Re: If you want to make your own custom fit ear plugs
Posted by sgtslag on Mar 18, 2012; 5:26pm
URL: http://vintage-and-classic-hondas.81.s1.nabble.com/If-you-want-to-make-your-own-custom-fit-ear-plugs-tp3835637p3836922.html
I checked into these, myself, several years ago. I was told that these won't last as long as the ones which are molded from this type of epoxy, then mailed to you. Don't know for sure, but I suspect the material these are made of, is not as durable as the plugs made using this type as a master to make a mold from. Still, they're way better than foamies, for comfort (you should be able to wear these for 3+ hours; the foamies hurt after the first hour, or two...).
On WebBikeWorld.com's ear plug pages (http://www.webbikeworld.com/Earplugs/earplugs.htm), they recommend 32 dB NRR (Noise Reduction Ratio) minimum. Even the expensive custom plugs don't offer that level, unless you opt for the gun range type, which is more like 40-50 dB... At that level, you pretty much won't hear anything. Period. For me, though, my 28 dB plugs are better than no plugs! Foamies can be had in the 32 dB range, but long term comfort is a real challenge.
If you've never ridden with ear plugs in, give them a try: you will find that you are way more relaxed, comfortable, and even more alert! They block out the majority of noise which affects us no matter what we tell ourselves (you can tune out the noise, but that won't stop the permanent hearing loss, or the stress the noise puts on your body). The foamies cost a couple of bucks -- not the most comfortable for more than an hour, but they'll prove/disprove my point for you. The gauntlet has been thrown down. Will you accept the challenge?
If anyone tries these inexpensive custom ear plugs, please report back after a year, and let us know how they stood up to regular usage. We bought the more expensive units, molded from this type of epoxy, at around $100 per pair (second year of usage, no issues other than the string coming out -- applied some RTV Silicone to the hollow plugs to re-secure the strings).
If you go this route, you may want to push the end of a small string into the soft epoxy, while it is in your ear. That way you will have a string to pull them out by. Insert one end of the string into each ear, so that they stay together, and you will be able to extract them quite easily. Cheers!
URL: http://vintage-and-classic-hondas.81.s1.nabble.com/If-you-want-to-make-your-own-custom-fit-ear-plugs-tp3835637p3836922.html
I checked into these, myself, several years ago. I was told that these won't last as long as the ones which are molded from this type of epoxy, then mailed to you. Don't know for sure, but I suspect the material these are made of, is not as durable as the plugs made using this type as a master to make a mold from. Still, they're way better than foamies, for comfort (you should be able to wear these for 3+ hours; the foamies hurt after the first hour, or two...).
On WebBikeWorld.com's ear plug pages (http://www.webbikeworld.com/Earplugs/earplugs.htm), they recommend 32 dB NRR (Noise Reduction Ratio) minimum. Even the expensive custom plugs don't offer that level, unless you opt for the gun range type, which is more like 40-50 dB... At that level, you pretty much won't hear anything. Period. For me, though, my 28 dB plugs are better than no plugs! Foamies can be had in the 32 dB range, but long term comfort is a real challenge.
If you've never ridden with ear plugs in, give them a try: you will find that you are way more relaxed, comfortable, and even more alert! They block out the majority of noise which affects us no matter what we tell ourselves (you can tune out the noise, but that won't stop the permanent hearing loss, or the stress the noise puts on your body). The foamies cost a couple of bucks -- not the most comfortable for more than an hour, but they'll prove/disprove my point for you. The gauntlet has been thrown down. Will you accept the challenge?
If anyone tries these inexpensive custom ear plugs, please report back after a year, and let us know how they stood up to regular usage. We bought the more expensive units, molded from this type of epoxy, at around $100 per pair (second year of usage, no issues other than the string coming out -- applied some RTV Silicone to the hollow plugs to re-secure the strings).
If you go this route, you may want to push the end of a small string into the soft epoxy, while it is in your ear. That way you will have a string to pull them out by. Insert one end of the string into each ear, so that they stay together, and you will be able to extract them quite easily. Cheers!
1979 CB750K (sold, 2012, but not forgotten)
1983 Kawasaki 440 LTD Belt Drive (sold, 2011)
1993 Kawasaki Voyager XII
1983 Kawasaki 440 LTD Belt Drive (sold, 2011)
1993 Kawasaki Voyager XII
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