What is essential to wear while shooting for safety?

Wearing eye and hearing protection while shooting is essential for safety due to the inherent risks involved in firearms use. Eye protection guards against flying debris, ricochets, and splatter from the ammunition, which could cause serious injury to the eyes. Hearing protection is crucial as gunfire produces noise levels that can cause immediate and lasting damage to hearing.

In comparison, while gloves and a helmet may provide some degree of protection in specific contexts, they are not standard safety gear specifically tailored for shooting. A bulletproof vest is designed to provide protection from projectiles, but it isn’t necessary for every shooting scenario and does not protect the eyes or ears. Reflective clothing is useful in situational awareness, particularly in outdoor environments, but it does not enhance personal safety from the effects of gunfire. Therefore, the most critical items to protect oneself during shooting are the eye and hearing protection.