SouthWestRides Big Ear - Solid Earplugs

REVIEWS

Big Ear - Solid Earplugs
By Birdman
Posted on Aug 6, 2007

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I have discussed the benefits and need for hearing protection while riding a motorcycle before. A quick search on the Internet will provide you with many sources that will all support the notion that hearing protection is just as important if not the most important safety gear you can use while riding. That being said I will assume if you are reading this review it is to understand what Big Ear has to offer in the realm of Custom Solid Earplugs. If you want to understand why you should be wearing some sort of hearing protection stop in the forums and you will get many supporting viewpoints.

Why Custom?

Most people that use hearing protection while riding use a disposable type earplug. This type of hearing protection varies but is usually made of some sort of foam that the user first compresses, inserts into his or her ear and then they allow the foam to retake its shape in his or her ear canal thus blocking outside noise. Depending upon the foam and how well the plug is inserted noise attenuation varies. These types of earplugs usually have an attenuation of about 26 dB. Some think that attenuation is the sole reason to purchase custom molded earplugs. While you can see an increase of up to 32 dB of attenuation from a custom molded it is possible to have similar attenuation with a disposable type. The consistency of attenuation each time a disposable is used however will vary greatly, where a custom molded earplug will provide the same level of attenuation time and time again. This is but the first reason to use a custom earplug

The best reason to use a custom molded earplug is for the very reason that it is molded specifically for the user. This means that the optimum amount of attenuation will be provided, but it also means that the optimum amount of comfort will be afforded as well. Custom molds are more comfortable over a long time of use because they have a consistent fit, versus the fit that is dependant upon specific application of a disposable type earplug. The disposable type earplug might fit well the first time it is inserted, but a rushed insertion can mean minor irritation, which over time can lead to pain and discomfort. Additionally if a helmet is used the foam type earplug can be displaced slightly or completely while putting on the helmet, or part of the earplug sticking out of the ear may cause discomfort because it will be pressed further into the ear. A custom earplug fits the exact same way every time it is inserted and once the user understands how to insert the earplug its performance and comfort is the same.

The next reason to buy a custom earplug is the fact that they can be used over and over and are not intended to be thrown away. While the price may seem high, after about 100 uses the custom earplugs pay themselves just from a per use standpoint, but you cannot ignore the fact that overall comfort will make rides better and more safe on the whole.

The final reason to use a custom earplug is that it may be cleaned, and when done so properly will keep the user from having and in-ear type infections, which can be debilitating to riders, as balance is requirement for motorcyclists.

Why Big Ear

Big Ear lists their product like this;

BE-SP _Suggested Retail: $85.00
Solid Ear Plugs
Our most popular product! Manufactured from our Sani-cast TM ear plug material, with our Sani-mold TM process. This process and material make it possible to have ear plugs made without exposure to, or transfer of, any type of bacteria or disease. Are you willing to take a risk? Wear in any environment including sleeping, swimming, or where wind and noise are a problem.
Sound Attenuation range: +/- 27 ~ 32 dB
Material is a form of Polyvinylsiloxane Colors: Red, Blue, Beige, Purple, Black, Orange
Limited Lifetime Warranty

If you are determined to save a buck you will never be convinced that custom earplugs are for you, so I will not even try to convince that segment of individuals that custom is better than disposable. The purpose of this review is simply to inform those looking at purchasing the Big Ear Earplug what the benefits of this product is and if I feel it is worth its price.

If you have looked at custom earplugs most of them look the same and from a performance standpoint (attenuation) and they are for the most part equal. When I sat down with Ted Greene the local rep for Big Ear he showed me some of the differences that make the Big Ear product unique from every other custom earplug product.

Ted showed me the entire process as he made me a pair of custom earplugs. The first difference versus the dozen or so other custom earplugs that I have seen or had made for me personally was in the fact that Ted never physically touched the product that was to me placed in my ear. The product that is used to make the earplug is in a two-part syringe that looks very similar to the ones you see in hardware store for two-part epoxy. This syringe ensures that no part of the material is ever in a non-sterile environment. If you have ever had custom earplug made before or have seen them made the product is mixed by hand and then put in a syringe that has been used before. This process can allow non-sterile contaminants to become part of the mold. I could go on and on about what keeping things clean means, but just understanding the difference is probably enough.

The next difference was major! The typical process of getting a mold usually means sitting in a chair for 10 to 15 minutes. From the time that Ted squirted (for lack of a better description) the product into my ear to the point that he removed a ready to be completed mold was 2 minutes. I was almost expecting that the mold did not work and we were going to have to do it again, but Ted informed me that the part of the process involving me sitting still was over. From that point Ted finalized the shape of my mold and then coated it with a urethane based clear covering.

The final difference came 20 minutes later when the urethane cured (can take up to 40 minutes) and I was able to hold and play with the completed mold. Ted handed me a set that he had, and asked me to tear them in half. I should explain that this came about when I asked how long they would last as I have had others come apart after a few years. The molds were basically impossible to rip. I am sure with enough time messing with them I could tear a bit off, but the difference is this. I would never try this with any other custom earplug mold as I know I can tear them in half.

The Bottom Line.

The Big Ear Custom Earplugs are listed for $85. This price at first seems a little high to me and probably to most as well. The thing I had to weigh was the price of previous custom molds I had purchased at an average of $65 and what was different about the Big Ear product could make it worth $20 more. If I would have written this review the day I bought these earplugs I would not have had any insight as to any difference, so I waited to write the review until I could be sure of one of two things.

That there was a difference that makes them worth $20 more or there wasn’t.

The verdict? They are worth the $20 extra.

Hygiene is the number one reason why. Not only from the standpoint of the hygiene as they are made, but from the fact that whatever Big Ear uses as a final stage of creation of these molds (urethane) allows these earplugs to be cleaned much better than any other earplug I have even owned. Second, because of that outside coat and because I want clean earplugs and do not want ear infections I know these earplugs will last a lot longer than any previous set I have owned.

As someone told me long ago regarding helmets, if you think you have a $50 head, buy a $50 helmet, I would say the same about custom earplugs. Whatever value you place on your hearing, you should protect your ears accordingly.

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