Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: AlexL95 on January 16, 2020, 07:55:50 PM
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Hey! I just saw this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74-CvPzyW48&t=5s) about Big Ear (https://www.bigearinc.com/the-best-motorcycle-ear-plugs-and-how-to-choose/) custom IEM/hearing protection and I want to know if any of you here tried their products. I'd love to get myself a pair but I want to know if their a bang for the buck. Any other recommendations? Thanks!
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I tried Big Ear.
https://www.amazon.com/Howard-Leight-MAX-1-Plugs-Uncorded/dp/B0033YLEGO
I found these much better for sound, comfort, and price.
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I shoot trap & skeet. The consensus is that the cheap foam earplugs are as good as--if not better than--anything you can buy, provided they are properly inserted.
Rich A
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I use foam earplugs liberated from work!
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I shoot trap & skeet. The consensus is that the cheap foam earplugs are as good as--if not better than--anything you can buy, provided they are properly inserted.
Rich A
They're protective all right, but I feel like I'm in a deep-sea diver's helmet when I use them, and they're uncomfortable.
I spend $150 every 5 years or so (I lose them :undecided: ) on a custom molded pair from my audiologist, made with a "waveguide" through the middle to pass voice frequencies but to block motorcycle wind noise and gunfire. Comfy, effective, keeps you connected with the world.
Lannis
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They're protective all right, but I feel like I'm in a deep-sea diver's helmet when I use them, and they're uncomfortable.
I spend $150 every 5 years or so (I lose them :undecided: ) on a custom molded pair from my audiologist, made with a "waveguide" through the middle to pass voice frequencies but to block motorcycle wind noise and gunfire. Comfy, effective, keeps you connected with the world.
Lannis
I went to an audiologist, who confirmed the hearing loss & tinnitus in my left ear from working construction. While there he sold me custom silicon molded earplugs for $120-. While they may be good they rub on the inside of the helmet which creates a 'noise' rendering them useless for riding.
I use 'E A R soft Grippers by 3M from the Earplug store. The key is pulling on the upper part of your ear to open the ear canal & then giving the plug time to expand in your ear.
Wearing plugs does give you that 'underwater' feeling. Some get used to it
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I went to an audiologist, who confirmed the hearing loss & tinnitus in my left ear from working construction. While there he sold me custom silicon molded earplugs for $120-. While they may be good they rub on the inside of the helmet which creates a 'noise' rendering them useless for riding.
I use 'E A R soft Grippers by 3M from the Earplug store. The key is pulling on the upper part of your ear to open the ear canal & then giving the plug time to expand in your ear.
Wearing plugs does give you that 'underwater' feeling. Some get used to it
Shoulda sprung for the $150 ones that don't rub the liner :grin: :wink:
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I went with "concert" plugs this year. Definitely louder than foam but better for the in helmet comm.
There's always a trade-off!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K2T3XRX/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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I have a set of custom fitted musicians ear plugs that I've tried under my helmet, but for some reason the helmet puts pressure on them and my ears hurt after a while and have to take them out. Maybe they weren't molded properly. Either way, I settled using standard foam ones from CVS (purple type, can't remember the rating) but I cut them in half longwise. That seems to give the right attenuation balance for me to subdue the wind noise, but still allow me to hear everything.
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Due to tinnitus which is easily made worse from hammering a nail to cutting wood and to any air leak though my helmet. The only thing I found that stops all air leaks is foam. Even then some foam it too hard to wear all day. I found that my full face Aria lifts on my head and high speeds. So on a long day my ear canals will hurt from the compression of harder foam plugs. So I go to softer plugs that do no last as long but sure work. One little air pocket and I have to pull and put. new on in. I can be no fun to ride with if I am fiddling with my plugs. :violent1:
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A part of my gear I've worn for the last 20 years is a foam neck wrap that looks something like a neck brace. The primary objective was to cut down wind noise because ear plugs and I don't get along. It not only cut down wind noise, but keeps me warm in the winter, cool in the summer and saved my neck in a tangle with an elk. It might look odd, but I feel naked without it.
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I used to use the E A R yellow foam plugs while flying, But have switched to the Howard Leight because United Airlines provided them. They are softer and denser and I believe have a rating of 32 db reduction.
