Ear Plug Superstore - Official Blog

Cirrus Earplanes EP2 Review: Best Ear Plugs for Ear Pain

As the world begins to open back up, and more folks are looking at flying again, I'd like to share this recent Cirrus Earplanes EP2 Flying Ear Plugs Review from a customer, about how they overcame ear pain from flying:

Reduced My Ear Pain Significantly!!

I am adult have severe ear pain on landing on flights, because of narrow eustachian tubes in my ears. These are the best earplugs I have tried in the past years. They are so very comfortable, and really help reduce the ear pain on when landing on flights. I used them the entire flight. I am ecstatic to learn that they are also reusable, however, I wonder how many times one can reuse them, as it does not say on the package.

Pros: Easy to install in the ear. Comfortable to wear. Come in a convenient plastic case. Reduce the ear pain on landing on flights. Reusable.

Cons: It does not state on the packaging how many flights one can use the same pair, before replacing them for effectiveness.

 

When it comes to flying and your ears, there are really two factors to consider: noise, and pressure. The noise of flying is a big contributor when it comes to travel fatigue; hours on a cramped, noisy plane full of engine sounds and crying babies can be irritating and literally physically exhausting. Even so, it's the pressure that often poses the worst problem for air travelers. The ear pain comes from pressure changes - which happen quite frequently in an airplane, since the cabin is pressurized and elevation changes are the name of the game. Ear pain from pressure during a flight can be intense, making an otherwise-pleasant flight truly miserable. (Often, the reason babies cry on flights is because their ears hurt, too!)

Fortunately, ear plugs offer a great deal of relief - and it's fair to say that none are more popular than Cirrus Earplanes. These work by regulating the air pressure inside your ear canals, so the cabin pressure changes in the aircraft aren't so sudden and painful for your sensitive ear drums to try to cope with. These flying ear plugs also block some noise, which can help prevent travel fatigue. With great pressure regulation, moderate noise blocking, a comfortable fit, and a reasonable price tag, Cirrus Earplanes may be the best ear plugs for flying that you can get.

This customer has pointed out that the packaging doesn't give directions for how many times the ear plugs can be used effectively. But we can help! And there's great news - Cirrus Flying Ear Plugs are actually washable! When they get dirty or tacky or stiff, you can gently clean these by hand. Use warm water and gentle hand soap to rub them clean, removing all debris and ear wax, and be sure to set them somewhere to dry completely before the next use. If you care for your flying ear plugs with a gentle wash between uses, they should last for months or even years, depending on how often you fly.

Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.

Tom Bergman, Vice President
Ear Plug Superstore

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Challenger Custom Earphones for Motorcycle Riders: A Perfect Pair

Any motorcycle rider will tell you - it's not the engine noise that gets to you, it's the wind noise. Few solutions are better for blocking it out than custom-molded earpieces, and for many folks, the ability to listen to music is just as critical as fighting the unwanted noise. When you get it right? You stick with it - like this customer who's been using our Challenger Custom Earphones for over twenty years:

Challenger for Motorcycles

This is my 3rd pair within the last 20 years, which states my satisfaction with this product. For me, these are very comfortable. They stay sealed even when talking or eating. The audio, with single drivers, is quite good for me. I get wind noise over my bike fairing, my lawnmower is a loud diesel. I set my volume with a dead engine, and rarely need to make a volume increase. These have proven to be very durable, as to the wires being snagged or sharply pulled. I'm very content.

Pros: Quality product, w/ good service if needed.
Cons: I don't have any complaints.

People always tell us: when they find exactly the right earplug, earbud, or earphone to fit their unique ears, they keey coming back, year after year. And for a lot of folks, our Challenger Custom Molded Isolation Earphones fit the bill (and their ear canals) exactly.

Challenger Custom Earphones for Motorcycle Riders

Challenger Custom Molded Isolation Earphones are our own creation, in collaboration with professional custom earpiece molding labs, and one we're proud of. Over the years, we've learned a lot about what folks want in an in-ear headphone: a fully-custom fit for comfort and security, great-quality sound for high-fidelity listening, and durability to stand up to years of on-the-go wear and use. You can get most of these features from some of the highest-end products available, like Westone's famous pro custom earphones. People love them! But those get pricey fast.

