Ear Plugs Anyone?

[NorthernVFRDave]

Ok so I'm only 35 but I know my hearing is down, based on my last test few months back, its about 10% from where it should be. Blame it on the years of being a Club DJ in my early 20's and my day job as a machine operator in a factory that didn't do any sound level testing until the late 90's.

So now its ear plugs all the time. Been getting a hearing test once a year at work and over the last 3 years things have not gotten any worse :biggrin:

I wear ear plugs all the time, be it a short ride across town or a trip to work on the highway.

Anyone that questions the whole ear plug thing should give this a read.

Pull the plug on hearing loss - Wheels.ca

[Polarbear]

Hello everyone,

Good idea to remind everyone that your hearing is easy to damage and it is important. :fing02:

The main factors in hearing loss: intensity, and duration/frequency of the noise.

In short, the more you ride (or go dancing), the more damage you'll do. And to add to the seriousness of this damage, you may notice it right away, only after months/years. But hearing loss is permanent and there is no way it'll ever come back!

Anyway, IMHO, always ear plugs, they're part of the gear, cause I still want to be able to hear the birds sing when I'm 60 or 65 years old.

P.P-M

[Guest]

Mostly, When I don't I think man this is loud! Where are my ear plugs.

[Guest]

Another good reason to wear some kind of ear protection is to help with FATIGUE. I found a long time ago that after a while on long rides, the noise from wind, etc. really got to me. I always wear earplugs now and they help with my concentration.

Rod

[Growler67]

Always wear them when riding. I double up (plugs and ear muffs) when shooting or using the lawn mower/gas trimmer and such too. I can't even go to the movies without them............REALLY. Habit I got into in the Army with all the generators and other such stuff that was always around. Job standards are pretty stringent on it as well.

[Polarbear]

Always wear them when riding. I double up (plugs and ear muffs) when shooting or using the lawn mower/gas trimmer and such too. I can't even go to the movies without them............REALLY. Habit I got into in the Army with all the generators and other such stuff that was always around. Job standards are pretty stringent on it as well.

Funny you should mention going to the movies, Growler67. I, too, need to put my fingers into my ears for most of the movies when I go to a show. :angry: And no, I will NOT bring my little one watch any movies for that reason, the sound is waaaay to loud to be harmless to young ones. :pissed:

:rolleyes: Hockey games too, btw, for those who are lucky enough to have access to games. And especially now with the playoffs, when there is much more noise! Those are fun, just noisy.

P.P-M

[TimC]

I don't wear earplugs as often as I should, both in riding and as a musician who performs in a couple bands. I use them more now than I used to tho.

For riding, anytime I'm riding the freeway for more than a few minutes I try to put them in beforehand. That noise really bothers me anymore. I'm planning to buy a couple different kinds of decent rubber plugs for riding, esp. for the long ride to NC next week for TMac. The foam disposables are OK, but too hard to insert more than a couple times IMO.

[Tightwad]

I have been testing different kinds of earplugs (mostly disposable, easily purchased kinds). I have hopes of writing up my bloggish findings....no scientific data just..."Here's what I found" kind of stuff.

I will say that the rubber multi-ribbed kind are TERRIBLE for me....I was able to wear them 2 blocks before I had to stop....they killed me.

So far the Orange ones in the shooting section work best for me. I tried some bright green ones from Lawn and Garden area at walmart because it was a nice big pack, but they are too soft and don't stay compressed long enough to get them inserted fully. I also liked some neutral colored ones from the Pharmacy section, they were more expensive however. All were 32 DB rated I believe. I tried the barrel shaped ones, they were much denser, and rougher feeling. I didn't find them as comfortable for wearing.

I have not tried any of the wax kind.

I have learned that wetting the earplug definantly helps, as does opening your mouth so your jaw gets out of the way....do this test to understand(if at work make sure no one is watching...):

Close your mouth, and put your finger in your ear, into the ear canal. Open your mouth and you will feel the jaw bone move and open the canal.

As far as disposables....I throw them away when wetting them(inserting briefly into my mouth) leaves a bad taste....

I keep multiple pairs in my bag, so I can use a new one if I fail to get one inserted...wet earplugs don't compress right.

