Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB

Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB (https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/)
-   Equipment Reviews (https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/equipment-reviews/)
-   -   Ear Plugs???? (https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/equipment-reviews/ear-plugs-35615)

grendel 1 Jun 2008 17:13

Ear Plugs????
 
Ok have just got myself a MX helmet for summer use. But I didn’t realise how loud the wind noise is so who wears ear plugs and what would you recommend? Is it worth buying 200 and use a pair each time I go out or should I opt for reusable plugs which I can just wash (if such things exist)?:helpsmilie:

JimOD 1 Jun 2008 17:30

I always use ear plugs on the bike if I'm going more than 10 minutes. I also work in an oil refinery which is even noisier than the bike. At work we use Howard Leight | Hearing Protection and Hearing Conservation | The right fit for every user, every environment
I think if they're good enough for a refinery they're good enough for me on my bike. The only thing to remember about these and probably any other earplugs is, you must put them in correctly or else you're wasting your time. I.E. follow the instructions. ;)


Quote:

Originally Posted by grendel (Post 192359)
Ok have just got myself a MX helmet for summer use. But I didn’t realise how loud the wind noise is so who wears ear plugs and what would you recommend? Is it worth buying 200 and use a pair each time I go out or should I opt for reusable plugs which I can just wash (if such things exist)?:helpsmilie:


Big Yellow Tractor 1 Jun 2008 18:30

I wear earplugs for any sustained ride whether that be road or off road.

I have a pair of custom made moulded rubber things. They fit great, don't move about and can be washed. I use them on the bike, shooting, at work and even to sleep on a plane or a noisey campsite.

They were quite expensive but way better than the throw away ones. A little man comes and takes a cast of your ear then sends you the plugs a week or so later. They can even make them with speakers in if you wanted them for a phone / tomtom / ipod.

Dodger 1 Jun 2008 18:54

I've had custom made earplugs and they didn't work very well for me .
My advice would be to try out a few cheap industrial ear plugs and buy a big box of the ones that you like best .

peter-denmark 1 Jun 2008 19:57

I use the "industrial" ones as well. They are fine and can be reused for quite a long time, although they start looking nasty after you rolled them with oily hands a couple of times (-:

Get a tiny plastic box for the plugs so they dont lie exposed in your pocket.

desert dweller 2 Jun 2008 01:49

middle option
 
i have a pair of silicon ones, cost me much more than the disposable ones and much less than custom made ones, work pretty well i think.

use them every time i ride more than a half hour, though i take them out if i will be in traffic for a while.

recommended by hearing specialists, especially if you want to ride until you get old.

cheers,
andy.

Mermaid 2 Jun 2008 07:50

I use 'industrial' ear plugs - little yellow blobs that fit my ears better than the usual green ones.
As I have one troublesome ear I identify left/right plugs so there's no chance of passing bugs from one ear to the other. I keep them in a small tin with spare ones in a little zip bag so everything stays nice and clean.
I wash them after two/three days with ordinary soap and water and leave them overnight to dry. They swell up loads when wet but shrink back down to normal size after a couple of days.

Don't put damp/dirty plugs in your ears as you'll encourage infection that can damage your ear drum or inner ear.

edteamslr 2 Jun 2008 10:35

I tend to use the Howard Leight?ones - Max (lite too) plugs. Green or orange or the yellow&pink ones. They're all good but try them out and see what works for you. They can also be washed although the repeated squeezing breaks down the foam and they become less effective as well as the obvious hygene issue. Some expand too quickly to put in your ears when warm!

I also have some motosafe latexy ones with the the green or yellow attenuators that plug in the ends but you need to use the applicator to get them into your ears and they can be worrisome to get out again (don't panic)!

I spent 4months in africa and probably used about 30 pairs with the motosafe ones as a backup pair.

Always wear them.

TDMalcolm 2 Jun 2008 12:27

Ear plugs!
 
Hi All, I use these, very good and about £12-14 from HG's:thumbup1:
http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net....html:scooter:
TDMalcolm

skidz 2 Jun 2008 12:50

got moulded ones that were quite expensive but worth it for hearing protection (remember once it's damaged, it's damaged for good) ...only downside is that if you don't put them in totally right they really hurt the outer part of your ear. :( I always carry a spare pair of the disposable ones to swap with when that happens.

Caminando 2 Jun 2008 13:48

I've heard it suggested that a rolled-up condom in each ear is good in an emergency.

Matt Cartney 2 Jun 2008 14:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dodger (Post 192382)
I've had custom made earplugs and they didn't work very well for me .
My advice would be to try out a few cheap industrial ear plugs and buy a big box of the ones that you like best .

Good advice, cheap and plentiful are the best. And it's worth doing, there are a lot of deaf old bikers out there...