For folks who just want good-quality music while riding their motorcycles, we wanted to create a solution that brought all the custom-fitted quality - but without the big brand price tag.

These are the result.

While Challenger Custom Earphones work great for a variety of uses and applications, they're an especially smart choice for motorcycle riders. For starters, the Challenger Model MH's low-profile design fits flawlessly under any helmet - unlike non-custom earbuds that can stick out and get snagged. The custom fit ensures the earpieces won't move or fall out, so you don't have to worry about your headphones on rough roads.

Challenger Earphones' sound quality is excellent: a combination of noise blocking (thanks to a full ear canal + a good acoustic seal) keeps unwanted background noise out, while the high-fidelity drivers deliver premium sound quality. The ~25dB of noise isolation on its own is enough to kill the wind while leaving alarms, sirens, and other critical sounds audible, so even when you're between albums or podcasts, you can enjoy more peace while you ride.

Challenger Motorcycle Earphones come in a huge variety of colors and styles

Of course, our Challenger motorcycle earphones are packed with additional features that are less specific to motorcycle riders, but still of interest here. The model option is an easy one: choose MH for "motorcycle helmet" and the low-profile fit we designed especially for motorcycle riders. For drivers, make your choice of single drivers (customer-reviewed as rich and robust) or upgrade to dual drivers for an audiophile experience. Add a braker vent if you'd like clearer hearing with adaptive defense against noise: as engine noise, wind noise, traffic noise, and other sounds around you increase, so does the amount of hearing protection you get. And an in-line mic turns a set of Challenger earphones into a fully-functional hands-free headset for call and talk.

Of course, you can also add colors, glow in the dark, glitter, or swirls to make your custom-fitted Challenger earphones truly customized to suit both your needs and your personal style.

If you start using Challengers for frequent motorcycle rides, you may eventually find that they get damaged; they're durable, but nothing lasts forever. The 6-month manufacturer's warranty has your back, and later on, we offer a unique Challenger Custom Earphones Repair Service, so you can fix the problem for a fraction of the cost of a new pair if they break years after the warranty has expired. And then those repairs are then backed with another 90-day warranty, for real peace of mind. These aren't another pair of cheap earbuds you'll throw away or wear out in a couple of months.

As this customer found - Challengers are in it for the long haul.

Check out Challenger Earphones for Motorcycle Riders here.

And until next time, be safe and do the right thing.

Tom Bergman, Vice President
Ear Plug Superstore

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How Many Times Can You Reuse Cirrus EarPlanes Ear Plugs for Flying?

When it comes to flying, the engine noise in the cabin can be a big drag - but the real ear pain comes from air pressure changes inside that pressurized plane. Few things are as effective in helping to manage the pressure as a pair of earplugs designed to do exactly that. One passenger found Cirrus EarPlanes in particular to be a real game-changer - check out their experience and advice from this recent Cirrus EarPlanes Review:

Reduced My Ear Pain Significantly!!

I am adult have severe ear pain on landing on flights, because of narrow eustachian tubes in my ears. These are the best earplugs I have tried in the past years. They are so very comfortable, and really help reduce the ear pain on when landing on flights. I used them the entire flight. I am ecstatic to learn that they are also reusable, however, I wonder how many times one can reuse them, as it does not say on the package.

Pros: Easy to install in the ear. Comfortable to wear. Come in a convenient plastic case. Reduce the ear pain on landing on flights. Reusable.

Cons: It does not state on the packaging how many flights one can use the same pair, before replacing them for effectiveness.

Cirrus EarPlanes were arguably the first, best flying earplugs to hit the market, and their updated design, the EP2, continues to make flying a lot less painful for a huge crowd of dedicated users. EarPlanes work by using a ceramic internal filter to regulate air pressure in and out of the ear canals, which keeps your ears from getting stopped up and hurting. The updated EP2 design is more comfortable than the original, but the mechanics are the same on both sets of earplugs. They provide some protection from noise, a nice amount for reducing fatigue while still retaining situational awareness, but pressure regulation is where EarPlanes do their heavy lifting and earn their devotees.

So, we know they work great - but how many times can you reuse EarPlanes ear plugs?

