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Best earplugs?

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
Though folding is the last thing you should do. They always warn not to fold. Breaks the effectiveness

I either fold them, or else I insert them foam earplugs with the thicker end first, and that also works. But I find folding cuts out more sound.
 
Messages
35
Location
Tucson, AZ
Here's another vote for Howard Leight. 3m also has a very similar product to these, but I like these cheap ones:

https://www.amazon.com/Howard-Leigh...UTF8&qid=1469339188&sr=1-19&keywords=Earplugs

This might sound gross, but i've learned that getting the ear plug moist with saliva works wonders in getting it to slide easily all the way into the ear canal. I've been doing that for a long time without any problems. Water would do the same, but when you are in the desert and want to put earplugs in...
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
This might sound gross, but i've learned that getting the ear plug moist with saliva works wonders in getting it to slide easily all the way into the ear canal.

Are you saying that you actually push those foam-type earplugs deep into the ear canal?

I am only able to insert my foam earplugs into the outer hollow of the ear; I find the foam earplugs are too soft to push in any further.

By the outer hollow of the ear, I mean the outer entrance to the ear canal that you can stick your finger into when you want to block out sound.

By the ear canal, I mean the narrower tube that runs deeper into your head, up to the ear drum. The ear canal you can get a Q-tip cotton swab into, but it is too narrow to stick your finger into.


Rubber earplugs like the Moldex Rockets are designed to push right into the ear canal, and they have a very tight and snug fit within that canal, which I think is why they are so effective in blocking out sound.

I usually put a tiny dab of saliva on the tip of my rubber earplugs to help them slide into the ear canal.
 

Invisible Woman

Senior Member
Messages
1,267
With the foam earplugs, I find they are slightly too small to fit my ears, so I have to fold them double, otherwise they will fall out.

I have the opposite problem - small ear canals. Some of the earplugs try to work their way out and they can become very uncomfortable. Most annoying: reduce the sound to get some sleep and the ear pain wakes you up!
 

Invisible Woman

Senior Member
Messages
1,267
take it you use the rubber-type earplugs like Moldex Rockets ?

Foam ones. At the moment I am switching between moldex spark plugs (snr35) and some 3m ones.


ETA: I ordered some Moldex rockets to try earlier today based on what I read in this thread. Then I thought I could try some of the Leigh ones later.
 

Invisible Woman

Senior Member
Messages
1,267
And you are able to get these foam earplugs right into your ear canal, as opposed to the outer hollow of the ear?

Yeah. In fact sometimes they go in too far and really hurt & I have to take 'em out and reinsert them again. It took a fair bit of practise to use them. Like others have said on this thread insertion is easier if you slightly moisten the ear canal. Then I squidge 'em (action a bit like rolling a cigarette) - this elongates them and makes them thinner then insert them angling backwards and slightly upwards, following the canal.
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
Then I squidge 'em (action a bit like rolling a cigarette) - this elongates them and makes them thinner then insert them angling backwards and slightly upwards, following the canal.

I have tried rolling the foam earplugs like a cigarette to make them long and thin, but I just cannot get them into the actual ear canal. As I try to push them into the canal, the foam just squidges up. I guess we all have slightly different ear anatomies.

But I have no difficulty in pushing the more solid rubber earplugs into my ear canal. These rubber earplugs have a central stem, on which there are a series of umbrella-like structures. These umbrella-like structures make a seal against the ear canal, providing a really good sound blocking effect.
 

Invisible Woman

Senior Member
Messages
1,267
I have tried rolling the foam earplugs like a cigarette to make them long and thin, but I just cannot get them into the actual ear canal. As I try to push them into the canal, the foam just squidges up. I guess we all have slightly different ear anatomies.

But I have no difficulty in pushing the more solid rubber earplugs into my ear canal. These rubber earplugs have a central stem, on which there are a series of umbrella-like structures. These umbrella-like structures make a seal against the ear canal, providing a really good sound blocking effect.

I had a look at some of the different types mentioned in the threads and I hadn't tried ones like the rockets before so I have ordered some. It's worth a go to see if they might be more comfortable.

I think you're right. There are slight variations in ear anatomies so it's worth trying different things.
 
Messages
35
Location
Tucson, AZ
I am only able to insert my foam earplugs into the outer hollow of the ear; I find the foam earplugs are too soft to push in any further.

By the outer hollow of the ear, I mean the outer entrance to the ear canal that you can stick your finger into when you want to block out sound.

Yes, I meant the outer hollow of the ear, thanks for clearing that up as there's a big difference between that and the ear canal.
 