[kermitoo7]

For riding, anytime I'm riding the freeway for more than a few minutes I try to put them in beforehand. That noise really bothers me anymore. I'm planning to buy a couple different kinds of decent rubber plugs for riding, esp. for the long ride to NC next week for TMac. The foam disposables are OK, but too hard to insert more than a couple times IMO.

I've just started using the two-different-plugs system: reusable 27dB "easy push-in" plugs for the rides to/from work, and the disposable 33dB "roll and insert" plugs for the longer weekend runs. So far, no complaints; but my ride season just started.

The theories for this system are that you need a higher dB rating for longer periods of elevated noise levels (i.e. weekend rides), the soft disposable plugs are more comfortable than the hard cored reusable plugs, and the harder reusable plugs are quicker and less-hassle to use repeatedly. I bought both plug types at Lee Valley if anyone want to follow this system. :rolleyes:

I found this usefull (comprehensive plug review):

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Earplugs/earplugs.htm

J

[phaedrusman]

At one of the car sites I frequent, somebody mentioned trying to find a place that deals in hearing aids (Audiologist??). Appearently you can get custom fit reusable earplugs, for a semi-reasonable price. Since its a custom fit for your ear canal, I would imagine it would be much more comfortable and the noise suppression would be better. Obviously the option for those extremely serious about keeping their hearing intact.

[Guest]

I love Howard Leight Max-Lites. I order them by the box of 200 individually wrapped pairs. About $30 shipped online. Lasts me about 2 years (use a pair for a few days, toss em..).

[Silver#788]

I open the page and the first thing I see is a guy riding with a helmet strapped to the back of his bike and no gear. Anything he has to say has no value to me after seeing that pic. f%$ your hearing what about your HEAD!!!!!! Takes all of the guy credibility away as far i I am concerned.

[JTG]

I wear ear plugs 99% of the time except for short trips around town, and then I usually think there's something wrong with my bike because it's making so much more noise than usual :rolleyes:

Having worked in several machine shops and other noisy environments I've tried about a dozen different kinds of foam plugs and these are by far my favorite;

http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/3m112bof200p.html

They are the simplest but that's probably why they work the best, I find all the fancy ribbed christmas tree looking ones to be pretty worthless.

[rctwentyfour]

Hello:

I had custom made, while-you-wait earplugs made for me at a motorcycle show, "Ear Defenders." They take a mold of your ear, trim 'em down a bit, and they fit perfectly. However, it took me a bit of time to learn how to "install" them properly / quickly. They are made by W.K. Baker Co. in Santa Margarita, CA. I can't find a web link for them. Their phone number is 805-438-5249.

They show up at motorcycle shows and gun shows and distribute a list of the shows they will be attending.

What I noticed - other than the expected noise reduction - is that I feel more "connected" with my bike when riding. That is, there is no part of my consciousness, which is distracted, diverted by "listening" to the loud sound of rushing wind. (My Icon helmet is a bit noisy, but it fits perfectly.)

This was an unexpected byproduct of the noise reduction, which - fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your point-of-view - "makes" me ride more fast.

I won’t ride any distance at all without them.

rctwentyfour

[Gears]

In Pennsylvania we can ride without helmets but the use of ear plugs while riding is illegal.

Stupid, Stupid Pennsylvania, the governer repeled the helmet laws so the friggin HD riders would vote for him.

I do, and will always use ear plugs when riding.

[superfunkomatic]

i bought a kit where you mould your own. they work very well, fit extremely well and are rated as high as the foamy ones.

worth a look for the reasonable price.

http://www.diycustomplugs.co.uk/

in the city i rarely get enough speed to encourage wind noise, but i always wear them when riding on the highway. makes a huge difference to my overall energy level on longer rides - better concentration and less fatigue.

[2FAST4U]

In Pennsylvania we can ride without helmets but the use of ear plugs while riding is illegal.

Stupid, Stupid Pennsylvania, the governer repeled the helmet laws so the friggin HD riders would vote for him.

I do, and will always use ear plugs when riding.

