Thread: Ear Plugs

Wanting good quality ear plugs that actually fit ( not electronic ) just ones you can put in when you got time when shooting at distance
There must be better options than foam that I can never seem to even get in anyway , might have to get some made from one of the hearing aid outfits ?

Anyone using some that they can recommend ?

I have been using 3m branded plugs in the pits at motorbike race meets. They are joined by a cord and have staggered ribs round the circumference to help hold them in place. Very little noise gets through. In a room with normal discussion going on, I cannot decipher what my wife is saying if wearing these. True! I guess the likes of Bunnings might sell them.

Surefire Sonic Defenders.

I use these when im shooting my braked 28 Nosler. I rate them, fast to get them in, when hunting you generally don't have time to squash the foam type etc. With these flanged 'Christmas tree' type rubber ones you just jam them in fast. I only hear a very dull thud when firing the braked rifle.



I always have a few pairs in my hunting kit and range box, to hand out to others im hunting with etc when i have the braked rifle.

https://nzsafetyblackwoods.co.nz/en/...ed-pair-403236

=3M for generic or you could have some custom made ones / not cheap but if you take care of them they will last quite awhile

the ones with a cord on them look good (harder to loose ) I have narrow ear canals so will get a set and see if I can get them in , thanks for the reply fullas

Got these not so long ago, good to deal with and ship to NZ. Got the kit with the cord etc

https://www.decibullz.com/custom-molded-earplugs/

We have the custom moulded silicone earplugs at work and they are bloody awesome. Went from foam ones to these and they're way more comfortable to wear all day, you can get them in quick and dont have to wait for them to expand to start working. Pretty expensive. I think they were around $180. I rate them though, well worth it.

I’ve been using a pair of these ones for more than a year now. Very comfortable and is working well for me:

https://www.trademe.co.nz/sports/hun...2597424409.htm


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I have the 3M ear plugs on cord. Not as good as cheap ear muffs in terms of ear protection, but better than nothing. For hunting, I'd get ear plugs on a solid band that can be worn around your neck. Less searching about for the bloody things in your shirt and less tangles!

Originally Posted by Ryan

Surefire Sonic Defenders.

+1

Originally Posted by Lucky

Wanting good quality ear plugs that actually fit ( not electronic ) just ones you can put in when you got time when shooting at distance
There must be better options than foam that I can never seem to even get in anyway , might have to get some made from one of the hearing aid outfits ?

Anyone using some that they can recommend ?

Shop around. I have quite narrow ear canals and found it very helpful to have the foam plugs with like a firmer plastic stem in the middle, they call them no-touch, less fiddling with rolling the plug small before shoving it in. I found mine in a pharmacy, got to pay $12 or so for a pair but they were better than the standard foam ones. The ones on the link and image below are similar to mine, you get the idea:

https://3m.ear-plugs.org/single-use-...ext-touch.html


The other trick is to reach with your left hand round the back of your head and pull your right ear backwards - it straightens the ear canal and makes plug insertion easier.

Sometimes your difficulties can be because you don't realise the direction your ear canals run. In some people they run straight in or slightly towards the front, mine slope upwards by some 30degrees which is great for not getting your ears filled with water in the rain or too long after a shower, but if you use a stethoscope you have to bend the earpieces to be in line with your canals or you'll hear less well.

The luxury comfort version which work best are moulded ear plugs from the audiologist, which rest snugly in the conchal bowl and extend a bit into the ear canal. Can also be combined with ipod earphones which will be very confortable and useful for long haul flights too.

My suggestion is either the multi-flange ones joined with a neck cord or possibly the 3M closed cell foam ones with the plastic skeleton attachment for the cord.

At a more general level, here is part of what I said to a similar query on another site:

.. The two problems with plugs is that firstly, many users simply don't insert them properly/deeply enough. It amuses me to see shooters with 2/3 of a closed cell foam sticking out into their concha (ear bowl). You can stake your life on the plug giving very little protection if you see this. In the case of custom-moulded plugs, the quality of the ear impression and post-impression processing can easily be poor, and you'll end up with a leaky plug. I've seen many "instant plugs" made at shows/ events/ fairs that are just plain pathetic in execution. Some I saw were downright scary- spotted a pair curing where the impression material had skirted the too-small cotton dam and had actually been pressing on the drum. This is one small step from disaster. The other risk is people who don't know what they're doing injecting down canals where they haven't the knowledge or illumination gear to see what's down there. Some people have badly necked canals which increase markedly in diameter further down. End result is a trapped impression that can't be removed other than by a surgeon under GA, and believe me, the surgeon won't thank you for being called in for that.

If you're in the market for custom plugs, either passive or electronic, please make sure you get someone with proper training and extensive experience to take the impressions. The end product is only as good as the impression, and you don't want your ear written off by an "accident" during impression taking. ..

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6x47
(Retired clinical audiologist)