Who uses custom fit earplugs?
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Tourer
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From: ON
Who uses custom fit earplugs?
Who has gone to custom fit earplugs? Was it worth the expense? Who did you use?
We use them at work with a fitting to allow radio contact and the operators love them but I'm hesitant to try it for the bike without hearing some real life experiences, thanks for any input.
We use them at work with a fitting to allow radio contact and the operators love them but I'm hesitant to try it for the bike without hearing some real life experiences, thanks for any input.
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From: Canada Flats
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Tourer
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From: ON
I'll use the less expensive solutions while reading further. At this age I wish I could go back and slap myself in the side of the head regarding hearing protection.
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From: Bedford UK
There is no good reason why you shouldn't try out your work plugs for a short trip, such as going back home! We were first encouraged to wear plugs back in the 1970s, when the only stuff that would fit inside a helmet were industrial plugs, mostly soft foam ones. I still wear them today, although many brands have come and gone over the years. Foam plugs are dirt cheap and should be available at your local bike shop, so get a pair of them and compare the two.
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we had to use them at work especially being a mechanic. the biggest advantage was comfort. the other option put pressure in my ears and after 12 hr. shift sometimes my ears were raw. the main thing is keep them clean. as far as missing out, you will not miss much, just baffled down, only on rare occasions did i have to remove them but then again, i have two hz losses from working engine rooms in the past when they were not required, yep, remember the salt tablets, no so good now.
Road Warrior
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From: Squamish, BC
I have a few pairs of custom fit ear plugs that I use for various tasks. I have one set that is 'vented', that enables some more sound to pass through, and I have another pair that are extra thick, which I use at the gun range. Been using them for over 20 years and I find they are much more comfortable when needing them for hours - plus you aren't always dropping one on the ground (they are strung together). I do not use them on my bike, but have been thinking about trying them out for longer hauls.
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From: Bedford UK
The US Forestry people are the first people to extensively study hearing protection for motorcyclists and skidoo riders, as part of the industry-wide (in fact world-wide) effort to provide workers with protection against the many hazards they face, including noise. Their findings were published in a US bike magazine (don't recall which, although I did buy it at the time), unfortunately long before the internet was born. Zedbra, you really should wear plugs while riding any distance, as should all of us!
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Tourer
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From: ON
Thank-you for all the responses. I wear hearing protection for every ride (NoNoise plugs), tinnitus is frustrating enough and I don't want any further degradation. The custom fit plugs looked like they might offer better protection with the ability to still pick up traffic sounds but I'm hesitant to make an expensive bad choice. Although it certainly won't have been the first time LOL.
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From: Bedford UK
A pal of mine likes to be ahead of fashion and has tried custom-made plugs, however didn't find them as comfortable or effective as he expected, so wears foam ones now. A problem is that custom plugs are available in a wide variety of brands and seem to be everywhere bikers gather - makes difficult deciding one over the others! I've never tried them myself. I used Norton valves for many years, simply borrowed them from my shooting kit, but later foam ones seem better at present. Protecting our hearing is an easy decision to make, but how to do that hasn't got any easier in the 40+ years I've been doing it!
Last edited by grbrown; Feb 27, 2020 at 06:25 AM.
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Thank-you for all the responses. I wear hearing protection for every ride (NoNoise plugs), tinnitus is frustrating enough and I don't want any further degradation. The custom fit plugs looked like they might offer better protection with the ability to still pick up traffic sounds but I'm hesitant to make an expensive bad choice. Although it certainly won't have been the first time LOL.
