I have trouble with the foam ones you get at the drug store. When they work they are perfectly fine, but often I have trouble and it goes like this. I compress the ear plug but rolling it between my fingers, but before I can insert it into my ear, it expands. I mean the instant I stop rolling it. It is extremely frustrating. I am looking at getting re-usable custom ear plugs. A fellow Scrambler 1200 rider suggests earpeace off Amazon. Checking into those. What do you use?
Yeah, I have the same problem with the foam ones. I use ones that look kinda like this. Go in and out easy, stay in place, and cut the noise real well. But most importantly, no drama if you lose a pair. Just stop at the next hardware store you see and buy another pair for a couple dollars.
I use these too although they are free from work:grin2:
I think they offer the most noise reduction of the foam reusable type
The correct way to insert them is roll it between your finger and thumb and then reach over the top of your head with your opposite hand and pull up your ear lobe and then insert, it's a lot easier if you wet the ear plug in your mouth after rolling it. It should be in far enough that if you look in a mirror then the earplugs should be nearly invisible, if it's poking right out that it's not in far enough.
You can wash them and reuse them, you don't need to throw them away everytime.
I use the Laser Lite model. They are by far the best (most effective), most comfortable plugs I’ve ever used—and between the work that I do, motorcycle riding and playing music—I spend a significant amount of time with ear plugs in my ears.
Have used the earpiece earplugs this year. Very happy, cut the wind noise down considerably, still allows me to hear my coms device, used the middle filter, again recommend these highly!
Officially you're supposed to wet them with water to avoid infection, but like many other folk I mointen them in my mouth.
As well as the comfort and noise reduction, a big plus over the (often not so) cheap ear plugs is that the expand a little slower so you have more chance of inserting them.
In the UK I recently bought 200 pairs for £30 so I guess in the US that's about 20c per earplug. Not a massive investment!
You're supposed to wet them? Well that explains some things. Honeywell Laser Lites stay compressed just long enough but when my hands are real cold maybe a little moisture will help. Thanks for that tip!
I like the disposable blue NRR33 Extreme Hearos, after having tried the expensive motorcycle specific Nonoise earplugs (which fell short of its promise to cut wind noise). My ear canals must be freakishly small -- ex. standard sized earbuds fall out since they don't fit -- but after rolling and squishing the bejeezus out of the Hearos, they work really well every time. Maybe you gotta keep rolling and squishing?! : D
I have a pair of those I use when not riding. The problem I have with them on the bike is the part that sticks out to insert and remove. It pokes into the helmet and is not comfortable.
Check out McMaster Carr -mcmastercarr.com . Great selection of hearing protection. Super fast delivery (next day!) https://www.mcmaster.com/ear-protectors I’ve been using the ribbed kind as I have no luck with the foam ones either.
Custom made earplugs with interchangeble filters (road or concert).
They are more expensive but you'll get more comfort and they will last longer.
Even though they block the wind and road noise, I can still hear traffic and my intercom (even on low volume).
Mighty Plugs - Beeswax - Most comfortable as they don't go into ear canal - best noise reduction
Don't see many use them but I've tried a lot and these are by far the best for me
I am a musician so I invested in a set of custom molded earplugs from ACS Customs.
They're expensive, but SO worth it and I use them everywhere. Keeps the dB level down but lets me hear EVERYTHING. Music in my helmet, horns around me, even the sound of the engine super clearly--just quieter. About $200 including the impressions at your local ENT specialist (who usually will also check your hearing for free!).
I always recommend hi-fidelity earplugs to musicians and motorcyclists because you still want to hear as much as possible. The normal hi-fi plugs often stick out a little too much to easily get them under your helmet, so I recommend the brand Eargasm. They are low-profile and high-fidelity and come in a metallic carrying case. $40
Finally, I would also recommend a set of In-Ear-Monitors if you're the headphone type. Most brands come with multiple fittings including a memory foam which is similar to standard earplugs. IEMs differ from regular earbuds because they are designed to be low-profile while also staying securely in place by routing the wiring over the top and around the back of your ear. I use these on longer rides when I want to have some audio playing, and I usually don't need to have the volume much higher than halfway on my phone. I'd recommend the MEE Audio M6 Pro IEMs. $40 on Amazon.
When I need ear plugs to ride a bike, what I REALLY need is a quieter bike. My old America is a little loud, but not so much I need hearing protection. It is the loudest bike I have. ...J.D.
It's not the sound of my bike that concerns me.
I love its' sound and it poses no threat.
It's the air whistling through my helmet that concerns me, especially when my visor is down.
It's a Kickstarter project, so take that into consideration, but it does look interesting. Has 5 levels of noise cancellation, which you can set as you ride with a twist control, and it does the usual Bluetooth stuff.
I use a variety of different earplugs but there’s an important aspect to any of them: In order to insert them easily and effectively, you need to pull your ear out and back, maybe slightly up as you insert the plugs. With just a bit of experimenting you’ll soon get a feel for just how far out, back and up to get the opening and ear canal lined up just right.
I use purpose-specific custom-molded earplugs. One set for motorcycling, one set for playing in a band, and one set for the shooting range. All are made by Westone, but each offers a different type of sound level attenuation. For example, the shooting earplugs reduce all sound frequencies equally and very heavily, but that's not what you want when riding, where you want to cut wind noise but still be able to hear emergency vehicle sirens and car horns. Custom-molding also provides a much better seal in the ear, and greater levels of noise reduction, across all earplug types.
The only earplugs that work well (for me) are the foam ones shaped like a toadstool with a plastic shaft. Moisten the tip and shove it in your ear makes a sound seal. HOWEVER. I've got a boof head and when I put my helmet on it drags on the shaft and dislodges the earplug. To overcome this I got silicone moulded plugs that fit flush in your ear. These are boss until you get going whereupon they turn into bass boosters turning wind & engine noise into your own doof-doof house party. Also the silicone starts to irritate after a few hours. I've now resorted to a good windscreen with no plugs and sena intercom speakers so music drowns out the wind. (note it is not at eardrum splitting volume because of the windscreen). In short the best all-purpose plugs for me are the toadstool types but I just can't wear them in a helmet. If I want some shut-eye during a hurricane then the moulded silicone ones are best.
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