Earplug sampler pack

[OakLeaf]

I know there are others here who've had trouble with earplugs becoming painful, but can't remember who, so I thought I'd share this.

I just got a sampler pack from earplugsuperstore.com, one pair each of 26 different kinds of earplugs, representing their softest and/or smallest selection.

It's going to take me a while to try them all out! Well, not all of them, since there are a couple in there that I've already tried, but even with shipping nearly half the cost of the sampler pack, it was still cheaper than buying the ones I'm interested in separately, especially when that would leave a chance that they wouldn't work for me and I'd be stuck with a box I can't use.

They have at least one other sampler pack, and a very large overall selection, and shipping was via USPS and reasonably quick.

[ny biker]

I think I've looked at that site before.

I use earplugs every night since I'm a light sleeper. I find that if they hurt, it means that either I'm coming down with a cold or other upper respiratory infection, or I put the ear plug in wrong. I have lots of problems getting the ear plug into my right ear, and almost always have to try more than once to get it right. Hopefully my ears won't develop a sensitivity over time like yours have.

Good luck!

[AppleTree]

Very interesting, never knew there were so many different kinds out there! I also wear earplugs pretty regularly, I think it helps me sleep more deeply. Usually the "waxy" type, where you can mold it and fit it around your ear without going too deep into the ear canal work best and hurt least for me...most of the time anyway.

[smilingcat]

hmmm need to check out the site. Thanks. My problem is that my ear canal is pretty small so even the small size sometimes are too big. I really need to squish the soft spongy one really thin or it just sits on my ear. And those earbuds, the small size is just barely small enough. :(

I go through a lot of them because I am using power tools on a regular basis.

[OakLeaf]

You might do better with earmuff style hearing protection for when you're working with tools and running equipment? Fit is less of an issue, plus it's easy to just slip it off one ear when you need to talk to someone, rather than trying to put an earplug back in with dirty hands.

[Dogmama]

Oak - which sampler pack did you get? I'm looking for something to protect my ears while teaching spinning. Thanks!

[Helene2013]

I hate earplugs as I find they hurt my inside in no time. No matter how "bendable" they were. But I tried this type and so far they are the best ones for me. Never felt any pain with those in.

http://www.amazon.com/Sleep-Pretty-Pink-Womens-14-Pair/dp/B001EPQ888

Maybe worth trying if you can find a smaller pack.

[OakLeaf]

Those are available in most drugstores I've seen. Are they really any different from the Hearos beige Ultimate Softness Series (same brand, same shape, same size, same NRR)? I was able to wear the beige Hearos Ultimate for two or three years before they too started becoming painful. Now, even two hours in those is too much.

I kind of refuse on principle to buy anything that's colored pink and marketed to women, especially if it's identical to a neutral colored product. :cool:

I'm working my way through the sampler pack and so far the least irritating candidates are the 3M E*A*R EZ Fit, and the Moldex Spark Plugs (which are the ones I was already wearing).

Moldex private-labels earplugs that are pretty much just like the Spark Plugs only smaller, but I've only been able to find them in plastic clamshell cases with two pairs of earplugs, and now I can't even remember the name of the company that sells those by the box. Sigh. (I know where to get more, they're marketed to motorsports enthusiasts and I can get them at a helmet shop, but it's not super convenient to me. Next time I'm in that store I'll look again.)




Dogmama, I got the "Just the Softest/Smallest" sampler pack. I'm making notes as I work my way through them, so far those are the two that come closest to working for me. I can put my full set of notes up here once I've tried them all.

[ny biker]

Those are available in most drugstores I've seen. Are they really any different from the Hearos beige Ultimate Softness Series (same brand, same shape, same size, same NRR)? I was able to wear the beige Hearos Ultimate for two or three years before they too started becoming painful. Now, even two hours in those is too much.

I kind of refuse on principle to buy anything that's colored pink and marketed to women, especially if it's identical to a neutral colored product. :cool:

I'm working my way through the sampler pack and so far the least irritating candidates are the 3M E*A*R EZ Fit, and the Moldex Spark Plugs (which are the ones I was already wearing).

Moldex private-labels earplugs that are pretty much just like the Spark Plugs only smaller, but I've only been able to find them in plastic clamshell cases with two pairs of earplugs, and now I can't even remember the name of the company that sells those by the box. Sigh. (I know where to get more, they're marketed to motorsports enthusiasts and I can get them at a helmet shop, but it's not super convenient to me. Next time I'm in that store I'll look again.)




Dogmama, I got the "Just the Softest/Smallest" sampler pack. I'm making notes as I work my way through them, so far those are the two that come closest to working for me. I can put my full set of notes up here once I've tried them all.

I once tried some pink "women's" earplugs. I think they were Mack's rather than Hearos (not 100% sure on that, though). They were comfortable enough but didn't really do much to block sound because they were smaller than the regular beige ones and therefore did not form a good seal in my ears.

And I totally agree on targeting products to women by making them pink.

[nuliajuk]

Are any suitable for swimming? I also have small ear canals and find that even the child size are uncomfortable at times.
The easiest earplugs I ever had for insertion were called Skull Screws and were given out at a jobsite I was on. Unfortunately, they only come in huge quantities from places like Acklands Grainger, and probably aren't suitable for water use.

[OakLeaf]

For swimming, I use the silicone ones - to keep water out of my ears not to reduce noise. You can mold them into any shape and size you like, and only a small amount goes into the ear canal. I do get the children's size ones, but if you have the "adult" size silicone you can just tear off however much material you need.

I historically did buy earplugs in the 200-pair boxes. DH still does. If I find something I can tolerate better than the SparkPlugs I have a box of now, I'll buy a box of those. Even if only one person in the household is using them, if you use them often you'll use them up plenty fast - they're only good for maybe 30-40 hours on the outside IME. Beyond that, depending on the type, they might get impossible to roll up and insert, or they just stop blocking sound. Or if you're prone to outer ear infections (which is the main reason I wear earplugs for swimming) you'll want to replace them more often.