Air-pods must be custom molded NSCA/NSSA (hearing)

NSCA reportedly had test run on Air-pods and found by themselves they do not protect hearing protection. They must be custom molded to offer adequate protection or designed in manufacturing to offer hearing protection.  At big ATA shoots you find people who do mold work

It's common to see people listening to music on the trap range shooting.  Not an ATA rule but the ones I've seen used were fitted to the shooter and thus provid protection.

Thinking about it I see a lot of young sporting refs wearing the Air-pods and didn't give it a second thought.  When I was attending a shoot in Florida about ten years ago, I refused to shoot until the young lady pulling targets put in her ear plugs.  I do take ear and eye protection seriously.  In skeet common to be hit by pellets. Knock you to your knees...

Haven't been paying attention to what people are using for protection. Just saw they had their "ears" on.

NSCA Sporting Clays

8.9 Hearing protection 

Hearing protection is compulsory for all shooters, referees, staff and members of the public on or in the proximity of a layout. Any shooter on a stand without hearing protection is considered absent and Article 16.7 applies. In all circumstances outside the clubhouse, children present on a range must wear hearing protection.

2. Mandatory Eye and Ear Protection—All persons, spectators, shooters, field judges and trap personnel, must wear eye and ear protection on the course at a tournament sanctioned by NSCA. Apple Air-pods and similar earbuds are not adequate ear protection unless custom molded to provide hearing protection. Earbuds specifically designed to offer hearing protection are acceptable.

NSSA Skeet

1. Eye and Ear Protection 

a. All persons (including shooters, referees and trap personnel) must wear adequate some form of eye and ear protection on a skeet range at a shoot sanctioned by NSSA.

b. Apple Air-pods and similar earbuds are not adequate ear protection unless custom molded to provide hearing protection. Earbuds specifically designed to offer hearing protection are acceptable.

c. While on the skeet field, the referee must wear adequate eye and ear protection, and is prohibited from using any type of listening device "earbuds” or “earphones” in lieu of standard hearing protection.