I did learn a trick with both type that help in the comfort side, as the full plugs start being a bit painful after a while. I cut a small pie slice out of the inside part of the foam. It leaves the big bell on the outside, yet doesn't hurt my ear and it seems to allow just a bit more mid range sound in. As for noise reduction, I switched to a Bose active noise cancelling headset for my last few years in the 737. Seemed a lot quieter, however I started noticing my Tinnitus getting worse. There is a lot of speculation that the anti noise that the noise canceling headsets uses to overwrite the sound actually being 'heard', is also heard and contributes to the overall clutter of input that your hearing actually has to deal with. You just don't notice it because of it's properties. Lot's of pilots with tinnitus, now looking at the Howard Leights as a go to.
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Hey! I just saw this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74-CvPzyW48&t=5s) about Big Ear (https://www.bigearinc.com/the-best-motorcycle-ear-plugs-and-how-to-choose/) custom IEM/hearing protection and I want to know if any of you here tried their products. I'd love to get myself a pair but I want to know if their a bang for the buck. Any other recommendations? Thanks!
I have been useing them for maby 9 years,On my second set. I have tryed most of the foam and a few of the gel. Big Ear custom ear plugs work great for me.
David.
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I wore a set of custom molded ear plugs I got at a gun show years ago. On a trip a couple of summers ago they weren't working so well. I went to a sporting goods store on my trip and bought a do it yourself ear plug kit. I made a new set right in the campground. You can mold them so they don't interfere with your helmet. They work great. Cost about $13. I read that your ear canal will change over the years. That was why my old ones weren't working so well. FWIIW foam plugs irritate my ear canals if I wear them for long periods of time.
kk
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As shared on prior posts - Decibullz are the best solution I have found, very comfortable for all day riding, has the canal in them with a cap so you can hear someone, no pressure from the helmet, and comes in many bright colors, so they're easy to find. Also avoids that sea diver's helmet sensation of a full plug...
https://www.decibullz.com/custom-molded-earplugs/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA04XxBRD5ARIsAGFygj8M1oqYxeusR6YXmMUM7CQ1v0KP7K3JgaNvkTKLxk6zVI9-eW4ndGYaAmuEEALw_wcB
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As shared on prior posts - Decibullz are the best solution I have found, very comfortable for all day riding, has the canal in them with a cap so you can hear someone, no pressure from the helmet, and comes in many bright colors, so they're easy to find. Also avoids that sea diver's helmet sensation of a full plug...
https://www.decibullz.com/custom-molded-earplugs/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA04XxBRD5ARIsAGFygj8M1oqYxeusR6YXmMUM7CQ1v0KP7K3JgaNvkTKLxk6zVI9-eW4ndGYaAmuEEALw_wcB
That looks pretty cool. I dont wear plugs, but I really should. Years of working on cars, and racing them has clearly effected my hearing. I dont do well with foam at all. Normally using equipment, and shooting I wear muffs, but thats not possible on the bike.. Ill have to look into these and give them a shot.
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I think you'll like them Paul...really comfortable for me at least, various sizing of the rubber portion, and so easy to use.
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I went to the Cycle World Show in Dallas several years ago. Some guy at a both poured some rubberized plastic in my ears and let it set for a while. He charged be $60 or so. I got a red one for my right ear and black for my left. Works well.
Previously, I was only able to use one foam style to work for me. The others were useless, so it's been nice having some permanent ones.
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I tried Big Ear.
https://www.amazon.com/Howard-Leight-MAX-1-Plugs-Uncorded/dp/B0033YLEGO
I found these much better for sound, comfort, and price.
I really like Howard Leight Max. NRR 33. Easy to insert when they have not been heated (say) in your breast pocket hehe. Don't hurt my ears when helmet foam presses inwards. Pretty darned effective. Cheap. What's not to like?
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Howard Leight. 15c a pair in a box of 100 pair, corded. Keep a few in my tank bag. Work well and no sweat if you lose a pair.
https://www.amazon.com/Howard-Leight-Visibility-Disposable-LL-30/dp/B0017JIT4C/ref=sr_1_24?keywords=foam+earplugs&qid=1579325731&s=hi&sr=1-24
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I've used the cheap foam ones that were supplied at work. They work for me. I buy and use whatever I can buy when I need them at any hardware store. The trick is proper installation when using them. Follow the instructions.
