Best Earplugs

Best earplugs for sports, outdoors or clubs

In all these comparative reviews by hardcore bikers, homeowners looking for a good night's sleep, and the occasional blogger, there's a surprising amount of consensus about the best earplugs. The clear favorite is Howard Leight MAX (*Est. $30 for box of 200 pair) , which counts among the top picks of both Slate magazine and various motorcycle enthusiast sites. Slate's Ulrich Boser says MAX plugs are easy to use and do an "excellent job of reducing sound," while a reviewer for Motorcycle.com praises MAX for its "transparent comfort, excellent noise attenuation and easy fit."

Howard Leight MAX earplugs are made of soft polyurethane foam, and have a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of 33 decibels, which the company claims is the highest rating available for any disposable earplugs. You're supposed to pinch these plugs as you insert them into your ear canals, where they expand for a snug fit. Based on what we've read on motorcycle sites, this cozy fit is an important consideration, especially in situations (riding a cycle, dancing in a loud club, etc.) where a popped-out earplug can't easily be found or replaced.

You should know, however, that the relatively large size of Howard Leight MAX earplugs -- which accounts for their secure fit -- is also the biggest complaint of motorcyclists. Some reviewers complain that these plugs can be bulky and hard to insert, and they point to other Howard Leight earplugs, such as the slimmer MAX Lite (*Est. $25 for a box of 200 pair) , which are designed for smaller ear canals but have a lower NRR of 30 decibels. Howard Leight also makes a brand called Laser Lite (*Est. $25 for a box of 200 pair) , which appears to fall somewhere between the MAX and MAX Lite, and is more brightly colored (for situations where other people need to be aware that you're wearing earplugs). The Laser Lite has an NRR of 32 decibels, and can be compressed to fit smaller ear canals.

Only one other brand of earplugs meant for outdoor use is top-picked by motorcyclists anywhere near as often as Howard Leight MAX, and that's the Moldex Pura-Fit (*Est. $30 for a box of 200 pair) . Cyclist Ian Johnston gives these earplugs the highest score in his comparative review of 13 brands, saying their long length "can be uncomfortable or painful," but that the plugs "are very comfortable when properly inserted." Moldex earplugs are also the top pick of Richard Korchak at webBikeWorld, who says they do "a great job of attenuating noise." Moldex Pura-Fit earplugs have an NRR of 33 decibels. Because of its larger number of top picks, we've chosen to include Howard Leight MAX in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers over Moldex Pura-Fit earplugs.

One brand of outdoor earplug that has received widely divergent reviews by motorcyclists is the Aearo E-A-R. Johnston calls the E-A-R Classic SuperFit 33 (*Est. $25 for a box of 200 pair) "rough against the skin," with "a hard edge to them which is incredibly uncomfortable," and says the Classic (*Est. $25 for a box of 200 pair) (but not the Classic SuperFit) is "among the worst earplugs I've ever tried." However, the earplug reviewer for Motorcycle.com puts the E-A-Rsoft FX (*est. $25 for a box of 200 pair) among his top five plugs. Further complicating matters, E-A-R makes a wide assortment of plugs, meaning one reviewer's E-A-R top pick can easily be mistaken for another reviewer's E-A-R must-avoid. Whatever the case, Howard Leight MAX receives more top picks, so we haven't included any E-A-R brands in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers.