How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?
 

I can put earplugs in perfectly well, rolll them up, insert, exapnd and hey presto, sound reduction. Whenever I put my helmet on, it pulls them out, or disloges them so that when I'm riding they fall out.

Anyone got any recommendations?

Thinking about getting some custom jobs, but I'm not certain that even they would stay in once the helmet is getting pulled on. Its not the helmet is too small, its a perfect fit!

:confused:

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

I dunno, but my OH has the same problem. He got christmas tree shaped ones eventually, which seem to work best. Odd shaped ears I reckon.

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

The fit perfect when the helmets not on, and no amount of shaking will dislodge them, so the fit is fine. Its the helmet pulling bit thats the difficulty.

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

Helmet shouldn't touch the plugs, sounds like you may not be inserting them far enough?

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

Depends what sort you're using mister. I roll them like a rollie well maybe a bit harder until they're shrunk and compressed quite a bit. Then hold it in your opposite hand, pull your ear outwards and forwards to open up the canal, and push it in gently but firmly. Mine do not escape when I put my lid on. If yours are coming out, they're not in far enough.

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

I put them in until the touch something solid at the end of the canal, so maybe its the earplugs are too long? Does anyone shorter them a bit, I wouldn't want to shove them in and not be able to get them out again! :cool:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FOAM-EAR-PLUGS...d=p3286.c0.m14

Those are the ones I've got. Tried others but these "fill the space" best

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

I had all sorts of similar problems with ear plugs, I could never get them to stay in. Theres a knack to it.

I make mine a little damp then roll them up, when I insert them I dont push them in. I twist them and the gently push as I rotate the plug and that seems to hold them in long enough for to get my lid on without the lid pulling them back out again.

I tried lots and lots of different plugs before I found some that worked with my shape ears... you might find you have the same problem I can really the Max Laser Lite ear plugs, the yellow Rhubarb and Custard looking ones on this page

http://www.earplugged.co.uk/acatalog...Ear_Plugs.html

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

Get some custom made ones, solves your problems

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

LOL :p

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

If not custom ones (which I now have, I need to preserve whatever hearing I have left:() then the Boots ones are good. £1.99 for 3 pairs and they have a round plastic pill box to keep them in. They're orange and made of plastic foam. Not the cheap expanded foam things!!!

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

Would custom ones pop out of my ears when I'm pulling the helmet on though? I wouldnt want to waste all that money...

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

I have custom ones however I am having issues with them at the minute, just in the middle of talking to Ultimate Ear to see if they can sort them...major itching going on.
Anyway I use those ones that come in the little bightly coloured pod. They are really good, Oxford and Mottrax rebrand them and sell them also.

Anyway an earplug should not protrude far enough out of your ear for your helmet to pull them out. You need to roll them up real tight and insert them until they press against something that causes a slight discomfort.

Hth

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

twist as you insert they go in further or thats how it works for me and as mr speirs says slight discomfort means there in far enough

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

It sounds like you're hitting a problem that bugged me for a while. The ear has a right angle bend in it to protect the sensitive bits from nasty surprises. If you put a plug in so that it hits that bend instead of going round it they end up half-way in and get knocked out easily.

When mine are in properly they are pretty much flush with the side of my head, and stay that way. When I pull them out you can see they are bent about half-way down.

The only secret was to keep trying until I got the knack of pulling the top of my ear back while inserting the squished plug

Hope this helps,

Keith.

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

Another tip aswell after Keith mentions the bend. The bend is actually upwards and towards your eyes. Was trying to find a picture of my customs to illustrate that.

This one is the impression which shows a slight bend. Thats what you need to get past to get it in right. You will need quite a stiff ear plug to achieve this too and from experience the ones you posted up are quite soft and almost impossible to get in far enough. Anyway enough Sexpuns heres the photo:
Attachment 5442

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

Deffo the best answer, I've never used earplugs but had trouble with earphones and have used this in the past, the only better solution in my view is fixed speakers in your lid

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

I find if the ear is a bit wet it helps (ie wet your finger and put it in your ear first!).

Also try different types of plugs to see which one fit your ears best. I likes the moldex ones for ease of use but are a bit more expensive.

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

That reminds me of something I saw the other day

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

This was my next answer :-

http://www.impactpt.co.uk/images/pro...slodeIM350.gif

But probably too permanent :rolleyes:

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

A slightly less (!) permanent solution might be to try a balaclava. Your lid should slip over it rather than catch on the plugs.

Have to say though that it does sound like the plugs are not in far enough as mine don't stick out to get knocked by the lid as it goes on...

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

I find that if I try to wear anything under my lid it gives me a headache.
Even something thin like a Buff tube.

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

That must be the later model IM350, mine doesnt have that orange tip !

