[rajeevsulu]

Originally Posted by advstreak

So here are my experiments with earplugs.


The same friend had loop quite earplugs which he was not using as he did not find them comfortable, but to me they are perfect. The silicone plug at the end ensured that it did not protrude out. This made sure the helmet surface did not touch it leading to extra pressure or noise transmission. The exchangeable ear tips ensured that I could find the correct fit for better in-ear comfort and isolation. This could be a good option who face fit issues with another type of earplugs. I have worn them for like 12-18 hour rides and have not faced any issues till now.

Hi

I am planning to go for the Loop plugs. Can you say how effective they are after use for a good span of time after purchase?

Cheers

[advstreak]

Originally Posted by rajeevsulu

Hi

Can you say how effective they are after use for a good span of time after purchase?

I have been using them since January and as these are made out of silicone they don't suffer from any degrade in performance.

[rajeevsulu]

Originally Posted by advstreak

I have been using them since January and as these are made out of silicone they don't suffer from any degrade in performance.

Thank you. I have ordered these on Amazon. I shall keep the thread updated on the same.

Cheers

[rajeevsulu]

Ear plugs

I have been using these earplugs during my rides for the last month or so. I bought them off Amazon and they cost Rs.100 for a pack of 10. Though I could live with the exhaust sound, the wind noise above ton up speeds is horrible and very tiring.

I was reading up in the forum and I saw recommendations for 3M and Honeywell. I went for Honeywell because of the connecting string and the individual packing.

It claims to make a difference of 29 db and it actually does. To be honest, I was not expecting much and ended up being very happily surprised.

I have ordered the Loop ear plugs which are more "advanced" and reusable. I will post my experience after using the same.

Cheers

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by rajeevsulu

I was reading up in the forum and I saw recommendations for 3M and Honeywell. I went for Honeywell because of the connecting string and the individual packing.

I have ordered the Loop ear plugs which are more "advanced" and reusable. I will post my experience after using the same.

Well, the 3M 1110 corded foam ear plugs also come with connecting string and in individual packing. I believe that's a common way these ear plugs are sold. As these are disposable ear plugs, they come in individual packing.

I have been using these ear plugs since many years and now I can't ride on highway without wearing them. It's indeed an essential riding accessory for a motorcycle rider.

[falcon.adv390]

I had the No Noise ear plugs but it started hurting my ear if used for longer rides. Recently shifted to Oxford FilterBuds (OX697). Feels much lighter than the no noise ones. With No Noise it would make me feel that my ear has become heavy. With Oxford no such feeling. On the contrary you dont feel them in the ear at all while also filtering out the wind noise.

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by falcon.adv390

Recently shifted to Oxford FilterBuds (OX697).

Where did you buy these ear buds from? I tried Amazon.in and couldn't find them there. A couple of other websites mentioned it as sold out.

[falcon.adv390]

Originally Posted by ashkamath

Where did you buy these ear buds from? I tried Amazon.in and couldn't find them there. A couple of other websites mentioned it as sold out.

It was out of stock in labs and every other website here. Asked my friend to bring it from the UK.

[t3rm1n80r]

Hi All,
I'm considering buying one of the below earplugs:
1) NoNoise earplugs
2) Pinlock Motorcycle earplugs
3) Alpine Motosafe earplugs

I have a few doubts:
a) Which one of them is most effective at reducing high speed wind noise? It would be a bonus for me if it reduces other kinds if noise, but that's not my priority.
b) Which one of them has better fit (in terms in comfort and non-slippage) for consistent efficacy if one wears balaclava at all times while riding?

Thanks.

Edit: I regularly use rolled cotton balls as they are biodegradable and easily available at pharmacies, but their performance at high speeds is not consistent. I'm avoiding 3M/Honeywell foam earplugs as I'm prone to ear infections.

[WhiskeyTangoFox]

Originally Posted by t3rm1n80r

1) NoNoise earplugs
2) Pinlock Motorcycle earplugs
3) Alpine Motosafe earplugs

Not entirely sure about the No noise or the alpine. @shyamg28 can give you an idea about the loop earplugs (I see you haven't mentioned them here, but its worth checking out). I've been using the pinlock earplugs in both the city and the highway for about 5,000 kms now. Pretty solid I must say. If you have a motorcycle with some sort of wind protection, like a visor, you will hear minimal wind noise until say 120 kmph. If you ride a naked motorcycle, or if the wind is directly on your helmet, you'll hear moderate wind noise from 90 kmph onwards. That being said, it is substantially quieter than without earplugs. The pinlocks do not completely isolate you. They just turn down the volume, in effect.