The answer is: it depends, but at least a few. EarPlanes are reusable several times with frequent washing and storage, using common sense as a guide. Wash Cirrus EarPlanes ear plugs with a gentle non-abrasive hand soap and lukewarm water. Make sure to rinse them completely so no wax, soap, or debris remains. Keave the plugs somewhere clean and well-ventilated to dry completely before you store or reinsert them. Keep them somewhere dry, ideally somewhere out of the sun where they won't get covered in pet hair or dust or pollen. (EarPlanes come with their own small case, to help make that easy.) The plugs themselves are made of silicone rubber and ceramic materials, so this process of washing and reuse can likely be repeated for months or even years, depending on how often you travel, what environment(s) you're traveling in, etc.

That said, it's worth noting that the manufacturer advises that you treat EarPlanes plugs as disposable, as dust and particulate from normal wear can eventually clog up the filters. It's never a bad idea to listen to the manufacturer. Still, practical experience has taught us that washing and reusing these plugs works fine, if done with care. Ultimately, it comes down to trusting your own common sense here: if they're still soft and flexible, and look and feel like they did when you got them, you're probably fine to gently wash off that ear wax and use your EarPlanes again on your next trip. If the plugs are stiff or shredded or obviously hopelessly clogged, though, give it up. When in doubt, though, please do err on the side of caution and go for a new pair.

If you're uncertain, it's better to be cautious. You'll definitely have a better flight if you can be sure your EarPlanes are in good condition!

Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.

Tom Bergman, Vice President
Ear Plug Superstore

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Motorcycle Hearing Protection (for Differently-Sized Ears)

Q.Hi, I am looking for hearing protection while riding my motorcycle both for the wind noise and exhaust note. I have upgraded to a quieter helmet and tried a variety of disposable ear plugs. They all either don’t work, are difficult to put in or hurt after a short time.

My left ear canal is smaller and shallow before it turns a sharp corner. I looked on your site and there are lots of options which is good but confusing, so, I’m looking for recommendations.

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A.You did the smart thing by starting with disposable ear plugs, but with two differently-sized ears - a very common situation, by the way! - your best bet will probably be a custom ear plug. They are extremely low-profile, to fit under any helmet, and the custom sizing means you'll get the right fit.

I would suggest that you begin with a DIY (Do-It Yourself) custom product, which are inexpensive and quick to make yourself in your own home, of which we have several:

• Radians Custom DIY Ear Plugs are our top pick for DIY custom plugs, with a variety of colors, easy set-up - mixing putty and forming to the shape of the ear - and an inexpensive price tag. Five-star rated by our customers, tried and true for years. Moderate NRR 26 hearing protection will cut the wind noise without totally removing your situational awareness, for safer city cruising.
• E.A.R. Inc. DIY Custom Ear Plug Kits come in a few more colors, but are more expensive than Radians. They provide similar NRR 26 protection from noise. Not as well rated by our customers, but also a solid choice, especially if you want fluorescent colors.
• Decibullz DIY Custom Molded Ear Plugs, which present a lot of benefits. They're heated with water, no putty to mix, and you can re-mold them if they're not perfect the first time. An impressive NRR 31 makes these good for blocking the most noise - which may actually be a little too much, if you're riding in a busy area and need to stay somewhat aware of ambient sounds.

All the DIY custom plugs are inexpensive and easy to use. Once you get some and try them out, if you like the way they work, but want a better set, we can help you get some professional lab made custom ear plugs. These will last for years, fit the best, irritate your ears the least after very long trips, and provide the best hearing protection - plus a range of options, styles, NRRs, and custom colors. Two choices stand out, if you're already sure you want to take the plunge:

• Perfect-Fit CMCP Model Custom Motorcycle Ear Plugs, which are ultra low profile, canal-only plugs designed not to interfere with a helmet, with a moderate (relatively, for a pro custom plug) price tag. These have a wide array of color and style options, such as sparkles, swirls, and glow-in-the-dark, to match your bike and your personality.
• Westone Defendear 4RT Motorsport Custom-Fit Ear Plugs, which are just as low-profile, still offer some good color options, and come with the option of adding Slic-Sil anti-microbial coating - something you may very much appreciate during pit-stops out on the highway, for instance. A little more expensive than Perfect-Fit.

