1 Year Review Of Climbing With Earplugs

[James Atkinson]

Shortly after getting a full stein helmet, ear muffs and visor combo, the clips snapped off on the muffs, iv always been abit too obsessed with climbing as lightweight as possible (im pretty heavy already ) so i wanted to try somthing out that i had been thinking about, so i bought myself some Howard Leight Fusion Reusable Ear Plugs off ebay, as pictured come complete with the string, which is a perfect lenth for the helmet. i simple thread the string through one hole and around the back of the inner helmet (pictured) and back out through the other hole, finally putting the earplugs on the string, with the kask helmet there are perfectly plaved clips ment for a head touch that the string can be clipped back onto when not in use.

The pros:- Light weight, you really do notice the diffence

dramatic increase in noise protection, this i love, going deaf in this job is too common.

Dont notice they are even in, after getting used to earplugs you find that you just keep them in as you forget they are even in place

 

The cons:- take a bit of getting used too, making sure you get them in properly when you first start can be annoying, but its just practice

Keeping them clean, make sure i clean them before i climb, during breaks, and when i have finished with water.

Need replacing, i replace mine mayby every month, prob should do more, but i keep them clean.

 

I understand many will not like this idea, but i do and thought i would share

[Steve Bullman]

I too climb with ear plugs. As you say, they do block out more noise, also particularly in summer they are much cooler to climb in. Wearing ear defenders would always make me sweat excessively in that area. Don't like the look of your plugs though, they don't look too comfy. I just use disposables and replace when they are dirty or lost.

Have you gone back to climbing with defenders on since getting used to plugs? Its amazing how much stuff they seem to snag on once you're used to them not being there!

 

40 X HOWARD LEIGHT LASER LITE EAR PLUGS - BULK BUY NOISE REDUCTION RATING 35DB! | eBay

[James Atkinson]

when i received them i thought the same as you, but they are really comfy and the way they are designed makes them a better fit, i tried foam plugs but didnt like them as much, but everyone is different, yea i have climbed with muffs since, really hate it, they have no noise protection and like you say just seem really annoying , used to sweat so bad around the ears, bit gross haha

[Robert_S]

i always find the opposite, that ear plugs dont block out as much noise as the ear muffs, but it might be that they dont fit my ears right (or my ears are a wonky shape) and end up falling out, do you keep that same set up at the chippper or is it just for climbing?

thats a lovely painting on the wall

[James Atkinson]

hi, you really need to put them in properly, i found the same as you, ill put a link up to show how to put them in, thanks for the compliment, its actually a photo blown up massive!

[Robert_S]

cool, yeah put the link up. cheers

[James Atkinson]

How to Fit Howard Leight Multiple-Use Detectable Ear Plugs - YouTube

[Robert_S]

thats possible where i was going wrong i was not pulling my ear up.

 

im surprised my method of just jamming it in with your finger then using the file to get it in even further was not there

cheers mate, i might try them again

[James Atkinson]

yea you got to pull the ears up, after practice you can do it with one hand

[Steve Bullman]

Def makes a difference once they are put in right