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.

Best home-use earplugs

As evidenced by how often they pop up in reviews by motorcyclists, earplugs by Howard Leight MAX, Moldex and E-A-R are mainly intended for exposure to constant loud noise (such as while cycling, in a club, on a shooting range, etc.). While these "industrial-strength" plugs can certainly be used at home, their snug fit (and high NRR rating) may prompt you to look for lighter, softer, more casual plugs, especially if you're just looking for relief from a partner's snoring or the sounds of music from the house next door.

In the two best mainstream (i.e., non-motorcycle) comparative reviews of earplugs, by Slate and The Wall Street Journal, Hearos Ultimate Softness (*est. $15 for box of 40) emerges as the top pick. Writing for Slate, Ulrich Boser picks Hearos Ultimate Softness over Howard Leight MAX, saying "they are much softer and thus much more comfortable to wear…loud, shrill noises were muted, the background noises inaudible." The Wall Street Journal's Cynthia Crossen picks Hearos over competing earplug brands like Flents and Mack's (though not Howard Leight, which is not included in her review): "Although difficult to insert correctly, these were my favorite over-the-counter plugs because of their softness. They fell out more than the others, but I was less likely to pull them out because of discomfort."

Hearos Ultimate Softness earplugs are made of soft foam, and have an NRR of 32 decibels (slightly lower than Howard Leight MAX, but more than enough for most household purposes). As stated above, they don't fit in the ear as snugly as "heavy-duty" disposable plugs, but they're softer and more comfortable. They're also significantly more expensive, costing about 75 cents per pair in bulk, compared to one-sixth that for Howard Leight MAX. However, there's no rule that says you can't use disposable earplugs multiple times, especially if you don't share them with other people.

Both Slate and The Wall Street Journal compare Hearos favorably to two different varieties of Flents. Flents Ear Stopples (*est. $5 for 6 pair) are made of wax and cotton, and have an NRR of 25 decibels. Slate says these reusable earplugs are "comfortable and effectively muted background noise," but are also sticky and collect dirt and dust after multiple uses. Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal says the disposable Flents Quiet! Please (*est. $5 for 6 pair) , made from PVC foam, have a "scratchy feeling" and are ineffective at muting nearby sounds (even with an NRR of 29 decibels).

Other types of earplugs

Not all earplugs are made of soft, squeezable, disposable polyurethane or various types of fabric, either natural or artificial. Plugs can also be composed of more rigid (yet still easily molded) materials like rubber or silicone. Unlike foam plugs, these earplugs can be used indefinitely, and the tight seal they form in the ear makes them especially effective at blocking noise -- but it also makes them more uncomfortable than foam plugs, and they can create an unpleasant "suction" sensation when they're taken out.

Silicone or rubber earplugs by Mack's are included in roundups by Slate and The Wall Street Journal. Mack's Pillow Soft silicone earplugs (*est. $5 for 6 pair) have an NRR of only 22; Slate says they do an adequate job of muting noise, but become too dirty to use if they fall out (not to mention that you need to visit an ear specialist if one gets stuck in your ear -- apparently not an uncommon occurrence). Mack's Ear Seals (*est. $4 per pair) have an NRR of 27 and are made out of rubber; The Wall Street Journal calls them "uncomfortably rigid" and says they grow more uncomfortable with increased wear time.

Professional musicians sometimes wear earplugs, but need plugs that preserve the natural balance of sound (i.e., that don’t cut off a disproportionate amount of high frequencies). One popular musician brand is Etymotic Research ER20BP High Fidelity (*est. $12 per pair) , which receives excellent reviews from users posting on Amazon.com, who praise these earplugs’ effectiveness and lack of distortion. The ER-20 plugs also get a positive review from the website Guitar Master Class, though the writer wishes they lowered sound by more than 20 decibels.

It's also possible to invest in custom-molded earplugs, which are more expensive than disposable or reusable plugs but fit perfectly into your ear canals. Some companies will send you a home molding kit (which involves pouring a fast-drying plastic substance into your ears, whereupon you send them back the molds and they send you back your custom earplugs). This is an expensive proposition, however -- costing anywhere from $100 to $200 -- and The Wall Street Journal says these type of plugs can be uncomfortable to remove. Slate's writer wasn't impressed by his custom-molded pair, saying they weren't particularly comfortable or effective.

Important Features: Earplugs

Reviewers say the following about shopping for earplugs:

• Consider their primary use. If you're constantly exposed to loud sounds -- either because of your hobby or because of your job -- look for earplugs that aren't easily dislodged, such as Howard Leight MAX (which expand inside your ear canal when inserted). Otherwise, looser-fitting foam earplugs may be a better choice.

• The loudness of a sound is measured in decibels (dB). Decibels work on a logarithmic scale, which means that a reduction of 10 decibels is roughly equal to reducing the loudness by half. A reduction of 20 decibels roughly equals a perceived reduction in loudness of 75%.

• Pay more attention to comfort than NRR. Although an earplug's Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) is important, it doesn't count for much if the plug is uncomfortable. Ratings of 28 to 33 decibels are fine for most ordinary uses; the two earplugs in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers, Howard Leight MAX and Hearos Ultimate Softness, have ratings of 33 and 32 decibels, respectively.

• Consult an audiologist -- or your employer. If you're unsure about which earplugs are best for your needs, an audiologist should be able to give you a good recommendation. Also, if you have a noisy work environment, your employer may be legally obligated to supply you with effective earplugs.

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

# of picks	Model(With Retailer Links)	Details from Amazon.com
6	Howard Leight MAX (*est. $30 for box of 200 pair)	details
4	Howard Leight Laser Lite (*est. $25 for a box of 200 pair)	details
4	Hearos Ultimate Softness (*est. $15 for box of 40)	details
2	Moldex Pura-Fit (*est. $30 for a box of 200 pair)	details
1 each	E-A-Rsoft FX, E-A-Rsoft Grippers, HearTech Silent Ears, Hearos Extreme , Mack's Pillow Soft , Howard Leight MAX Lite , 3M 1100 , ER20 Hi-Fi

Most of the picks for Howard Leight earplugs come from motorcyclist websites, while Hearos Ultimate Softness is the top choice of general-interest reviewers like Slate and The Wall Street Journal.

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