Lab-molded custom ear plugs require you to make ear impressions. We have a kit you can purchase for an additional fee to make your molds yourself - or you can visit a local audiologist for a set of ear impressions. You'll mail back the molds to us, and the lab will ship you back your finished ear plugs. Pro customs offer the very best fit (often with a guarantee), performance, features, and customization. But they are much more expensive than other options, and the professional custom molding process takes time.

Ear Plug Superstore Exclusive Tip:

One more thing. If you want to listen to music or a phone while riding, our Challenger Custom Earphones are a great buy with a low-profile, custom fit - and our repair services can keep one pair working for years and years, even with heavy use. These provide some sound isolation, the ability to listen to your music or communications devices, and custom-molded comfort that will work perfectly for someone with different-sized ears. We have a ton of customers who swear by their Challengers.

Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.

Tom Bergman, Vice President
Ear Plug Superstore

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Which Hearing Protection is Best for Flight Deck Pilots?

Q. I'm a pilot for a major carrier, and I was wondering about which of your products would be best for flight deck pilots? At lower levels, we wear ANR noise cancelling headsets, however once at higher levels, we don't wear headsets. With headsets off, radio comms come through a cockpit speaker and, as a crew, we communicate in regular fashion. But without the headsets, we are exposed to hours of ambient noise which I estimate to be at 40 db.

Our objective is to filter out engine noise while minimally affecting voice and radio. I'd like to remove as much of the engine noise as possible, while being able to hold conversations and hear the radio.

Comfort for 4 to 7 hours is a must. Also, strength and durability with continuous use: 900 hours per year. Clear silicone is visually appealing but not absolutely necessary.

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A. Given that explanation, my top suggestion would be the Mack's High Fidelity Hear Plugs. These are made for Mack's by Dynamic Ear Corporation, one of the top manufacturers of professional musician ear plugs today, and they have the complete package of features you need: they are made of a heat sensitive silicone that softens with body heat for long-lasting comfort, they are low profile for a discrete appearance, and they contain an acoustic filter that lets most frequencies pass through, but with moderate attenuation, so you still hear just about everything but at a nicely reduced volume. Voices will still come through clearly. These earplugs also come with two sizes to fit nearly everyone comfortably, and they include a nice carry case, both of which could be very useful for your purposes.

Having said all that, a couple of other standouts you might consider include the following:

• Happy Ears. These get outstanding reviews from our customers. They offer similar attenuation as do the Mack's. Happy Ears come in three sizes, and they are a little less expensive.
  
  
• Alpine Musicsafe Pro. These come in just one size, but their design is quite flexible so they tend to fit most adults comfortably, and the silicone softens just like the Mack's. One reason I suggest this is that with MusicSafe Pro, you get three different sets of filters that give you a choice of attenuation levels. This is a degree of control that you cannot get with most other musician ear plugs. Additionally, the method of sound attenuation used is a precisely-designed acoustic vent that, as a bonus, also regulates the rate of air flow into and out of the ear canal as the pressure in the cabin changes, mitigating the effects of rapid altitude changes on your ears.

Ultimately, though, almost any of the musician ear plugs will suit your situation nicely - and the different filters, sizes, and other features available from different models will likely result in various crew members finding they have different favorites. Given the extent of your potential usage, experimenting with several would be well worth the effort for each of your crew members. Ears are as unique as fingerprints, so it's likely that each person will ultimately have to do their own experimentation to find a hearing protector they can enjoy wearing... for the next 900 hours. But now you have some excellent places to start.

I hope this helps in your search for the perfect flight deck pilot ear plug!

Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.

Tom Bergman, Vice President
Ear Plug Superstore

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6 Ways to Avoid Summer Disasters

You can enjoy your holiday to the fullest with Alpine earplugs!

Ready to enjoy your summer holiday! How will you spend your summer? By making a long distance flight to the tropics? Partying with friends at Sziget Festival or Ibiza for a week? Relaxing with the whole family at a campsite? Or are you planning a beautiful tour on your motorcycle? Whatever your plans, do not let your holiday joy be ruined by snoring campers, noisy hotel rooms, ear infections caused by contaminated water, sore or clogged ears from flying, hearing damage from loud music, or ringing in your ears due to wind noise when you ride your motorbike. Be sure to put some earplugs on your packing list and save yourself from a lot of holiday troubles.

