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Question....I know ear plugs are a good thing

C

coolrogue1

Training Wheels
I must admit I started riding bikes way before anyone ever thought of wearing earplugs...But after 40 plus years riding bikes and a stint in the Navy working around jet aircraft I want to keep what hearing I have left.  I have heard from multiple sources that the "foam" earplugs aren't good for all day riding, they get painful after a couple of hours.  So what do you use?  Are custom molded earplugs worth the expense?
 
coolrogue1 said:
I have heard from multiple sources that the "foam" earplugs aren't good for all day riding, they get painful after a couple of hours.  So what do you use?  Are custom molded earplugs worth the expense?
Click to expand...

Your mileage may vary, of course, but I have been using 3M Classic foam earplugs (the yellow cylindrical shaped ones) for years and have never had a comfort issue.  Not sure how a soft, expandable piece of foam could become painful, but different strokes for different folks I guess.  I do recommend staying away from those types of foam earplugs with the extremely smooth outer surface like those cone shaped orange ones you see. 

But before I'd drop a bunch of money on custom plugs, I'd give the foam a try. 
 
I use the foam ones but they make it hard to hear my Sena when riding double. There are the regular sized ones like you get at Lowes and I've tried the HEEROS (sp?) that are bigger. To me, the bigger ones expand with more force and better fill my ear, so I tend to like the smaller ones better. But  yes, after a couple of  hours, plugs can get painful, don't know why. The flip side is they work better. I can't ride more than a couple of hours anyway and if I stop and take them out, my ears seems to rest and recover for another couple of hours. s
 
I use silicone earplugs that mold into your ear.  Inexpensive to buy from Walmart.

My Sena sounds good with them in.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mack-s-Pillow-Soft-Earplugs-Kids-Size-6-Pairs-Pack-of-2/46228987

k2-_885ad859-e11f-410f-b0cd-c33267d69d90.v1.jpg
 
ron203 said:
I use the foam ones but they make it hard to hear my Sena when riding double.
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That's interesting.  My 3M's scrub just the right amount of high tinny off my Sena speakers making for great audio.  I did have to build up the area behind the speakers some to move them a little closer to my ears to have sufficient sound level.  As set now, I can hear Seger's Hollywood Nights fine running along at 90 mph.  Of course, the song is what got me going that fast in first place!  It's just one of those pedal to the metal songs...

ManWorkingHere said:
[size=12pt]I use silicone earplugs that mold into your ear.
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The silicone earplugs work extremely well, but I find them more difficult to pull out and put back in when you make a stop.
 
Howard Leight by Honeywell Max Lite Low Pressure Disposable Foam Earplugs from Amazon work ver well for me.
 
Concur with Howard Leight. I alternate between Laser Lites and Max Lites, which are the same shape but slightly smaller. Wear them all day long without discomfort. If you've never worn earplugs, there could be an acclimation period for you. I've been wearing foam plugs of all styles for 30 years at work and these are by far the best ever. You will just have to try several to find what works for you.
 

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I couldn't get the foam ones to consistently seal. It was aggravating to be going down the road, move my jaw, and then have a little extra noise in one ear.

When I was over in Daytona for Bike Week, I had the guys from Fit-Ear do a custom pair. They are perfect for me, and although I have to crank the Sena 10S up almost to the maximum, it's worth it not to have the annoyance.

About a month ago I tried the Radians do-it-yourself custom plugs. I picked them up from the local Bass Pro, but you can also get them through gun shops and, of course, Amazon. I find them almost as good and as comfortable as the Fit-Ear ones. For $16, it's a cheap custom solution. (Check the date on the package; if they are more than about three months old there are reports of trouble getting a good finished product.)
 
I used silicone plugs for a while, but after I got my new helmet, it was impossible to remove said helmet without bumping the plugs and pushing them way in against my inner ear, which hurt a bit.  So, I switched to Hearos Ultimate Softness disposable plugs.  I use them for riding, and I honestly end up forgetting they're there most days while I'm on the road.  I also sleep with them in some nights, just because I'm such a light sleeper and any little noise wakes me up these days.  After 8-10 hours, I sometimes wake up in the morning with some soreness in my ear, but it goes away after about an hour.  If you're not using them more than 6-8 hours at a stretch, you shouldn't have any issues, I'd think.