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I've used the cheap foam ones that were supplied at work. They work for me. I buy and use whatever I can buy when I need them at any hardware store. The trick is proper installation when using them. Follow the instructions.
Totally agree. Have used all kinds and while the yellow tubular kind seem to stay in the best, the other soft foam types work well and never have had any issues when wearing a helmet. I think hearing loss, like arthritis, is a natural part of aging and ear protection may do little to prevent it. My wife, who has never run heavy equipment, chain saws, or ridden bikes and snow machines like I have, has similar problems with hearing loss and tinnitus. Do what you can, but old age takes it's toll and wins out in the end.
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Totally agree. Have used all kinds and while the yellow tubular kind seem to stay in the best, the other soft foam types work well and never have had any issues when wearing a helmet. I think hearing loss, like arthritis, is a natural part of aging and ear protection may do little to prevent it. My wife, who has never run heavy equipment, chain saws, or ridden bikes and snow machines like I have, has similar problems with hearing loss and tinnitus. Do what you can, but old age takes it's toll and wins out in the end.
That's all true ... my hearing in my left ear at certain frequencies is degrading year by year, so that the "loss" graph, which varied by frequency from "normal" to "moderate" loss 3 years ago, is mostly in the "moderate" and touching "severe" at one point.
This is despite religious use of hearing protection when needed or even suspected needed.
BUT the "do what you can" is very important and not just a side note, because as opposed to a lot of other things which can be fixed and made better, any hearing loss, once gone, can't be gotten back.
One advantage that I have over many people I know is that I'm not too scared or too vain to use a prosthetic if it will help me. When I need a hearing aid, I'm getting a hearing aid, I don't care what it "looks" like to others ... !!
Lannis
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I guess I travel a different path than those that like custom molded ear protection.
Most hearing problems come from certain frequencies related to relative work or living environments. Me I have lost a lot of the clear sounds coming for the frequency generated by J 79 jet engines as I have a lot of time around those engines (Phantom F-4) with no hearing protections as we didn't put much emphasis on that sort of thing years ago.
(Proven in hearing booth test and correlated to J-79)
Loud noise does effect, or contribute to hearing loss.
What I have found is you lose your ability to hear vowel sounds clearly which makes it hard to understand speech, I mean I can still hear noise but the vowels are somewhat muted. So since I would like to preserve what hearing clarity I have, I take hearing protection seriously these days.
Also I have motos and gear spread over a lot of different places therefore my system is rooted in the foam plugs, the throw away type. I use Macs and buy them my the gross (144 per container).
I have found that depending how far I install them in the ear canal, I get up to 32 Db protection depending on what kind of riding I'm doing. All day on the road by myself they go deep, but when riding w/ someone or local not so deep so I can hear the moto and conversation is not bad.
Typically I will use at least two sets on an all day ride as they get dirty from my fingers rolling them up for installation.
I remove the plugs any time I remove my helmet for more than a few minuets', like on a gas stop or break. I always dismount for fueling as the side or center stand grounds the moto (aviation background, always ground the machine while fueling.)
In short I take the plugs out and helmet off at every opportunity when going long cross country. I keep a small plastic bag with 4/6 plugs in all my tank bags and jackets.
If I got custom plugs (which may be better and more comfortable), I would probably loose them in short order or they would be in some place other than where I am.
Old foggy for sure....
:-)
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Totally agree. Have used all kinds and while the yellow tubular kind seem to stay in the best, the other soft foam types work well and never have had any issues when wearing a helmet. I think hearing loss, like arthritis, is a natural part of aging and ear protection may do little to prevent it. My wife, who has never run heavy equipment, chain saws, or ridden bikes and snow machines like I have, has similar problems with hearing loss and tinnitus. Do what you can, but old age takes it's toll and wins out in the end.
Not so sure...
I suspect that if any of us were transported back in time about 300 years or so we would be astonished on how quite it is. I mean not too many things then would be generating loud noises.
