Custom ear plugs

[fredz43]

A thread on windscreens drifted slightly to the subject of earplugs, so I thought I would start another thread on custom ear plugs. I wear foam earplugs all the time when riding and would like to get some good custom earplugs. Where have others gotten form fitted earplugs and did they work for you? I ask because several years ago I had a pair made at one of the Advanstar Motorcycle shows that tour the country during the winter months. At first they felt great, but I found that after about an hour of riding, they got very uncomfortable, as if putting pressure on my ears. Also I didn't think they reduced noise as well as my foam plugs. Would an audiologist be a source of good custom plugs or what has been the experience of others?

 

[whisperquiet]

Hey Fred,

I bought a couple of do-it-yourself kits http://www.amazon.com/Radians-CEP001-T-Custom-Molded-Earplugs/dp/B002E6T7ZM/ref=sr_1_fed0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1353775943&sr=8-2&keywords=radian+earplugs and with the help of the assistant home audiologist, made a set. They appear to be just like the ones you can buy at the bike races and I don't like them either. They are hard to insert, louder, and not as comfortable as the soft foam plugs I always use.

I have another kit and may try to make another set today.........but for now, I am sticking with the Howard Leight foam plugs.

 

[Poohbear]

I prefer foam ear plugs and used properly there is alot of evidence that they actually work better than the fitted ones. The surprising thing is that many people put them in wrongly and then they don't work very well at all. Once you know how to put them in properly you realise how good they are and you then realise how many people put them in incorrectly. This video explains the principles very well. After you've watched it you will really start to notice alot of people doing it wrongly at every bike event you go to.

Fitting Foam Earplugs

 

[TommyBwell]

I have some custom ones but also prefer to use foam. As stated they are more comfortable in the long run.

 

[Duconce]

I use the ones from www.earplugsonline.com. They are the best and most comfortable I have used and are affordable and reusable

 

[jajpko]

I have a set of custom musician earphones made(these insert into the ear canal). I love them for music when working outside, but not on the bike.
After some hours they start to bother my ears, whereas the soft foam does not.
Also another problem is if you gain or lose a decent amount of weight, they no longer fit and will cost high dollars to have re made.

The best foam I have found is the Howard Leight found here: http://www.earplugstore.com/holemauffopl.html

There are different styles from hard foam to the very soft, and for me, the maxlite is the most comfortable for all day riding.

 

[keeponriding]

Fred, I had a pair made for me by an audiologist friend....they work great but I can't stand to wear them for more than an hour....since he was a friend, the price was relatively inexpensive (less than $50)...but, since they're too uncomfortable to wear, on the pile with all of the other ear plugs that either work, and are uncomfortable or, don't work, but are comfortable.

Instead, I use a Schuberth helmet....sound levels reduced to 85 db

 

[tomatocity]

Have always had problems keeping a foam ear plug in my right ear so three years ago I had a pair of custom (molded) made at the IMS San Mateo. The molded ear plugs have plus' and minus'.

Plus
...Very quiet
...Fit
...Washable

Minus
....Too quiet
...Cost
...Not good if you have a head cold or swollen ear

Also, I find that any ear plug can have a negative effect with vertigo. Hearing is a sense that effects balance. Not having equal balance can trigger vertigo.

 

[Adk rider]

Nice video,,
I definatly never got the foam trick rite!
Learn new every day!

 

[Tippo]

I wish we had had foam ear plugs when I was in Vietnam (1968-1969). Flight crews had custom earplugs. The rest of us just jacked a round out of our sidearms and stuck it in the ear when we got on a helo. Not very effective but it looked salty. My ears have been ringing since my second day in-country and are very sensitive to loud noises. Now I always wear foam ear plugs whenever I am doing something noisy (motorcycle, lawn mower, saw, concert, even movies).

The video on proper insertion was useful.

Jeff

 

[tomatocity]

I wish we had had foam ear plugs when I was in Vietnam (1968-1969). Flight crews had custom earplugs. The rest of us just jacked a round out of our sidearms and stuck it in the ear when we got on a helo. Not very effective but it looked salty. My ears have been ringing since my second day in-country and are very sensitive to loud noises. Now I always wear foam ear plugs whenever I am doing something noisy (motorcycle, lawn mower, saw, concert, even movies).

The video on proper insertion was useful.

Jeff

C130's were the worst noise airplane I experienced (too many times). Never had ear plugs... WHAT?

 

[pteppic]

Re: Re: Custom ear plugs

C130's were the worst noise airplane I experienced (too many times). Never had ear plugs... WHAT?

Have you guys applied to VA for a disability? It doesn't amount to much, but every little bit helps. Some of it may even be presumptive. I got 10% for tinnitus, and will soon have an appointment to check my hearing loss.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Tippo]

Yes I am in the VA system. They are a great organization. I was treated for cancer (presumed to be caused by Agent Orange) in 2011. The VA helped me a lot.

