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I don't normally wear earplugs, but I bought a package of Hearos blue foam ear plugs to take with me on the Scootercade trip. I didn't use them on the trip going to the rally, but on the return trip I was experiencing more wind noise so I decided to try them.
The first stretch that I rode with them was pretty interesting. I could very faintly hear my Remus exhaust pipe, but very little wind noise. Several times I was taken by surprise by semi-trailer trucks passing me - I just didn't hear them coming. I'm not sure if I liked that though. I stopped to use a restroom at a convenience store & walked through the store with the earplugs still in. It was bizarre. I was deaf - if someone had spoken to me I wouldn't have known it. :shock:
On my next stop I pulled the earplugs out, since I needed to purchase something to eat. When I went to reinsert them, I found that they hadn't completely re-expanded to their original shape. They did not seem to seal quite as well either - and I did hear slightly more noise when riding.
By the end of this third riding stretch, my ears were beginning to feel somewhat sore from the plugs. I removed them, and finished the trip without them.
I'm not an earplug fan yet. It was interesting trying them, but this brand appeared to be good for only one or two uses. It was another thing to fiddle with when donning or removing riding gear. If someone had walked up to me to ask a question after I had pulled on my helmet after inserting the plugs - I would have just stared at them dumbly. They are an inconvenience that I am not used to dealing with - and they made my ears sore within about 250 miles of riding. :?
I was in Walgreens yesterday, and I noticed that in addition to several brands of foam earplugs, they also carry a variety of wax earplugs. Has anyone tried wax type earplugs for riding? If so, how do they compare to the foam type plugs for convenience, comfort and sound reduction?
The first stretch that I rode with them was pretty interesting. I could very faintly hear my Remus exhaust pipe, but very little wind noise. Several times I was taken by surprise by semi-trailer trucks passing me - I just didn't hear them coming. I'm not sure if I liked that though. I stopped to use a restroom at a convenience store & walked through the store with the earplugs still in. It was bizarre. I was deaf - if someone had spoken to me I wouldn't have known it. :shock:
On my next stop I pulled the earplugs out, since I needed to purchase something to eat. When I went to reinsert them, I found that they hadn't completely re-expanded to their original shape. They did not seem to seal quite as well either - and I did hear slightly more noise when riding.
By the end of this third riding stretch, my ears were beginning to feel somewhat sore from the plugs. I removed them, and finished the trip without them.
I'm not an earplug fan yet. It was interesting trying them, but this brand appeared to be good for only one or two uses. It was another thing to fiddle with when donning or removing riding gear. If someone had walked up to me to ask a question after I had pulled on my helmet after inserting the plugs - I would have just stared at them dumbly. They are an inconvenience that I am not used to dealing with - and they made my ears sore within about 250 miles of riding. :?
I was in Walgreens yesterday, and I noticed that in addition to several brands of foam earplugs, they also carry a variety of wax earplugs. Has anyone tried wax type earplugs for riding? If so, how do they compare to the foam type plugs for convenience, comfort and sound reduction?