Today we live in a sea of noise of all kinds from loud rock music to straight pipes or just daily life in the modern world. We would most likely go from cradle to grave w/o much hearing loss back then.(discounting some sort of medical factor)
Same for sight, with staring at computer screens or TVs smart phones Ugh!, for hours it has to be detrimental to sight.
Diet also probably is a factor as today we get pesticides and all sorts of compounds in processed food that must have an effect.
sigh!
:-)
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I guess I travel a different path than those that like custom molded ear protection.
Most hearing problems come from certain frequencies related to relative work or living environments. Me I have lost a lot of the clear sounds coming for the frequency generated by J 79 jet engines as I have a lot of time around those engines (Phantom F-4) with no hearing protections as we didn't put much emphasis on that sort of thing years ago.
(Proven in hearing booth test and correlated to J-79)
Loud noise does effect, or contrite to hearing loss.
What I have found is you lose your ability to hear vowel sounds clearly which makes it hard to understand speech, I mean I can still hear noise but the vowels are somewhat muted. So since I would like to preserve what hearing clarity I have, I take hearing protection seriously these days.
Also I have motos and gear spread over a lot of different places therefore my system is rooted in the foam plugs, the throw away type. I use Macs and buy them my the gross (144 per container).
I have found that depending how far I install them in the ear canal, I get up to 32 Db protection depending on what kind of riding I'm doing. All day on the road by myself they go deep, but when riding w/ someone or local not so deep so I can hear the moto and conversation is not bad.
Typically I will use at least two sets on an all day ride as they get dirty from my fingers rolling them up for installation.
I remove the plugs any time I remove my helmet for more than a few minuets', like on a gas stop or break. I always dismount for fueling as the side or center stand grounds the moto (aviation background, always ground the machine while fueling.)
In short I take the plugs out and helmet off at every opportunity when going long cross country. I keep a small plastic bag with 4/6 plugs in all my tank bags and jackets.
If I got custom plugs (which may be better and more comfortable), I would probably loose them in short order or they would be in some place other than where I am.
Old foggy for sure....
:-)
Great thought on grounding the moto... with the sidestand or the centrestand...
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Great thought on grounding the moto... with the sidestand or the centrestand...
I totally understand the principle .... but do we know or have we ever heard of anyone whose bike caught fire because they were filling it while still on it (two boots and two tires on the ground), and a spark jumped between the nozzle and the tank rim?
There's several issues where I protect myself with money or effort from "LOW probability, HIGH consequence" risk, and a bike catching fire while you're straddling it certainly qualifies as "high consequence" ---- however, if the event probability is sufficiently low, it's sort of not worth the effort ... ?
Lannis
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Not so sure...
I suspect that if any of us were transported back in time about 300 years or so we would be astonished on how quite it is. I mean not too many things then would be generating loud noises.
Today we live in a sea of noise of all kinds from loud rock music to straight pipes or just daily life in the modern world. We would most likely go from cradle to grave w/o much hearing loss back then.(discounting some sort of medical factor)
Same for sight, with staring at computer screens or TVs smart phones Ugh!, for hours it has to be detrimental to sight.
Diet also probably is a factor as today we get pesticides and all sorts of compounds in processed food that must have an effect.
sigh!
:-)
Pretty much everything I've read says hearing loss is a natural part of aging, as the parts of the inner ear slowly degenerate and become less functional, just like the rest of the body. Certainly exposure to loud noise can accelerate the process, but if loud music and other noises were the main factor, then most older folks wouldn't need haring aids, and many of them do. It's easy to blame the "modern life style" for all our problems, but 300 years ago, most people probably didn't live long enough to develop the old age related issues we have today. Just saying:)
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Well part of my regiment for battling fatigue on day long or long distance ride is get off the moto and get my helmet off (and plugs).
I'd say the risk of setting the vapors off with a static spark are VERY low for sure. I have seen the results (not in person) of aircraft fires (non grounded A/C) but they are not common but we always ground with a good high continuity ground...its just a habit I have picked up over the years.
Aircraft fuelling is done at a much higher GPM that a normal service station for autos so there is a potential for much higher static buildup.