1. Earache and clogged ears due to air pressure changes during flight
   Will your vacation start in an airplane? Then you may experience a tedious and even painful pressure on your ears during take-off or landing. Some travellers are still bothered by clogged ears or deafness even days after landing. That is not very pleasant, and may even ruin your trip. Make sure your Alpine FlyFit earplugs are in your carry-on. The filters in these earplugs regulate the pressure difference between the middle ear and the nasal cavity and the pharynx, like a kind of valve. This prevents painful pressure on the eardrum. The exhausting engine noise and bustle of passengers is also muted. Speech remains audible, though. You can feel free to take a nap during the flight, as the earplugs still feel comfortable when lying on one ear. They have soft and flexible filters for extra comfort. This means you will arrive more well-rested and ready to enjoy your vacation even more! Tip: you can take Alpine Pluggies Kids earplugs along with you to prevent children’s earaches on the plane, too.
   
   
2. Sleep deprivation due to noisy hotel rooms or snoring campers
   Every time you want to nap during your vacation, it seems like the tourists in the room next to you have entirely different plans. With good sleep earplugs, you are prepared for noisy hotel rooms or snoring campers. Also very useful if you sleep in the dormitory of a hostel! The Alpine SleepSoft earplugs have a high level of attenuation and are made of a soft material that adapts to the shape of your ear. Just like the Alpine earplugs for flying, they have flexible filters that are perfect for people who sleep on their side. Is your alarm clock set for the morning? Don't worry, it will remain sufficiently audible.
   
   
3. Earache or ear infection after swimming
   Bacteria and fungi in water can cause inflammation of the ear canal. After swimming, the moisture level in the ear is higher, and the acidity is lower. This increases the risk of infection. You do not want an ear infection, especially during your holiday. Do don’t forget to pack Alpine SwimSafe earplugs for yourself, and Alpine Pluggies Kids earplugs for children under 12. These earplugs keep the water out of the ears, so you can swim without having to worry. They are also ideal if you suffer from an unpleasant feeling of pressure on your eardrums when you put your head underwater.
   
   
4. Tinnitus after riding a motorcycle
   When you get off your bike after a long ride, you may feel like the wind is still rushing past your ears. This sound indicates that the cilia, deep down in your inner ear, are overburdened. These cilia are essential for hearing. The hard noise of the wind damages them. If this happens, you will notice you start hearing less or hearing a permanent buzz or ringing in your ears. This damage cannot be reversed. Remember to use earplugs when riding your motorbike. Alpine’s special motor earplugs are super comfortable underneath your helmet, even on long rides. They have flexible filters for extra comfort.
   
   
5. Hearing loss or ringing in your ears from loud music
   Make sure you do not return home with a permanent ringing in your ears after partying at Ibiza! Enjoy the music, but seriously, wear hearing protection. This applies to all events where loud music is played. MusicSafe earplugs from Alpine filter out the harmful noise. The music experience is preserved, and conversations remain audible. It’s a win-win! The earplugs are comfortable all day and night long and are almost invisible in your ears. Are you taking a child to an event with loud noises? Protect the ears of your children with the Pluggies Kids earplugs or Muffy earmuffs.
   
   
6. Noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus due to DIY jobs
   Summer is the perfect time to pick up a renovation or other do-it-yourself project. Or maybe it is time to thoroughly redo your garden. You’ll be working on your house more comfortably when you wear hearing protection. A lot of tools produce harmful loud noise. Earmuffs from the DIY store may be warm and sweaty in the summer. This makes Alpine WorkSafe earplugs the cool choice for DIY jobs. These reusable earplugs filter out harmful noise but let through warning signals and speech. Thanks to the included carrying cord, you can easily hang them around your neck when you need to take them out for a moment. The extended stem makes them easy to insert and remove. (Are there any children near? Don’t forget their sensitive ears, either.)

With Alpine hearing protection, you are well-prepared and can optimally enjoy your well-deserved vacation!

Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.
Tom Bergman, Vice President
Ear Plug Superstore

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