I'll get about 3-5 uses out of a pair of them before the foam starts to degrade a bit, and then I just toss 'em and get a new one.  You can get a box of 30 or so from Amazon pretty cheap -- about seven bucks, last I checked: https://www.amazon.com/Hearos-Ultimate-Softness-Earplugs-20-Pair/dp/B001EPQ3H4/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1466012673&sr=8-1&keywords=hearos+ultimate+softness

As for getting them to seal properly, that vexed me for a bit, too.  I used to swear off foam plugs entirely because as soon as I got on the road, I'd yawn or turn my head, and pop, there would be the wind noise, worse than it was without them.  What you have to do is, roll 'em up reeeeeeally tight, into a thin little cylinder, then grab the top of your ear with your other hand and pull upward.  That opens up the ear canal so you can slot it in there, and then, once you work the plug in there, let go of your ear and it'll hold the plug in place while it expands.  That's what works for me, and since I started doing it right, I've had no issues with them at all.
 
I push my speakers out with some backing and cover them with a cloth so they fit comfortably right against my ears.  That gets me about 10 dB of quiet and the best sound.  The full size foam plugs will rub on the speaker cover and make noise so I cut them in half and shove the smaller foam in my ears.  Been riding like this for 10 years. 
 
4Bikes said:
ManWorkingHere said:
I use silicone earplugs that mold into your ear.  Inexpensive to buy from Walmart.

My Sena sounds good with them in.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mack-s-Pillow-Soft-Earplugs-Kids-Size-6-Pairs-Pack-of-2/46228987

k2-_885ad859-e11f-410f-b0cd-c33267d69d90.v1.jpg
Click to expand...
I use the same setup. It's interesting how well your Sena music comes though with the ear plugs. The plugs also obviously help with the the wind noise.  I have been using my ear buds a lot less lately.
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Same here except I've taken to using half a plug in each ear. Blocks wind noise and pressure but doesnt interfer with music and nav directions as much.
 
I have tinnitus and also want to protect my hearing.
About 4 years ago, I went on a search for comfortable ear plugs.
I settled on the E-A-R Grippers. They have very high dB rating, and are very soft, soft enough that after a long day of riding, there's no discomfort.
When on long rides, I rotate through about 3 pairs because I learned if you wear the same set for several hours, they loose effectiveness after a couple of days. Rotating gives them a " break" and they last week's.
I purchase them from the earplugsupetstore.com.
I hope you find some that work.
Jorge
 
Jorge said:
When on long rides, I rotate through about 3 pairs because I learned if you wear the same set for several hours, they loose effectiveness after a couple of days. Rotating gives them a " break" and they last week's.
Jorge
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That shows a lot of common sense, Jorge.  No wonder I never thought of it.  :-[
 
Solomookie said:
Jorge said:
When on long rides, I rotate through about 3 pairs because I learned if you wear the same set for several hours, they loose effectiveness after a couple of days. Rotating gives them a " break" and they last week's.
Jorge
Click to expand...

That shows a lot of common sense, Jorge.  No wonder I never thought of it.  :-[
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I've not experienced this issue with the plugs I use. One caveat with foam plugs is don't let them get wet and try to reuse them. Like if you take them out and put them in a sweaty or rained-on pocket. If they absorb any moisture at all, they are toast; get a new pair.
 
DaddyFlip said:
One caveat with foam plugs is don't let them get wet and try to reuse them. Like if you take them out and put them in a sweaty or rained-on pocket. If they absorb any moisture at all, they are toast; get a new pair.
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I guess it depends on the type of foam.  From time to time, I forget to pull my 3M's out of my pants before washing them, and the plugs come out looking brand new and working great.  But yeah; I definitely would not try to use them while they are wet.
 
I have used these wax ear plugs from BPI-Beneficial Products Inc.
Mighty Plugs are a soft bee's wax that mold to your ear canal and
stick. I find them to be very comfortable even wear them when
sharing a room at the national with others with C-Pap machines
and others who emit a LOUD sound while sleeping.
Check them out at www.earplugsonline.com
 
My local dealership suggested Sure Fire earplugs.  I picked up a pair of medium ones...they work well as long as they fit right (mine keep working there way out, so I have ordered a large pair).  With the plugs in and the port open, I can hear other people and still hear other important sounds.


http://www.surefire.com/ep3-sonic-defenders.html
 
I must have funny ears. I can't wear the expanding foam plugs because they expand into the liner of my helmet and wriggle with the movement. Much like sticking your finger in your ear and moving your elbow up and down. Really, really annoying. Then when I remove the helmet it pulls the plugs out. So I had a set of custom moulded ones made - and they gave me so much trouble that I was ready to throw them away too. I couldn't get the helmet off with the plugs in. It would catch under my ears and fold them up, so I had to stick my fingers under the liner and prise out one of the plugs first. I took them back and the guy removed about half of the material and I'm pretty pleased with their performance now. If I ever get another set I'll be sure to tell him to make both from just one syringe.
 