Anyway not throwing rocks at anybody that does not dismount but you are sitting with the fuel tank between your legs and you face is really close to the fuel in the tank, where on an auto there is a long pipe to the tank and its under the car.
I'm told that the gas pump hoses are grounded and as long as the nozzle is contacting the filler neck on the moto tank it grounds same..but that is hearsay, however it seems reasonable.
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Pretty much everything I've read says hearing loss is a natural part of aging, as the parts of the inner ear slowly degenerate and become less functional, just like the rest of the body. Certainly exposure to loud noise can accelerate the process, but if loud music and other noises were the main factor, then most older folks wouldn't need haring aids, and many of them do. It's easy to blame the "modern life style" for all our problems, but 300 years ago, most people probably didn't live long enough to develop the old age related issues we have today. Just saying:)
Well I have also read that old age will eventually kill you!!
Yipee!
All due respect.
:-)
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Well part of my regiment for battling fatigue on day long or long distance ride is get off the moto and get my helmet off (and plugs).
I'd say the risk of setting the vapors off with a static spark are VERY low for sure. I have seen the results (not in person) of aircraft fires (non grounded A/C) but they are not common but we always ground with a good high continuity ground...its just a habit I have picked up over the years.
Aircraft fuelling is done at a much higher GPM that a normal service station for autos so there is a potential for much higher static buildup.
Anyway not throwing rocks at anybody that does not dismount but you are sitting with the fuel tank between your legs and you face is really close to the fuel in the tank, where on an auto there is a long pipe to the tank and its under the car.
I'm told that the gas pump hoses are grounded and as long as the nozzle is contacting the filler neck on the moto tank it grounds same..but that is hearsay, however it seems reasonable.
Well, we all do things either out of habit or it seems like a good idea, and if it does no harm then why not? We don't need courtroom proof that something MAY happen - if it seems like a safe thing to do, or a good habit to get into, then nothing wrong with that.
Every time I get on an airliner, and listen to the "safety" briefing, I think about "what are we doing?"
About 4 billion people fly every year on scheduled airlines. This is about 50,000,000 flights per year. So (considering that this is a "ramp up" from much lower numbers from, say, 1970), then in the last 50 years, something like One Hundred Billion people have listened to One Billion flight attendants recite One Billion times ....
"In the event of a water landing, your seat cushion may be used as a flotation device. Lift the seat cushion and place your arms through the straps". (or the equivalent for a life vest).
As far as I know, NOT ONE PERSON has ever used a seat cushion as a flotation device to save their lives and float around a ditched airliner until they were picked up by a rescue team. Not one. And yet we keep on and on and on and on, because we just can't quit.
And "Don't go in the water for 30 minutes after you've eaten. You could get a cramp and die". Never happened to one person anywhere. More billions of hours wasted in the last 100 years because we just can't stop once we get started.
And "Always cook pork until it's well-done or you could get trichinosis". Nobody eating commercial pork has gotten trichinosis in 100 years. So people have been eating hard, dry, indigestible pork for 100 years, probably a billion tons of it.
And the "But if it saved just ONE life .... " thing doesn't cut it. We could save 8,000 lives a year just in this country by disallowing casual smartphone use while driving, but nobody wants to do THAT.....
Well, that's my recreational moaning for the evening ....
Lannis
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One of the noises that causes hearing loss is constant high pitched whining:)
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One of the noises that causes hearing loss is constant high pitched whining:)
So THAT'S what tinnitus is! I'm hearing it all the time too! :grin:
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"I'm told that the gas pump hoses are grounded and as long as the nozzle is contacting the filler neck on the moto tank it grounds same..but that is hearsay, however it seems reasonable."
i am a retired Sealer of Weights and Measures. Yes the hose is grounded. Make sure the nozzle is in contact with the tank and you will be fine. I am not sure what happens with plastic tanks. I guess you should use the side or center stand but that probably won't help. Kind of the same thing filling plastic 5 gal fuel containers.
kk
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I use earplugs for anything more than a five minute ride. I feel like without the wind noise, I can hear the bike better, engine, exhaust, and of course valvetrain.
