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Best off-the-rack earplugs?

HappyHighwayman

HappyHighwayman

It's all in the reflexes
Joined
Apr 8, 2009
Location
San Francisco
Moto(s)
Rad Rover
Name
Jordan
What are the best off-the-rack but not neccesarily dispoable ear plugs for riding? Non-custom. I had a custom set but lost one of them...I use the other but need a replacement for the other side.
 
I use SF ep 4. Haven't really tried anything else though. Disposable foamies aren't stiff enough to actually get into my weird ear canals.
 
Yeah I really need to jam the disposables in there exactly right to accomplish anything.

Thanks a lot!

How do I know what size I need?
 
I'll state the obvious, it depends on the size/shape or your ear canal. It can also depend on the way your helmet fits.

FWIW, I buy Howard Leight plugs bulk. I used to use the Max, but they hurt my ears when I wear my dualsport helmet, so now I use the Laser Max.
 
Phanuel said:
I use SF ep 4. Haven't really tried anything else though. Disposable foamies aren't stiff enough to actually get into my weird ear canals.
Click to expand...

I use the Surefire EP4 as well... I replace them every few months or so. Size will depend on your ears. I've always used the medium size.

I also have a few Hearos in my bag just in case I lost the SF plugs.
 
The one that fits. Get your ears measured and learn how to insert them. I like the EAR yellows they work for me, may not for you.
 
HappyHighwayman said:
What are the best off-the-rack but not neccesarily dispoable ear plugs for riding? Non-custom. I had a custom set but lost one of them...I use the other but need a replacement for the other side.
Click to expand...

What means best? Do you want quietest? Most comfortable? Easiest to insert?

You can probably find many you like via sampler packs:
http://www.earplugstore.com/unfoamtrialp.html

I found a good no-roll plug and a few good roll-ups that way.

Moldex Purafit was my #1 plug for awhile
http://www.earplugstore.com/mopuuffopln3.html
Very quiet, relatively easy to insert. They seem to be pretty popular.

These days my #1 plug is this EARSoft Superfit, a little less quiet than the above (though also NRR33), but a little more comfortable:
http://www.earplugstore.com/ear-earsoft-superfit-earplugs.html
 
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HappyHighwayman said:
Yeah I really need to jam the disposables in there exactly right to accomplish anything.

Thanks a lot!

How do I know what size I need?
Click to expand...

I'd say get a ruler out and look at it in a mirror with your ear. I just bought one of the medium and one of the large and just kept using the large. I'm 6'2" and have dumbo ears so large works for me.

The medium will fit fine as well, it's just that the black rubbery bit doesn't keep them retained in my ears for more than 30 minutes.
 
I used to be my 3m Earsoft neons from a single site, but that site is gone as I just found out. So I priced them through Amazon and came up with these.
http://www.amazon.com/3M-OCS1135-Yellow-Neons-Earplugs/dp/B008MCUOH2/

If you subscribe, you can get the price down to $17 and change, which brings them down to less than $.10 per unit. Each pair is wrapped in plastic. I use a pair for each trip, so two pairs per day. Spin them very small between your fingers, and insert, pulling down your ear lobe to open the ear canal. They hold their shape and slowly expand for a good fit. Great product, and an even better price.

Stop by some weekend in Sunset and I'll give you a handful to try. I currently have a stock of about 450 pairs.
 
I have the EP4 as well but I found they weren't as comfortable or effective as the disposable Howard Leights so I only have them as a backup now.
 
I recently purchased a case of 200 pairs of E-A-Rsoft SuperFit earplugs. They're easy to insert correctly and feel good all day long. Plus you can take them out at stops and put them back in many times before tossing them and you'll get the exact same ear protection. They're rated at 33 dB noise reduction, but they might be one or two points less than that in reality - compared to others that I've used. They're marked so that you can tell if they're inserted properly, which I don't need, but it's good if you give a set to a friend to make sure that they put them in properly.