Jeff

 

[MotorcopBBQ]

Surefire sonic defenders ::008::

 

[MidlifeMotor]

Prior to working in our PD traffic section, I worked at our shooting range. It was at the Range I realized how man people, including myself, were not wearing the foam ear plugs properly. An officer at the range showed me a technique similar to the video and I have worn them since.

For those who use a helmet and some type of mic headset while riding, I can tell you the foam ear plugs will not keep you from hearing the radio transmissions. I can use my PD head set in my helmet while wearing the ear plugs- in fact I can hear it better because all the other noise is filtered out. The radio broadcast coming out of the helmet speakers is clear as can be. I just have to turn up the volume slightly. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to hear anyone speaking to me in person so I don't wear them much on duty.

At first it will feel strange inserting the rolled foam plug into the ear because it does go kind of deep. The first time the plug expands and seals your ear, you will wonder how you rode before without them.

I do find one down side to them. I like to do very slow speed, very tight turns on asphalt and concrete, such as tight u-turns in the city and at gas stations, parking lots etc. It's the Motor officer in me, I like to lock the bars, lean her, and get a tight circle going. It takes a pretty good finesse of clutch, throttle, and brake to do so. With the ear plugs in it is a little more difficult for me to finesse the RPM's at low speed 'cause I can't hear the engine quite as well. Not impossible, just takes a little more concentration.

 

[OX-34]

I'm surprised that others here have had custom plugs made but still prefer disposables.

Surprised, because I thought I was the only one!

I started with foam ones. Then I had a set made by an audiologist. They worked ok, but not for long. Uncomfortable after an hour in the helmet, and if the seal broke at any point, I had to stop, remove the helmet and start again. I thought I'd try another custom set, this time fitted at a bike show. Similar story, but not as good as the audiologist set.

Back to foamies, and found the ones that work best for me. Now I buy them in boxes of 200 pairs at a time - about 25c a pair. On long runs I may not take them out for over 24 hours at a time and they are just fine. Multi-day rides I do use some "lube" - just an antiseptic cream - because the canal seems to get irritated after a few days of solid wear.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

Guess I'm the weird one here (not the first time). My wife and I both had "Big Ear" custom plugs made at the DC Motorcycle Show a few years back. We both use them every time we ride. 8+ hour days, wouldn't be without them. Feels strange to not have them in when riding. Not too quiet, we use bike to bike bluetooth comms and only have a challenge hearing each other at high speeds. Never had any issues when doing my figure 8's in the driveway, but can't say I really listen to the engine when doing those. My biggest issue is trying to hold a conversation with someone that starts talking to me a a gas station. I'm extremely happy with my custom plugs and would replace them immediately if ever lost.

 

[AVGeek]

I had my custom ear buds done at AZ Bike Week a couple of years ago, and the vendor I used threw in a free set of ear plugs. I have used my ear buds all day (17.5 hours on my SS1000) and the only "discomfort" I experienced was itchiness in my ears (probably due to sweat). I took them out at meal and rest stops. I also use my buds when flying, and the reduction in background noise and ability to hear whatever I'm watching is a major plus in my book (regular ear buds just don't cut it in commercial airliners when I'm in an exit row window seat).

 

[rush2112]

I wanted to have ear buds that fit flush and wouldn't move in my ears when putting helmet on and taking off. Didn't want to spend a fortune so I tried earfuze. They aren't high fidelity ear phones but they work good enough for me and they were affordable. Have had to replace once in 3 years but they are cheap enough.

Www.earfuze.com.

Sent from my LG Optimus G using Tapatalk HD

 

[EricV]

I already related my experience on the other thread, but to give a bit more background, I've worked in industrial settings for 30 years, always wearing hearing protection. For work, I wear the highest rated muffs available w/o going to aircraft flight line worker's custom muffs. For riding, I use foam plugs, re-using a set a few rides before tossing them when they start to get dirty. I have a high tolerance for a little finger oil and minor dirt on the plugs. Most places will recommend using a fresh pair every time you insert them, but as long as your hands are reasonably clean, a day of riding on the same plugs is seldom an issue for most people.

Ii did have custom ear molds by Now Hear This, with the molds made at one of the IMS shows. Fit great and were comfortable, just not as quiet as foam plugs. I ended up going back to foam plugs.

There are soft and hard custom earplugs/monitors. The soft ones are usually some type of silicone. The hard ones are more plastic. Challenger is one of the hard types, IIRC. They fit more inside your ear and some people swear by them over the soft ones, but I haven't tried a pair of them myself.

On the vertigo issue, quite true that our ears affect our balance. That issue can go either way. On a two week moto trip, my wife started to suffer vertigo badly and had to stop. Her ears were bothering her and she was not using earplugs at that time. She did have a pair of foam plugs and put them in, which completely alleviated her vertigo issues.