I usually use 33dB disposable ear plugs (they're the "quietest" I could find.) I sometimes use my Quiet Rider (see below), too. Along with a full-faced helmet and stock exhaust cans, you guessed it: I like it quiet. I do listen to music sometimes, though (it's wind and exhaust noise I try to drown out.) I don't know how people with open pipes, no helmet, and no earplugs do it. And trust me, they're out there.

http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_cata...tId=&mmyId=

[Darth Bling]

Yup, 33 dB are the quiestest you can find. And, the dB scale is logarithmic, so 33 dB NRR earplugs will actually blocks twice as much sound energy as 30 dB NRR earplugs.

I've got some custom molded earplugs and they are comfy. I think they're rated 30 dB. I had some disposable 33 dB NRR plugs and they were so quiet.

I open the page and the first thing I see is a guy riding with a helmet strapped to the back of his bike and no gear. Anything he has to say has no value to me after seeing that pic. f%$ your hearing what about your HEAD!!!!!! Takes all of the guy credibility away as far i I am concerned.

But, he's on the beach. His head should bounce nicely on the soft sand.... :goofy:

[Tightwad]

In Pennsylvania we can ride without helmets but the use of ear plugs while riding is illegal.

Stupid, Stupid Pennsylvania, the governer repeled the helmet laws so the friggin HD riders would vote for him.

I do, and will always use ear plugs when riding.

I usually use 33dB disposable ear plugs (they're the "quietest" I could find.) I sometimes use my Quiet Rider (see below), too. Along with a full-faced helmet and stock exhaust cans, you guessed it: I like it quiet. I do listen to music sometimes, though (it's wind and exhaust noise I try to drown out.) I don't know how people with open pipes, no helmet, and no earplugs do it. And trust me, they're out there.

http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_cata...tId=&mmyId=

I heard mixed reviews on the Quiet Rider. I ordered one last week, waiting for it to arrive. I hope it helps, my helmet is noisy as can be(to me).

I think that noise, like pain levels, is subjective. I have no ear for music, so I can't tell the difference between "good" earphones and "normal" earphones....but I would like it quieter if I could....ideally I would have zero wind noise....just the roar of the V4

[AvalonRacing]

I heard mixed reviews on the Quiet Rider. I ordered one last week, waiting for it to arrive. I hope it helps, my helmet is noisy as can be(to me).

Let us know how you like it. I've been curious about this for a while.

[Purvis]

I have learned that wetting the earplug definantly helps, as does opening your mouth so your jaw gets out of the way....do this test to understand(if at work make sure no one is watching...):

Close your mouth, and put your finger in your ear, into the ear canal. Open your mouth and you will feel the jaw bone move and open the canal.

As far as disposables....I throw them away when wetting them(inserting briefly into my mouth) leaves a bad taste....

I keep multiple pairs in my bag, so I can use a new one if I fail to get one inserted...wet earplugs don't compress right.

Another way to get them into your ear without wetting them is to roll them up very tightly. Grab your left ear with right hand, or right ear with left hand from behind your head and pull the upper 1/3 of you ear up and away from your head. This straightens the ear canal <learned this in nursing school to take temps with ear probes>.

Then insert the tightly rolled earplug into your ear and push it as far as you feel comfortable, remember you need to be able to get them out.

I work nights and sleep during the day and use them every day. I have noticed that they loose their ability to expand well after about a week, thus blocking less noise.

[VFR4Lee]

I like the "swimmers" earplugs for ease of insertion/ jamitin.

Earplugs are part of ATGATT to me. :goofy:

[dutchinterceptor]

Then insert the tightly rolled earplug into your ear and push it as far as you feel comfortable, remember you need to be able to get them out.

A friend I ride with routinely jams his plugs in so far that he has to use a pair of pliers to pull them out. :goofy:

[NorthernVFRDave]

I have learned that wetting the earplug definantly helps

That’s one of the worse things you can do, real fast way to give yourself a wicked ear infection, there are postings around work about doing this.

[Purvis]

Then insert the tightly rolled earplug into your ear and push it as far as you feel comfortable, remember you need to be able to get them out.

A friend I ride with routinely jams his plugs in so far that he has to use a pair of pliers to pull them out. :blink:

I have to use a pair of hemostats to get mine out at home. When I ride I don't jam them so far. But I don't use earplugs very often, as I listen to music when I ride.