
These were purchased to cut down the level of noise when I till my soil using a gas powered tiller. Once you get a solid fit you will be protected. They are also easy to clean with a micro fiber towel. I got the black and they look sleek and stylish. Lawn cutting season is coming and I plan on using them then as well. Other people buy them for firearm related activities so they are versatile for many people. Its a purchase that you will make once and will end up keeping for many years and using for various tasks. Can't go wrong with buying something like that. Photos if product after one use and wiped down.
Verified Purchaser · April 1, 2 · ✓ Amazon Verified Purchase
Showing 10 of 2,490 Amazon reviews.
Share Your Experience
Write a Review
Thank you for your review!
Your submission has been received and will be published after verification.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Howard Leight L0F?
The entry point of the Leightning passive line: an ultralight, folding ultraslim earmuff rated NRR 23 that collapses to about four inches. Patented Air Flow Control technology, a telescopic steel-wire headband, and snap-in replaceable cushions complete the package.
Who is an NRR 23 muff right for?
Lower-noise environments - shop visits, mowing, general facility work - where noise is real but not extreme, and where a muff that actually gets carried beats a bigger number left in a drawer. Sustained loud industrial exposure deserves the L3 or another NRR 30-class muff.
How small does it fold?
To roughly four inches - jacket-pocket and glovebox territory. That's the L0F's core argument: hearing protection that travels with you instead of waiting where you left it.
What is Air Flow Control?
Howard Leight's patented cup acoustics: it manages sound across frequencies so slim, light cups deliver more attenuation than their bulk suggests. It's the same technology that lets the flagship L3 hit NRR 30 without oversized cups.
What are snap-in cushions worth?
Cushions are the seal, and they wear out. Snap-in replacements renew the L0F in seconds without tools - cheaper than replacing the muff and better than tolerating a hardened, leaking seal.
L0F or L2F - which folding Leightning?
Noise level: the L0F is the ultraslim NRR 23 for lighter exposure; the L2F carries mid-level attenuation in a similar folding format. Pick by your measured noise, not by the folding feature they share.
L0F or L3 - where's the line?
The L3 is the top of the Leightning passive line at NRR 30 for demanding industrial and range use; the L0F is the packable lightweight for lower-noise tasks. If you double protection or work near sustained loud equipment, step up.
Is NRR 23 enough for mowing and power tools?
Usually - typical mowers and consumer power tools sit in the range where a well-sealed NRR 23 muff protects comfortably after derating. Chainsaws, chippers, and all-day loud equipment justify more attenuation.
Will it fit over safety glasses?
Yes, with the standard caveat: temple arms crossing the cushion cost real attenuation. Thin, flat temples minimize the leak on any muff, slim cups included.
Is it electronic?
No - it's a passive muff with nothing to charge. If you want ambient awareness or audio, that's the electronic category; the L0F's job is simple, packable attenuation.
When should I replace the cushions?
When they stiffen, crack, or stop rebounding - a hardened cushion leaks decibels silently. With snap-in replacements there's no excuse to keep a dead seal in service.
How do I order for a crew?
Quantity purchasing runs through a free Amazon Business account - volume pricing, PO numbers at checkout, and tax-exempt eligibility for qualifying organizations. The bulk-ordering walkthrough is linked in our site footer.