Ear Plugs

1
Has anyone had experience with custom molded earplugs, like these?

I know the DIY ones don't last too well, but if there are some that hold up, they'd be preferable to jockeying my muffs around a rifle stock.
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.22LR - .380ACP - 9mm - .38Spl/.357Mag - .45ACP - 5.56NATO - .308Win - .45-70Gov - 12Ga
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Re: Ear Plugs

3
I just went through another round of Ear Pro experimentation.

FWIW - I custom molded myself some ear pro with the Radians molds, and the filters stolen out of a pair of Surefire EP4s. I like them quite a bit, but they aren't necessarily more comfortable or better protection than cheapo ear plugs.

Custom mold ear pro is usually around 28 NRR (whether it's the super expensive custom stuff, or the DIY versions). Even though that's pretty good, over 10 or 20 years, you will likely still have gradual hearing damage, especially if you shoot indoors.

The cheapo foamies are often better protection, in the range of 30, 31, 32 NRR - and with DB being a logarithmic scale, those small differences matter.

Good earplugs are also typically better than ear muffs, although in theory using ear plugs and ear muffs together can get you up to maybe NRR 36.

I'm currently trying:
- Silent Ear reusable silicone plugs - NRR 32 - $10, and they apparently last about a year and a half or so. I bought the trial pack with both sizes, and found the smalls fit my ear best. I suspect these will be my new favorites.

- Radians snug plugs - NRR 28 - under $2, reusable - very comfortable soft jelly rubber.

I also bought a variety pack of high NRR only foam plugs. $10.90 - 29 different pairs - NRR from 31 to 33. I haven't gone through these yet, but there's a huge variety of shapes and sizes, so this is a good way to find the brand that is both cheap and comfortable.

I'm also trying to double up these days. The highest NRR ear muffs I have found are Walker's NRR 34 muffs - $14 with amazon prime. So also among the cheapest muffs out there. A little bulky, but lightweight and I've found them pretty comfortable in limited testing so far.

My hope is that with between NRR32 plugs and NRR34 muffs (total cost around $20) I'm getting a total NRR of a solid 36, maybe 37db which is essentially the best any combo of products can do for you, no matter how much money you want to throw at it... and after trying diy custom molds, I'm thinking this is at least as comfortable (I kinda like it better, in fact).

If I need to be able to hear, I'll probably substitute the cheap-but-better-NRR muffs for electronic muffs, like the Howard Leight Sports (NRR26, so not great, but I already have 2 pairs, and I like them) or the Howard Leight Pros (NRR 30, much better)


So that's my 2 cents.

And by the way, even double plugging you can hear a lot through your mouth and nose, your jaw, and to some extent even through your chest cavity. Those areas are part of why your hearing is still vulnerable even when double plugging.

Re: Ear Plugs

8
I'll grab a whole bunch off of the rig before I leave. I like the inserts because they don't interfere with my shooting glasses.

Edit: they are free as well as my shooting glasses which are just safety glasses.
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Re: Ear Plugs

10
I have a set of custom molded ear plugs I hade made at the Eastern sports show a few years back. Turned in the reciept for safety equipment so the $130ish didnt come out of my pocket. I hate to say it but I really dont like them. Not as comfortable as I thought and for work I use the surefire ear plugs which are like $13 a pair and way more comfortable.
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