I went to the local Airgas supply to order my case. I looked at a lot of earplugs before deciding on these. I'm pretty sure that they meet my needs better than just about any others out there.

s-l300.jpg
 
flying_hun said:
FWIW, I buy Howard Leight plugs bulk. I used to use the Max, but they hurt my ears when I wear my dualsport helmet, so now I use the Laser Max.
Click to expand...

Do you mean Laser-lite?

I've been using Max1 for several years. Good sound reduction, but sometimes my right ear would hurt after 2-3 hours. It's a throbbing pain from the pressure of the expanded foam, and it seems to depend on how the plug's inserted. I recently tried Laser-Lite - it's slimmer, much softer, easier to insert, more comfortable, and seems to seal out the sound just as well.
 
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ScottRNelson said:
I recently purchased a case of 200 pairs of E-A-Rsoft SuperFit earplugs. They're easy to insert correctly and feel good all day long. Plus you can take them out at stops and put them back in many times before tossing them and you'll get the exact same ear protection. They're rated at 33 dB noise reduction, but they might be one or two points less than that in reality - compared to others that I've used. They're marked so that you can tell if they're inserted properly, which I don't need, but it's good if you give a set to a friend to make sure that they put them in properly.

I went to the local Airgas supply to order my case. I looked at a lot of earplugs before deciding on these. I'm pretty sure that they meet my needs better than just about any others out there.
Click to expand...

How exactly are they marked for proper fit? That seems interesting.

The only thing I don't like is that they aren't flanged at the back. The Howard Leight ones are flanged and even then I've gotten them stuck so far inside my ears I have to get someone else to dig them out, especially if my hands are wet after riding in the rain.
 
HappyHighwayman said:
What are the best off-the-rack but not neccesarily dispoable ear plugs for riding? Non-custom. I had a custom set but lost one of them...I use the other but need a replacement for the other side.
Click to expand...

Buy an assortment trial pack from earplugstore.com. Try them all, them buy the ones you like best in bulk.
 
Cookie Monster said:
How exactly are they marked for proper fit? That seems interesting.
Click to expand...
Orange band that's supposed to disappear inside the ear.

I carry several types of plugs with me, but this is the one I use most now.

Short trips and I may use something maybe less quiet or comfortable, but faster/easier to install. Like a no-roll Leight Pilot, or a stiff 3M 1100.
 
Cookie Monster said:
How exactly are they marked for proper fit? That seems interesting.

The only thing I don't like is that they aren't flanged at the back. The Howard Leight ones are flanged and even then I've gotten them stuck so far inside my ears I have to get someone else to dig them out, especially if my hands are wet after riding in the rain.
Click to expand...
If you can see the red part sticking out beyond the edge of the ear, they aren't in far enough. There are picture instructions on the box showing correct and incorrect positioning.

As for going in too far, I occasionally use a key with my thumbnail to pull one out that I can't easily get hold of. It happens about one out of ten times for me and isn't a big deal.
 
tuxumino said:
http://www.earplugstore.com/reustrialpac.html

get the variety pac and find the kind that fit best than order a box of those
Click to expand...
The ones in that link are the ones that hurt my ears either immediately or in just a few minutes.

I considered getting a variety pack of the foam ones, but for the same price as 30 assorted pairs I have 200 pairs of ones that I was quite sure would work well for me - and they do work well for me now that I have them.
 
Gary856 said:
Do you mean Laser-lite?

I've been using Max1 for several years. Good sound reduction, but sometimes my right ear would hurt after 2-3 hours. It's a throbbing pain from the pressure of the expanded foam, and it seems to depend on how the plug's inserted. I recently tried Laser-Lite - it's slimmer, much softer, easier to insert, more comfortable, and seems to seal out the sound just as well.
Click to expand...

Oops! You are correct. Should have looked at the box before posting. :blush
 
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