Get where I’m going feeling fresher and more relaxed. I use No Noise Motorsports earplugs. I don’t like the foamies takes too long to roll them up, and sounds like I have my fingers in my ears.
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Singing and playing guitar is a big part of my life now, so 10-15 yrs ago I started to take my hearing protection much more seriously.
I have a lot of friends with substantial hearing loss, probably as a result of too many years at the gun range or duck hunting.
If I'm using any machinery now, lawn tractor, wood splitter, chainsaw, brush cutter (the worst, actually painful on my ears), I put a pair of ear muffs on.
It's only been a few years that I've worn ear plugs while riding a bike, now I feel naked without the ear plugs in.
I went into a safety supply store with the intention of buying some of the cheap disposable foam kind; the gentleman working there gave me a few pairs of the the foam ones for free and then sold me a couple of pairs of Ear Soft plugs for $5-$8?. I thought they were a major bargain and work fine for me.
Kelly
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I've seen people sitting on their bike and filling the tank. Admittedly, the chance of static starting a fire is small. There is a good chance, though, of the auto shutoff failing or the operator being distracted and soaking their shorts with fuel. Makes no sense at all to me..
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I've seen people sitting on their bike and filling the tank. Admittedly, the chance of static starting a fire is small. There is a good chance, though, of the auto shutoff failing or the operator being distracted and soaking their shorts with fuel. Makes no sense at all to me..
I'd have to have "good chance" quantified to me (10% chance? Seems low. 50% chance? That's pretty good.) before I'd conclude that I was completely "senseless" for filling the tank while on the bike.
I've filled my tank sitting on the bike literally hundreds of times and never had a mishap. I've never seen anyone have a mishap that was with me.
So I guess I'd say that based on my experience, there's not only not a "good chance" but a "miniscule" or smaller chance that I'd catch something on fire or soak my crotch in fuel. So it makes sense to me to save the time and just do it ..... ?
Lannis
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I'm short enough that I have to get off the bike to reach the credit card slot. No fueling while astride the bike for me. Besides, I almost always need to pee at fuel stops.
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As an aviator I just have the idea that nothing left to chance..but dismounting the machine has little to do w/fire and destruction to me, its just after 2 hours (typical traveling) I want to get off and put some weight on my old bones, get my helmet off scratch my head and get the plugs out for a bit, personal choice completely.
Now if someone/thing is chasing me like WX and its important to keep one the move..well then helmet/& plugs stay in place and its a gas and go!,(still dismount)!
BTW, I've blown fuel all over my tank and hands while standing next to my moto, maybe should give it up??
:-)
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I’d guess the last time I dismounted to fill a motorcycle fuel tank was over 10 years ago, possibly more. If I’m planning on stopping, my practice is to fill the tank astride the bike then move the bike away from the pumps before removing helmet etc.
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I’d guess the last time I dismounted to fill a motorcycle fuel tank was over 10 years ago, possibly more. If I’m planning on stopping, my practice is to fill the tank astride the bike then move the bike away from the pumps before removing helmet etc.
That's me too. You can't go in and pee or buy a soda in most places anyhow with the bike blocking the pump, it's got to be moved in any case. I just do it all in one motion rather than taking off helmets etc first.
Lannis
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I also dismount, fuel and move the moto to the curb before removing my helmet.
m
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Every time I get on an airliner, and listen to the "safety" briefing, I think about "what are we doing?"
"In the event of a water landing, your seat cushion may be used as a flotation device. Lift the seat cushion and place your arms through the straps". (or the equivalent for a life vest).
Lannis
I always chuckle as many of us have our own built in flotation device...who needs a seat cushion anyway!!
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I’d guess the last time I dismounted to fill a motorcycle fuel tank was over 10 years ago, possibly more. If I’m planning on stopping, my practice is to fill the tank astride the bike then move the bike away from the pumps before removing helmet etc.
Yup, that's my routine as well; Some places won't allow it and turn the pumps off, I don't buy my gas there anymore. :evil:
A couple of times in the past, as I swung my leg off the bike, I've slipped a little in the oil slicks on the ground that can build up on the ground around the pumps; Especially if it's a taller bike, I figure the odds are better for no fire, than my ungraceful ballerina dismount :laugh: ymmv.
Kelly