If you’ve been following Ghost Hunters Equipment for a while, you may remember that we’ve talked about the Estes Method before. It’s one of those paranormal investigation techniques that continues to spark curiosity because it changes the way investigators approach spirit communication.
Recently, we were reminded just how much interest there is in the Estes Method when a grandfather reached out to us looking for help putting together an Estes Method setup as a gift for his granddaughter.
We thought that was pretty awesome.
He wanted to give her something she could actually use during her own paranormal investigations—not just another piece of equipment to put on a shelf. So we helped him assemble everything she would need.
And that got us thinking: Why not make it easier for everyone?
So now, we’ve put together an Estes Method Kit that includes the essentials you need to try the method yourself: the HEXBOX, an eye mask, and headphones.
What Is the Estes Method?
The Estes Method is a paranormal investigation technique developed by members of the Estes Method team in Colorado. It became particularly well known through paranormal television and online investigations.
The basic idea is simple.
One investigator wears headphones connected to a spirit communication device and an eye mask that prevents them from seeing what is happening around them. They then listen to the audio coming through the device and say aloud the words or phrases they believe they are hearing.
Meanwhile, another investigator asks questions without telling the person wearing the headphones what has been asked.
The interesting part is that the person receiving the audio doesn't know what questions are being asked.
If a response seems to correspond with a question, the investigators can document it and look at the results afterward.
That separation between the person asking questions and the person receiving the audio is what makes the Estes Method so interesting.
Why Use an Eye Mask and Headphones?
At first, wearing an eye mask and headphones might seem like an unusual way to conduct an investigation.
That's actually the point.
The headphones provide an isolated audio experience, while the eye mask eliminates visual cues. The person participating in the Estes Method isn't watching the equipment, watching other investigators, or seeing what is happening in the room.
This can help reduce some of the unconscious cues that can influence a traditional spirit-box session.
The investigator isn't trying to interpret what someone else is saying or reacting to something they see. Instead, they're simply reporting what they hear.
And that's where things can get interesting.
The HEXBOX and the Estes Method
Our HEXBOX makes a great addition to an Estes Method setup.
The HEXBOX is designed for paranormal investigators and offers multiple scanning modes, including Standard, Channel Hop, and Channel Skip. It also features an adjustable sweep rate, a Disconnect Antenna function, and a Word Bank function using an SD card.
For an Estes session, the HEXBOX provides the audio source for the person wearing the headphones.
The rest of the team can then conduct the session around them, asking questions and documenting exactly what happens.
As with any spirit communication technique, it's important to approach the results objectively. A word or phrase coming through a scanning device isn't automatically proof of paranormal activity. Environmental sounds, radio fragments, audio artifacts, expectation, and coincidence can all play a role.
That's why documentation is so important.
Record your sessions. Write down the questions. Note the responses. Don't change the questions after the fact. And, whenever possible, have someone who wasn't involved in the session review the recording.
The goal isn't simply to get an exciting response.
The goal is to see whether the response can be independently connected to the question.
We’ve Talked About the Estes Method Before…
We've covered the Estes Method before because it's a technique we think investigators should know about.
But helping that grandfather put together a kit for his granddaughter made us look at it a little differently.
Paranormal investigating is often something that gets passed from one generation to another. Maybe a parent takes their child on their first ghost tour. Maybe a grandparent introduces their grandchild to paranormal history. Or maybe someone simply sees an investigation online and decides they want to try it themselves.
Having the right equipment makes it easier to get started.
Instead of hunting down each individual component, we've taken the guesswork out of putting together a basic Estes Method setup.
Introducing Our Estes Method Kit
Our new Estes Method Kit includes:
HEXBOX – Your audio source for the session
Eye Mask – Helps eliminate visual cues for the listener
Headphones – Allows the listener to focus on the audio coming from the HEXBOX
That's everything you need to start experimenting with the Estes Method.
Whether you're putting together your first paranormal investigation kit, looking for a unique gift for a paranormal enthusiast, or simply want to try a different investigation technique, the Estes Method is a fun experiment to add to your next investigation.
And honestly, we think the grandfather who put one together for his granddaughter had a pretty great idea.
Give the Estes Method a Try
One of the best things about paranormal investigating is that there isn't just one way to do it.
You can investigate with EMF meters, REM-style detectors, spirit boxes, thermal cameras, SLS cameras, static detectors, trigger objects, and plenty of other tools. The Estes Method is another way to structure an investigation and see what happens when you remove some of the normal sensory information from the equation.
Will every session produce a mysterious response?
Probably not.
Will some sessions give you something you'll want to analyze again and again?
That's part of the fun.
If you've been wanting to try the Estes Method, we've made it easy to get started.
Check out our Estes Method Kit featuring the HEXBOX, eye mask, and headphones, and put the method to the test during your next investigation.
And if you're already an Estes Method investigator, we'd love to hear about your experiences. Sometimes the most interesting paranormal evidence comes from simply trying something a little different.
