Ear plug recommendations?

[Gofasterdammit]

I picked up two sets of Surefire Sonic Defenders from Rifle Gear last year. I thought I'd try them out, got two since I figured they wouldnt last long. I'm still on my first set and they work incredibley well. The only time I experienced any kind of ringing was after shooting a .50.

http://www.riflegear.com/c-87-ear-plugs.aspx

[PatriotnMore]

At the gunshows in SoCal there is the ear plug lady who usually has a booth there and custom makes them for you to fit your ear while you wait.

I like mine, they fit good and don't bother me at all. I just use them at the outdoor range though. Full head gear at the indoor.

I agree, I bought them last year at the show, and wow, what a difference. I recommend her to all my friends.

[bjl333]

I get the foam stuff from Walmart. They have a 32 NRR and I've been using them for a long time.

[4DSJW]

Do a google search for World's Finest Earplug. I absolutely love those little blue dots since discovering them more than 10 years ago. Made from natural materials, comfortable to keep in all day or night and reusable many, many, many times. If you have normal to small ear canals just cut one in half and use half in each ear.

Over the years I have given many of these to friends who have told me later that they are the most comfortable and best noise-blocking earplugs that they have ever used.

[spectr17]

I've got the E.A.R. electronic ones. I don't like ear plugs since you loose the ability to hear which can be critical around rattlesnakes or someone trying to get your attention. They are expensive $600 but keeping my hearing is priceless to me. They are basically hearing aids that don't cost the full boat like real hearing aids do. They make a digital version now. Muffs are hot in the SoCal heat here and get in the way.

[xibunkrlilkidsx]

Do a google search for World's Finest Earplug. I absolutely love those little blue dots since discovering them more than 10 years ago. Made from natural materials, comfortable to keep in all day or night and reusable many, many, many times. If you have normal to small ear canals just cut one in half and use half in each ear.

Over the years I have given many of these to friends who have told me later that they are the most comfortable and best noise-blocking earplugs that they have ever used.

im going to order some of those they look awesome.

[skyadrenaline]

I don't know if the foam plugs you tried were the Howard Leights, but you can get a box of 200 plugs off Amazon for $25.

I roll it and let it expand several times before I roll it again and place it in my ear. After the first several rolls, the ear plug doesn't expand out as much, which makes it more comfortable to wear.

[4DSJW]

im going to order some of those they look awesome.

I think you will be very impressed when you try them. I always had a hard time with the foamies because they exert outward force on the ear canal and start to get uncomfortable over time, plus they seem to extend out beyond the edge of my ear enough to be easily dislodged, making it difficult to get a good fit all the time.

The "Blue Dots" don't have any of those problems. They fill the ear canal completely without any outward force and they do not stick out beyond the edge of the ear. If you need to listen to someone or something you simply use your fingernail to catch an edge and pull it partially out, when you're done you just press it back in for a perfect fit. You don't even have to pull it all the way out of your ear to be able to hear something.

I still use my Peltor muffs for most of my target shooting, but when I am doing tactical rifle or shotgun work, want to wear a hat, or want to use something when I sleep, I go for the Blue Dots.

And for the record I am not affiliated with the company in any way... except for being a VERY satisfied customer for many years.

[Iknownot]

I shoot at an indoor range. I've tried foam plugs and I've tried muffs. The foam plugs are actually painful to wear. I think I have particularly small ear canals. The muffs work fine, but firing my shotgun tends to knock the right side off my ear, at which point they're not doing me a lot of good.

What I would like, ideally, is a pair of reusable plugs. I bought a set at Turner's to see if they would work, but I can't even get them into my ears.

I'm curious if anyone else out there has trouble fitting these "one size fits all" plugs into their ears, and if so, what you may have found that does fit.

If you have trouble fitting foam plugs correctly into your ear canals, you should just pony up the $ and get a set of custom ear plugs made.

They do cost $ up front, but you only have to pay for them once and they fit exactly to the contours of your ear canals. They are quite comfortable, work well, and they fit perfectly under muffs.

I had mine made by a hearing specialist in the Valley, but there are companies that work via mail and I know that there are some times people doing them at gun shows as well.

After using them for about 2 years, I would never go back to foam plugs.