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

Rolling the plugs between finger and thumb to 'thin' them and then lick before putting in your ear, once inserted, gently hold until they've expanded properly, they should then be quite snug.

If you want bog standard, the try Howard Leight. Mucho cheapness on ebay.

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

Right! I've been experimenting, and I've worked out that If I roll them well, and shove them in hard and fast, then they seem to go in much further than before and blocks out things much better! Didnt realise they could go in that far at all!

Many thanks fellas!

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

it takes at least a minute or 2 for the plugs to expand out fully. make sure that you hold them inplace after you've inserted them. I found that if i put them on in a rush and don't hold them inplace they expand and push there way out.

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

You must end up with some very odd ciggies

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

:rolleyes: I meant between thumb and forefinger

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?
 

I have 3 types, with the yellow foam ones and I snip a few mm off the length and they still work fine.

Or try these:

http://www.boots.com/en/BioEars-Soft...3-pairs_39424/

Or these:

http://www.earplugshop.com/shopping/...pine/motosafe/

I have the same problem with headphones - if I go for a run they don't stay in my ears so I either have to wear my massive DJ style headphones and get sweaty ears, or put plasters over my ears ones the earphones are in. Either way I look like a mad person running about.

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?
 

get some smaller ears.

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?
 

I've just tried some of those bio-ears and they're terrible. I had to take them out after a few miles and put my foam ones back in. The bio-ears hardly block any sound at all.

I've just ordered two sets of plugs from Ebay, the 'rhubarb and custard' laser lites and the Earsoft FX plugs. Both seem to be highly rated so I'll see which of them I prefer.

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?
 

Best earplugs ever, and I've tried loads through work...
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA280_.jpghttp://www.safetydirect.co.uk/shop/i...earclassic.jpg
Almost as good as the these things...but you can't fit these under a lid!
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA195_.jpg

Almost as good as the custom ones, but a damn site easier to replace when you loose one at the petrol station like me! "Yes sir, no problem one replacement custom earplug...that will be £40":smt088

If you use these plugs after using the rhubarb and custard type plugs you'll notice a big difference. The foam is that bit denser, you need to press that bit harder to roll them down nice and small. When they expand in your ear your supposed to hold them in place, like all plugs, but you can really feel them expanding. I expect it would be a similar sensation to having someone squirt a bit of "no more big gaps" expandafoam in your ear!

They grip well once expanded, and stay in place when pulling on your lid. Only word of warning. They are that wee bit bigger in diameter than other plugs, are that bit firmer, and do "push out"/expand with a bit more force than other plugs. So might not be so good for folk with smaller, or sensitive ear holes.

Think of them as the "Yorkie" bar of the earplug world..."Not for girls";)

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?
 

I'd be a bit careful about pushing them in too far, you don't want them expanding such that they put pressure on your ear drum, you'll know after half hour if they are 'cos it won't be comfortable, but then your tempted just to put up with it rather than stop, take your gloves off, take your lid off, etc, etc. I put mine in all the way, let them expand, then pull them out a couple of mm.

I'd also be careful about moistening the plug too, if you ride every day and do this you might give yourself a fungal ear infection.

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?
 

Good point Ralph, I've never heard of anyone wetting their ear to fit an earplug, you shouldn't have too. Ear-infection-tastic...

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?
 

I think I'll try this expanding foam idea, could be much more cost effective than plugs. ;)

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

Dont shove them too far into your ears, you dont want to risk doing some damage..

Dont the custom ones degrade and go hard over time? Id be intrested in knowing if the material is similar to the one my hearing aid moulds are made out of.

As for the itching...well, do you wash them regularly with soap & water? If you havent had them long then perhaps you're slightly allergic to the material?

Or it could be a simple case of the warm weather causing your ears to expand and rub on them - my ears itch like crazy in the warmer weather or if I go from hot and cold tempatures quite suddenly

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

This is defo something to consider folks...

I use disposable plugs, so that's not and issue, but I still get some damn itchy ears on occasion, especially in summer, I think my rubber in-ear Sony earphones don't help matters. Canesten rubbed in on the end of a finger twice a day for a week sorts it.

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?!!
 

My hearing aid is washable, as I've just found out by accidentally putting it in the washing machine. What a muppet I am. I'm surprised that it still works.

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?
 

I have a problem with itchy ears, find I get it really bad with my ear piece at work, it's not even an intrusive one. Its wee ear shaped peice of rubber that sits in my ear without anything going into the canal but it STILL gets itchy. Ear Plugs make them itch like made too!

Re: How do I get earplugs to stay in my ears?
 

Your probably allergic to the material of it..ears are sensitive things and it doesnt take much to make them flare up and go crazy..!