In terms of comfort, they fit well on my ears. The earplugs do have a hard filter inside the silicone conical structure which may be an issue if your ear canal is smaller than most. There are two sizes of plugs in the box to help with this (Only one set of filters). I generally slightly moisten my ear canal with water before using the plugs to get a good seal. If you use too much water, the plugs will slide out. But for the most part, they have been pretty secure.

[praful]

Originally Posted by t3rm1n80r

3) Alpine Motosafe earplugs

I have a few doubts:
a) Which one of them is most effective at reducing high speed wind noise? It would be a bonus for me if it reduces other kinds if noise, but that's not my priority.
b) Which one of them has better fit (in terms in comfort and non-slippage) for consistent efficacy if one wears balaclava at all times while riding?

I use the Alpine Motosafe Tour, I don't find it as effective as the 3M Soft Foam plugs that I have used for years now. However, when it comes to other areas such as comfort and the fact that they don't move around or fall out like the 3M foam ones, is the reason I prefer Alpine over the 3M foam ones now. Also, the other downside of the foam plug is that its probably good for a day or two of riding, more or less depending how many times you remove and put it back and also if its getting wet in the rains, etc.

However, it is possible that the other product variants from Alpine like the Motosafe Pro would be better, because for the Tour variant it is mentioned that they are good upto only 100kmph. I will definitely pick up the Pro variant once I've used the Tour variant for a couple of more months.

PS: Balaclava with the ear plugs is even better as it cuts down the wind a bit more.

[Senotrius]

@praful, you can clean and keep the 3M foam plugs in the freezer for a minute or two before use. It becomes hard again. It's a small hack i read somewhere. One can use easily for a week or two daily.. I have extended it upto a month this way. The plugs are cheap as such in bulk.

[praful]

Originally Posted by Senotrius

@praful, you can clean and keep the 3M foam plugs in the freezer for a minute or two before use. It becomes hard again. It's a small hack i read somewhere. One can use easily for a week or two daily.. I have extended it upto a month this way. The plugs are cheap as such in bulk.

Yep, I did a bulk order of those 3M corded plugs in 2012, I still have stock running (though it does help that I didnt ride for 5 years in between)

When I said a day or two of riding, I meant around 1000-2000 kms OR full days of riding of continuous use after which they tend to loose their softness a bit.

[shyamg28]

Originally Posted by t3rm1n80r

Hi All,
I'm considering buying one of the below earplugs:
1) NoNoise earplugs
2) Pinlock Motorcycle earplugs
3) Alpine Motosafe earplugs

I asked BHPian WhiskeyTangoFox for a recommendation and he recommended the Pinlock. I was nearly about to pick them up when I saw someone else's review on the Loop plugs here. Varun Painter (from PowerDrift) had also put something up so I decided to try these.
I picked up the Loop Quiet variant.

The Quiet reduces sound by 14dB.


The extra buds for better fitment.


Nice little case that it comes in.


Buds inside the case.


I don't ride without the Loop earplugs anymore. They fit extremely well and you may almost not realise after a point that they're there.
I have the fortune of being able to choose from 2 motorcycles for my commutes and quite often I'm able to pick the street naked. Which gets extremely noisy especially on particular fast highways stretches. Here is where I've felt the most difference.
In addition, I don't believe it's keeping all sound out. While I don't think relying on sound alone is safe, it still helps being able to hear the ambient sounds around you.
I recently used the 3M foam plugs but didn't really enjoy the experience. It varies a lot in terms of sitting in the ear. If placed incorrectly, it can either end up cutting out all sound or no sound. And if it slips out, can also end up hurting the ear. All of these happened to me on a recent long trip.

[t3rm1n80r]

I've noticed the silicone earplugs create a weird sound in the ear due to the snug fit over bad roads. Do the loop earplugs not have it?