Daisy said:
I must have funny ears. I can't wear the expanding foam plugs because they expand into the liner of my helmet and wriggle with the movement.
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It's possible you were using the wrong size. I have been using Hearos for years, the blue 32dB ones. This last year they changed their mold and the new version no longer fit in my ears, they're too big. I switched to a Walgreens house brand that looks like the old Hearos, but apparently are slightly smaller because they go in deeper. If I have just trimmed my nails, I have trouble grabbing them to pull them out, but boy they work good.  :))
 
Yes, fit is everything. Just like finding the right helmet. WillyP's trial pack link is a great idea for someone starting out. I've tried at least half of those over the years and settled on two models I use all the time.
 
I tried a few different ones and they all did the same. I've always teased my hubby about his 'little teddy bear ears' and it seems the laugh is on me. My ears are shallow - brain the size of a planet and all that.  :rotflmao:
 
Fit is only half of the equation. Proper installation is equally if not more important. I've been wearing ear plugs for various applications since I was probably 5 years old due to ear problems. I've had custom molded plugs, tried the wax moldable plugs, foam, and on and on.

I've never used a foam ear plug that did not fit, however if not installed properly it did not work. For swimming I settled on doc's pro plug, never considered trying them for riding. For riding I have earbuds that I connect to my amplirider.

For work I use an ear plug called skull screws, made by 3M. Their design makes proper installation a little easier than the typical foam plug and I don't have to touch the actual plug with dirty hands.

3M ultra soft foam plugs from lowes are my favorite foam plug and once installed properly they should not stick out of the ear canal at all. They are comfortable for all day use and would make a great motorcycle foam ear plug.
 
Aussie said:
Howard Leight by Honeywell Max Lite Low Pressure Disposable Foam Earplugs from Amazon work ver well for me.
Click to expand...

I tried about 10 different brands and styles of plugs before I found the Max Lite.  I also wear them in hotels when I travel to block out hallway & street noise.  They're really comfortable and really effective.  Sometimes I wake up and walk around for a minute before I realize I'm still deaf and pull them out.  No problem wearing them for hours at a time in a helmet.

I get them from:
http://www.earplugstore.com/holemauffopl.html

A box of 100 individually paper-wrapped pairs is $12.69.  I wear a pair for about a week and then toss them and start a new pair.  Keep a few pairs in my jacket pocket.  I'm real popular when I hand them out at work during fire drills.
 
Like Daisy, I had problems using foam ear plugs.  At least had a problem with using them in one ear.  It turns out that I have an abnormally small ear canal in my right ear.  A foam plug will not stay in. 

I have tried all different kinds of plugs over the years, and the results were some worked better than others, but none were great.  I have tinnitus in both ears, so there is never a quite moment in my life.  I have also suffered significant hearing loss and I believe most of the cause of that is from motorcycling without ear plugs.

A couple of years ago I broke down and purchased a set of Big Ears http://www.bigearinc.com/ plugs with speakers.  I know they are pricey, but I really need to save whats left of my hearing.  They are great, so great that later on I also purchased a set without speakers so I can use them for the short rides where I don't have my music playing.
 
The Big Ears are pretty much the same as the Earmolds that I have and similar in price too, which was what put me off for a long time.
 
As previously stated, I'm a Howard Leight Max Lite and Laser Lite fan. But over the past few days, I've tried Moldex Spark Plugs and they are pretty good. Longer and ever so slightly more dense than my usual, but they still do a decent job. I don't see any reason to make a permanent switch from my usual.
 
I have discovered an unusual twist to the earplugs dilemma. It is too late to protect my hearing. I wear behind the ear hearing aids. It is a hassle to remove them and replace them with earplugs when I ride only to reverse the process when I stop. I have a Bluetooth device that hangs around my neck to stream sound from my smartphone. It can be set where the sound through the aids is limited to the music only while blocking out surrounding sound. My audiologist gave me some yellow foam earplugs with a hole in the center. I pop off the little umbrella on the hearing aids and push the end into the hole in the foam earplugs. This is great for listening to music while traveling and when I stop, tap the Bluetooth device hanging around my neck under my shirt and I can hear the conversation around me. ;)
 
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