Ear Plugs/Muffs Suggestions?

I went to my fave restaurant tonight and ran into friends. We sat together but the noise around me (typical Friday night crowding) was intense. I could not hear most of the conversation. I couldn't concentrate and had a few moments of spinning. Not bad, just enough to add to the frustration.

I've read several other posts here about plugs and ear muffs. Several are quite old and a bunch of links were no longer valid.

Any suggestions? Anything new out? I would wear plugs when around people but headgear when home alone or doing something noisy.

 

Since tinnitus can be so devastating, and since noise can make it louder (possibly permanently) it makes sense to avoid/stay away from noise whenever you can.

To answer your question, Peltor X5A seem to provide the most noise reduction (they are also more comfortable than many alternatives). My plugs of choice are 3M 1100 foam plugs.

 

My favorite earplugs are Hearos Extreme 33 dB, they are blue...they are pretty fat and so fill up my ear canal very well, whereas other plugs don't. But often my ears kill when wearing any earplugs...just the sensitivity of the canal I believe, maybe wearing them too often. Also the Hearos 33 dB seem to be better at lessening the occlusion effect than other types of plugs. Otherwise I like Mack's Ultra Soft 32 dB but find they aren't quite big enough for me. I'll have to try out the 3M 1100 earplugs someday.

Earmuffs I do like the 3M Peltor X5A as @Bill Bauer mentions, although they seem small around the ear and I don't imagine they will fit everyone. But there are some great low profile earmuffs called Walker's Razor Slim Passive, they are less conspicuous...plus they have a rubberized coating that I believe dampens sound in a good way which most others do not.

I'm not telling you when you need to wear these things, just pointing out ones I like. Scope out some quieter restaurant(s) you and your friends can spend time at. Good Luck

 

I typically research something to death before I buy. I came across the Loop and, with its great reviews and decent price, I just ordered a set. I'll let y'all know how they work.

https://www.earplugstore.com/loop-earplugs-for-music.html

I'll get a headset later. Not decided on which one to get. Although the ones mentioned above are leading the pack.

 

Hi:

I would suggest you check the site of the Hyperacusis Network for flesh colored ear plugs sold at cost from that site in the USA. There is also a section there on various other helpful products, including the industrial ear protectors called Thunder T3, which, I believe, can only be ordered from the manufacturer in the USA. This is the protection I have been using for 23 years.

Hope this helps.

Marco

 

Earplugs should be ok to take you through the odd lunch or dinner at a restaurant. With hyperacusis, hearing through the earplugs wont be a problem.

As for earmuffs, try them before buying if you can. Some of them are more comfortable than others around ears or temples. Peltor makes good earmuffs.

 

Does anybody have an issue with Peltor X5A? The headband where it telescopes in and out, has started to make a terrible creaking noise at the slightest twist when I take them off, causing a 70 dB noise right into my ear.

 

I have precisely the same issue, only on one of the sides though, it started very early on from when I bought them.

I've been thinking about replacing the headband, but I'm having difficulty tracking down a replacement. Otherwise one could buy a lower end pair of Peltors and switch the headband between them, since most Peltors have the same headband coupling.

 

How exactly do you unhook the coupling?

Damn this Polish made junk can't even manufacture a proper headband.

 

You rotate the cup 90 degrees into a "horizontal" orientation, there's slight resistance but the cup should pop into it fairly easy. After that, you push the cup out of the coupling which may require a bit of force. Hope that makes sense. Reassembly is in reversed order.

 

I have a bunch of different styles of earmuffs including several pairs of the X5As. But lately I've really liked the Walker's Razor Slim Passive Earmuffs Ultra Low Profile earmuffs. They aren't nearly as bulky as the X5As and I personally don't notice much of a difference in terms of noise reduction from the two. Normally if I'm wearing earmuffs I'm already wearing hearing plugs underneath.

Finding earplugs you like is more difficult because once you find a good brand the manufacturer decides to change the formula making them softer "for comfort" and reducing the noise reduction rating. I actually had a rep from Hearos tell me they did this to make the Xtreme earplugs more comfortable for the average user which was a huge disappointment.