What's the Best Ear Protection?

[redline4]

Uncle Sam has purchased every style and type of earplugs known to man or beast, for us monkeys here in the aircraft hangars. Most are 3M variations, some good, some just outright suck. I like the 3M Push-Ins w/Grip Rings (318-1009). Pretty comfortable at least for me, but there are other options hanging all over the hangars in ear plug stations. When we run APU/hydraulics and flight control checks, you gotta have ear plugs and ear muffs and sometimes with those two together you don't hardly stand a chance. Of course flight control checks ain't nowhere near as bad as outside engine run-ups...engine runs just pierce your soul, that *s-wordt's soooo loud and takes a different set-up entirely of ear plugs and ear muffs.

A good friend of my family who unfortunately is no longer with us was on aircraft carriers in the Navy. I can't recall if he was a yellow shirt, red shirt or catapult officer anymore but he was deaf as fukk...
RIP "Java".

 

[crowslayer17]

These are really good ear plugs. I even wear them when I sleep.
Moldex Pura-Fit 6800

 

[crowslayer17]

Came across this image on ebay... looks like plugs that block 32db wouldn't block out very much??
Oh, never mind... the "32" in the listing is the NRR rating, not the db level?

ProtectEar

www.protectear.com

The 140 dB gun shot is a standard 22lr for your info. Hardly anyone I know wears ear protection shooting a 22lr, but some of them will with the lawn mower or chainsaw which is much lower.

 

[RCBS]

Any kind that gets used.

I've tried it all. Settled on disposable foam plugs.

 

[RCBS]

The 140 dB gun shot is a standard 22lr for your info. Hardly anyone I know wears ear protection shooting a 22lr, but some of them will with the lawn mower or chainsaw which is much lower.

Power equipment must meet sound levels for laws and stuff. Meanwhile, you gotta pay extra tax and beg permission to make a firearm hearing safe. Daddy gub is an azzhat.

 

[Seachaser]

Power equipment must meet sound levels for laws and stuff. Meanwhile, you gotta pay extra tax and beg permission to make a firearm hearing safe. Daddy gub is an azzhat.

And that’s what pi$$es me off.

 

[lohan808]

Hell, between music as a performer/ drummer for a decade, countless live concerts, chainsaws, firearms, power equipment and shop noise it is a wonder I can hear at all. I wear NRR of at least 27 plugs now. Never really liked muffs. Only wear those at the range.

 

[Likesaws]

Best hearing protection for sound for me was when I used noise canceling iPods and earmuffs. Don’t always use them iPods seem to fall out when working. Next best for me is 3m work tunes with Bluetooth.

 

[fredx]

...............

 

[Coupe]

They go in different grades like 2,3,4,5 and 5 being the best I think for chainsaws plus leaf blowers.
As I collect old chainsaws like IEL Pioneers which I used a lot of in sawmills in my younger days
I hear bells all day long but have got used of it. You are better to buy grade fours or fives in your case.

 

[TNTreehugger]

Looking at the date on the OP, it's been a year.
My tinnitus is gone... knock wood.
I think it was a combination of taking aspirin every day, as prescribed by my dr. and the shingles shots.
I fixed the horrible high pitched whine the fridge was making - the fan blades were rubbing the housing and I found a video on YT showing how to change out the fan, so I ordered one from FIX.com and voila! eliminated that noise.
The motor noise when it kicks on was still bothering me, so I put two blow-up vinyl pool floats, one one each side, to muffle the noise. Works like a charm.
Started sleeping at the far end of the house, away from the hvac unit and the fridge.
I wear the ear muffs when I vacuum and mow.

Like I said - praise the lawd! tinnitus gone.
Thanks for all the great advice.

 

[morewood]

I have their ear plugs with the Aware tech. Pretty great to listen to music but most of the time the outside noise is too much for the Aware portion and all you hear is click, click, click of it clipping the sound so I usually shut that function off.

I bought some of their muffs and have had the same issues. They function well for noise but the on/off clicking drives me nuts. I also keep that function shut off.

Mr Awesome

 

[hacskaroly]

Like I said - praise the lawd! tinnitus gone.

When mine briefly goes away from time to time....it takes me a minute to figure out what is going on, why is it so quiet!?!!

 

[hotajax]

Get yourself a set of David Clark Company ear muffs. Will even fend off a guy shooting a .44 magnum right next to you at the range. I can tell you from first-hand experience.

Bad News: I just went to their website to get a link for these hearing protectors. They are no longer selling hearing protection except for the ear pads. Bummer, they were a great product.