Matt :)

2spark 2 Jun 2008 15:14

Apline ear plugs (not your average ear plug)
 
I like having the ability to change the sound level. These are for those that do not want to $2.00 pair however thay also do not want to spend the $60. or $200. Check them out at
<title>motorcycling provisions corp. TWO WHEEL JOURNAL</title>

CHANGELING 2 Jun 2008 15:21

Halfrauds have a bag of 30 for 5.99 if I remember well.
Good value, work well, can get two weeks from one pair (everyday).
Just remember to wash them in boiling water with a little spirit vinegar to break down the fats about once every 4 days or so.
Enjoy the added savings in the form of fuel.

Dessertstrom 2 Jun 2008 15:50

Yes, all the time especially when riding with my Harley mates.
I work on an air base so we are supplied with earplugs from www.e-a-r.com
for working on Tornado.
Cheers
Ian:thumbup1:

Wilky 3 Jun 2008 02:03

ear plugs
 
[quote=Dessertstrom;192566]
earplugs from www.e-a-r.com


I use them all the time, worked in an aluminium smelter for a long time and tried many different types. The best for my ears are the E.A.R that desertstorm mentioned. I use the E.A.R Classic. Buy them by the box full. Hell of a lot cheaper than buying a couple at a time.

Like most comments so far though try lots. Go to a safety products store and get a whole heap of different ones and try them till you find something that suits

Cheers
Wilky
Hopefully soon to be cruising in the northern hemispere

TDMalcolm 3 Jun 2008 15:30

wrong link!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by TDMalcolm (Post 192517)
Hi All, I use these, very good and about £12-14 from HG's:thumbup1:
http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net....html:scooter:
TDMalcolm

Hi Guys, Sorry my link went wrong:( i use the alpines plugs like 2spark uses...very good:thumbup1:
Tdmalcolm

Smellybiker 3 Jun 2008 17:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Cartney (Post 192539)
..there are a lot of deaf old bikers out there...

Ehh??? Whats that you say laddie ??? ;-)

I use ear plugs at night (girlie snores), but on the bike as I dont like losing one of my senses - especially in town traffic. On a long run I'll wear them, reluctantly.

Then there's all those things you miss out on, the music of the exhaust, the rattle of loose valves, the jingle of spanners as your toolkit falls out & bounces up the road...

As for recycling old yellow foam earplugs - wash with hot soapy water, rinse, squish out the excess water then microwave them ! The microwave makes them dry, big, soft & squishy again.

*dusty* 3 Jul 2008 01:48

i talked with my ear doc and she told me that the foam yellow or orange ones that are expandable, the ones they usually hand out for free, are better to use than the ones that just push in with no expansion. so i go with the cheepies and i use them until i loose them or i just need a new pair
cheers
josh

MysteryB 3 Jul 2008 06:04

I use custom made plugs, yes they are expensive but would not go back to the cheep ones now.

Check out there website for all the technical info, and who else uses them.

ultimate ear protection | Hearing Protection | Ear Plugs | Hearing and Ear Protection Manufacturers London UK | Best Ear Plugs

angustoyou 6 Jul 2008 22:29

Had exactly the same problem when I got my XT and MX lid.

I used to use the classic yellow E.A.R foam ones at work. Cheap, reusable and efficient, as you roll them up to get them in, then they expand out to fill the gaps. Truly a one size fits all solution. Big box full at the workshop entrance, which we could help ourselves to, but I have to buy my own now, so...

Bought some rubbery ones from Homebase, which come on a tub which would hold about 50, but only contain one set on a string to stop you losing one. Which are great. Look like electricity pylon spacers / insulators, and work brilliantly. I should definately clean them far more often though...

Road Hog 7 Jul 2008 02:49

This is from an old deaf biker, 40 years of bikes, diesel engine work and farm equipment. As I was being tested for hearing aids last week doc told me that 50 mph with a full face helmet was 115 decibels, you can take that for an hour a day before damage. Also hearing aids are going to cost me $6000. So find something and stick it in the ears.
Road Hog:scooter:

schiannini 7 Jul 2008 23:18

First the disclaimer:

I sell custom earplugs

Now the "salesman hat off" advice

Ears are like fingerprints - almost everyones are totally different.

Many people find 'generic' earplugs that work well for them. There are companies that sell 'variety packs' of different plugs so you can try various types too see what works. This is not a bad starting point as you might well find something that works for you.

However, if your ear canals are not 'standard' i.e. narrower or wider than the norm you will probably find that 'generic' plugs will either pop out if your canals are narrow or not really block the noise out if they are wide.

Foam plugs all stay in the ear by expanding against the ear canal, so you might find a good fit, but it can be sore after prolonged use - if it is then you should consider custom plugs as they are inert once fitted.

I suppose what I am saying is that what works for one person won't work for another. Don't rely one one person's advice. It's like asking what the best size is for a shoe. What you need is something that fits you - not someone else.

Hope that helps :)


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 20:41.


vB.Sponsors