what do we know about custom-fit earplugs?

[vash]

i had some work done to my ear. the doc suggested a hearing test and i agreed.

my wife thinks i'm losing my hearing. (she says my TV seems louder and louder)

i did the test, and yes..my left is diminished but not all that much.

i am a Civil engineer in heavy construction. my day to day life can be very very loud. i have a fistfull of those cheapo foam earplugs in my "man-bag" and i wear them pretty religiously. i dont find them all that comfortable for all day wear. i wear them at music concerts now.

the lady that performed my hearing test told me she wears custom plugs. she was like a Siren! maybe i want them because of her, i dont know. haha. but i do want them and i have some Flex-spending i need to burn.

i did just email my ear doc for her opinion as well. maybe her office can fit me. i hope. time to perserve what i have. i need to wear them on my motorcycle. but the foam ones are a pain in my helmet.

[vash]

and "hey! how has everyone been doing around here"?

[legion]

I used these. They are awesome.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KHNB8Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[GH85Carrera]

Good to see ya back on Pelican.

I use some hearing protectors in the garage when doing the loud stuff that are kinda like these.
https://www.amazon.com/Howard-Leight-Semi-Aural-Earplugs-QB3HYG/dp/B002A5A9IG/ref=pd_sim_b2b_6/139-5008345-9865706?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B002A5A9IG&pd_rd_r=21d86481-fb18-4aee-b15a-5139dbd1e86d&pd_rd_w=4gRXT&pd_rd_wg=1TvVI&pf_rd_p=a07701e4-f565-442a-b97f-93ab23cbb7ef&pf_rd_r=T98YH3S8MTDNTZQFB0Z7&psc=1&refRID=T98YH3S8MTDNTZQFB0Z7

I like them because I can take them out quickly, and they just hang around me neck until I need them again. If I keep them I hate the sounds of mostly my breathing and the swallowing when I take a swig of water. I play music in my garage and prefer music.

If I am grinding, cutting, or using impact tools, hearing protection goes on.

[peppy]

My son has ear molds made a couple of times a year for his hearing aids. I would think they could do those without a hole in them for the hearing aid hose.

[berettafan]

I use the Radians mold it yourself plugs from Amazon. Easy to make up and cheap. Mix em up, stuff your ears and don't chew or talk for 15 minutes. Done.

Not sure they're the best option if you want to converse with others but they do well for most shooting.

[Jeff Higgins]

I spent a long career in often extremely high noise environments. If you guys want noise, try the "wing line" inside a large aircraft manufacturer's factory. Aluminum wing panels stood vertically (leading or trailing edge up or down) with about twenty guys, all with rivet guns hammering away on the damn thing in unison. Decibel levels approaching 130 on the dB "A" scale.

We found, over many years of extensive testing, that noise cancelling headsets were the most effective. Kind of a PIA to wear under a lot of circumstances, however. Next best are just the simple, cheap, generic foam ear plugs. No kidding. Some guys swore by muffs over plugs, but testing revealed very little was gained by "layering" protection like that.

Bottom line, those silly little cheap foamies work as well as anything, and better than a lot of things. If you are having trouble with them falling out, it's entirely because you are not inserting them correctly. The high dollar custom plugs, in controlled testing where I used to work, fared no better. They can, however, be more comfortable for some. That is their only advantage. And yes, I did find the foamies uncomfortable after several hours of continuous wear. Most of us, however, outside of a manufacturing environment, will not keep them in continuously for anywhere near that length of time.

[jwasbury]

I had custom "musicians" plugs made back when I was doing a lot of gigging with my band. They worked well and would attenuate the DB level, but without altering frequency response. My only complaint is that over time they didn't seal very well, allowing the noise to creep back in.

These days I use store bought musicians plugs (not the custom jobs), for musical endeavors. I wear foamies daily while riding the motorcycle.

[Bill Douglas]

I'm a bit deaf, I SAID I'M A BIT DEAF, and I don't want to lose any more hearing

I bought a pair of ear plugs from a gun shop. something like $28. there is a left ear and a right ear. And with the retainers you could even swim/surf with them.

They are quite effective, but I feel I get the best results by doubling up with good fitting grade 5 earmuffs over the top.

[Evans, Marv]

I got some custom ear plugs made when I went to a gun show. I think at that time they were about $35. I use them when I'm going to be on my motorcycle for a while. Jeff is right that they don't seem to be better than the foam ones. Where they are better is with comfort. Any kind of ear plugs begin to bug me after a while by feeling like something foreign in my ear, but I can tolerate these for longer.

[TimT]

Originally Posted by legion

I used these. They are awesome.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KHNB8Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I did the custom fit ones like race drivers use but no audio, just blanks.

The Radians are custom fit, its a two part soft plastic? ( i don't know the composition)

You mix a ball of it, form a plug, and press it in your ear...in ten minutes trim with an X-acto, poof custom fit ear molds..

I make a set or two a year as the ones that I use at the gym get gross..


Just press the earbuds in before the goo sets




Trim and clean up with an X-acto (I have noise cancelling ear buds)



With the noise cancelling and ear molds, I can basically ignore all conversation at the gym like the curmudgeon I am

[TimT]

Meant to say in that pot that you can modify them and add audio

[Nickshu]

Originally Posted by legion

I used these. They are awesome.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KHNB8Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

+1 for those I use them at the racetrack. They work great.

[berettafan]

Legion sorry i duplicated. didn't realize that was your link as well.

Seems we all have found the Radians.

years ago in sporting clays they had vendors at big shoots and would custom mix colors for a swirl effect.

[Arizona_928]

I used those 3m plugs that are found to be defective. Lol
I thought they were good.

[Fly Mach .86]

I have been using these since I was a flight instructor back in the seventies. (Seems like yesterday).

[911boost]

subscribed as I have flex spending available in 2019 as well.

[vash]

My ear doc suggested I go with the ones the hospital customize.

With my unused flex-cash it’s a good option. My appointment is next Wednesday (if I heard her correctly)

[porsche4life]

Yup the custom ones are the bomb. I still have a set made by a hearing aid specialist back when I was shooting all the time. They are like 12 years old though so don’t fit quite the same now. When they were new though, they were the bomb. Could wear all day no problem, didn’t fall out, and were comfy. I hate the foam plugs, and refuse to wear them.

I used the radians DIY kits to make some custom ear buds, and they work pretty good, but aren’t the same as the ones I had made.

[froggert]

I've been using custom earplugs made by an audiologist friend and they work well. From what I understand, the main problem with foam plugs is how they are used. A lot of people just stick them in their ears rather than rolling them thinner, pulling the ear back to straighten the canal and then sticking the plug in and holding in place until it expands.