CFS_for_19_years

Hoarder of biscuits
Messages
2,396
Location
USA
I have small ear canals and these work OK for me. They don't hurt or fall out - they do what they are supposed to do: block sound:
https://www.amazon.com/Macks-Ear-Care-Slim-Earplugs/dp/B005YUW7A2
ear plugs.jpg

I roll the earplug back and forth in my hands for at least 10 seconds so it looks like a miniature cigar. If I'm placing the earplug in my left ear I take my right hand up over my head and pull up and back on the top of my left ear to open the space in the ear a bit. I insert the earplug as quickly as possible then I keep pressure on the end of the earplug for a minute or two while it expands in the ear. This last step seems to help a lot. Then I repeat on the other side.

I think the only mishap I've had is when I inserted an earplug too deeply (these are small!) and had to go fishing for it with some tweezers.
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
@Hip did you try out the ear soft FX ones??

Did they work well?

Yes I did, but because I cannot seem to push any of the soft foam-type earplugs into my ear canal, foam earplugs do not create anywhere near as good a noise reduction as the Moldex Rockets, which are my favorite earplugs.

I have now tried many of the foam-type earplugs, any they are pretty similar in their noise reduction abilities. As I mentioned, foam I find reduces noise by around 50%, whereas the Moldex Rockets I find reduce noise by 90%.



You can buy Moldex Rockets on the UK eBay for less than £3 a pair including delivery.

And you can buy the very similar Moldex Comets on the UK eBay for less than £2 including delivery.

Moldex Rockets have slightly more sound reduction compared Moldex Comets: a 30dB noise reduction for the Rockets, and a 27dB reduction for the Comets.

Moldex Rockets and Moldex Comets are washable, so they will last for years.

The Moldex European website is here. The Moldex US website is here.
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
Hmm yeah the pushing them in takes practice.

I think it is probably down to different ear anatomies. I am usually pretty dexterous, but can't get the foam plugs into my ear canal.

One trick I use when inserting earplugs is to open my jaw wide: I find when you fully open your mouth, it actually slightly opens the outer entrance to the ear canal. But even doing this, I cannot get the foam earplugs into my ear canal.
 

Grigor

Senior Member
Messages
462
Location
Amsterdam
True. My right ear us very problematic.

What works is pulling the ear up and away from the head. But not with one finger but 3 and really distribute them well so it pulls it in all directions lol.
I used one finger didn't work.
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
@Grigor
I bought a pair of Moldex Twisters earplugs. These are an interesting design: they are made of a foam material, but the foam is mounted on a rigid green plastic stem.

You insert these earplugs into the ear canal by pushing and twisting the stem at the same time. The rotational twist has the effect of squashing the foam into a narrower shape, which then inserts easily into the ear canal.

These are the only foam earplugs I have been able to insert into my ear canal.

Moldex Twisters
Moldex Twisters.png


Compared to the Moldex Rockets, which I usually use when I am sleeping, the Twisters seem to have slight better noise reduction ability. The Rockets are made of a soft rubbery plastic type material.

Moldex Rockets
Moldex Rockets.png
 

perchance dreamer

Senior Member
Messages
1,691
This is slightly off topic, but I wear foam earplugs every night, and listening to my hair stylist's story yesterday makes me realize that the earplugs can have an advantage other than muffling noise. Warning: This story is not for the faint of heart.

She once woke at 4:00 a.m. because she and her husband had slept with the window open, and a skinny tree roach had crawled into her ear. She started screaming and flailing, and her alarmed husband tried to hold her down because he was scared she would hurt herself. He's a lot bigger than she is, but she threw him off twice.

He used the shower massage to get water in her ear in an attempt to drown it, which is the worst thing you can do because it makes them more active. It was scratching around in there, and it was so awful that my stylist became deranged.

They went to the emergency room, and the doctor killed the roach and got it out of her ear. He said it's rare, but roaches do sometimes get in people's ears, and they go crazy until the roaches are removed. He said if it ever happened again to pour oil into the ear because that smothers them.

For a year after that incident, my stylist used earplugs, not to muffle noise, but because of her paranoia from this incident. Eeek! May this never happen to any of us. It's rare, but just horrifying.

Of course, depending on where you live, many of you may never encounter roaches. @CFS_for_19_years, I know you live in Seattle and probably never see them.

I have a friend who grew up in Seattle, and one of her family stories is that a cousin once traveled to the South and saw a roach. There was nothing more to the story than that.
 

WoolPippi

Senior Member
Messages
556
Location
Netherlands
Of all the foam cone shaped ones 3M are the best.

I cut the base part, the flat part, in more rounded shape. This way I can wear them all night and sleep on my ears without getting ridges pushed into my skin.

For maximum noise reduction I wear ear mufflers on top. Can only lie on back. Great during the day.