Is there a really superior earplug on the market? The squishy foam ones don't seem to do much for me. Someone mentioned ones that fit over the ear..can't find the thread, does that mean the headphone type ones that flight crews wear?

I find the wax ear plugs far superiour to the foam ones. I break one in two pieces to fit just inside my ears without hurting and they don't disturb my sleep. If this is for sleeping the headphones would really hurt!

The ones that work for me are very simple, just wax but very pliable. They come 4 to a package maybe the size of a squished jellybean. You form them into a cone and work them into your ear but you must move them around to allow the pressurized air to escape. Once seated you flatten the rest to form a seal outside of the ear canal. That's as close to dead silence as I have ever gotten. I've about heard those "noise cancelling" headphones but they seem like a hassle to cart around on vacation. If you're in the US the wax plugs are sold in CVS and maybe Brooks. Regards, Walter

The foam ones don't work that well for me, either -- I prefer the silicone gel ones, they work the best because they really can mold to the ear canal and block out the sound. These are pretty easy to find in a drugstore, they usually come about four in a little plastic long case. I think it's silicone, some kind of moldable clear plastic stuff.

Yes, I wrote wax and meant silicon. They are the best by far.

i have heardof things called earplanes...my cousin says they work well<BR>

If you really want to shut the noise out, get the ear protection devices that people who use chain saws and gasoline powered blowers put on.<BR>They are designed for ear protection under high decibel conditions. Anything else is a minor noise block.<BR>Those devices protect you from deafness.<BR>

The silicone ones are sold under the brand name ..Mack's ear stopples..work great , I never get on a plane without them!

THE BEST are Ohropax wax earplugs in the yellow box (German). I've tried foam and the silicone Macks and they do not compare to Ohropax. Pick up 3-4 packs on your next visit, they are sold throughout Europe, I haven't found them in the states. You will never go back to silicon. I found the silicone ones to be too hard and they picked up a lot of dirt after one use.

Thanks all for the great advice. I am going to look for those Ohropaxs, Leo. Guess I'll make do with the silicone ones until I go to Germany. And Al, if you know where one could purchase the type you are talking about, please post it. Thanks again for your help.

You can get the silicone ones under a lot of brand names, even store brands, I think I have. They can pick up dirt being slightly sticky, but they aren't hard at all, so I wonder if we're talking about something different, or there are diff. types of silicon? They are softer than any wax. I have tried the wax ones you can get in US drugstores, also, you have to really roll them in your hand a while to warm up before using, but they weren't as good as the silicon ones for me (they look like pink plugs of bubble gum before using).

The trick to using foam ear plugs is to roll them tightly between your fingers until they're a thin roll, then pull your earlobe forward and slide the plug in quickly. It then expands inside your ear canal, and fills the space so no noise can get through. It took me awhile to get it done right, but with those damn dogs next door I was determined to make them work!<BR><BR>

I suggest you visit a shop that sells chain saws and other motorized equipment, or a shop that sells firearms. Most people who fire rifles and or shotguns a lot usually have some type of ear protection device that are designed for protection against loud noises.<BR>Some of them look like headphones. I have a pair that I use when operating my chain saw. They are of an ear muff or head phone type of design. <BR>A good hardware store, not the city dweller type that sells little shovels and dainty hoses, but a farmers type of hardware, should have such safety equipment.<BR>I some several squishy foam and various types of ear plugs I have tried in the past. But for ear protection when operating my chain saw to cut firewood, I want the heavy duty type to protect my ears from high decibel sound. If that type of protection is what you are after, the "in the ear" little plugs are no competition for the "over the ear" serious level noise protection equipment.<BR>

Thank you Al. I live in Washington, D.C., so I may have to go up to northern Maryland to find a store like that, but my curiousity is definitely whetted. I want to see how well those work. Thanks again for all the good information.

I think I know what Al is discussing.<BR>I live in a university town, but it is small enough to be on the edge of rural areas. There is a Farmer's Hardware not far from me that carries a complete line of that kind of equipment.<BR>Skeet shooters, who fire shotguns, often use some type of ear protection.<BR>I feel sure that somewhere in the DC area there are skeet shooting clubs and stores that carry shotguns.<BR>Also heavy equipment operators use those kind of protection devices as do many factory workers. I am sure that ear protective devices are available in some kind of shop in the DC area.<BR>If you want to keep high noise levels under control, that is what you need.<BR>I, too, don't think even the best ear plugs are capable of more than moderate sound attenuation.<BR>It all depends on the level of damping you are after. I have some headphone style ear covers that absorb sound and I used them when we were grinding up large tree limbs, up to 8 inches, in my yard. The noise of the grinder was considerable and I was feeding limbs into it for a long period of time.<BR>

Thanks Bob. I am retired military so I mostly travel on military aircraft, "space available". It's great, but some of the planes are very noisy, such as the C-141 especially on a overseas flight. That is the main purpose of my earplug/phones quest.

Pat - I have several musician friends who swear by a brand of earplugs made by a company call Etymotic Research. They make high-end stereo earbuds and other acoustic gear. (etymotic.com)

Pat: On a military cargo/transport plane vs a commercial aircraft, yes I would definitely go for the construction/industrial type headphones. Only did a few noisey MAC flights in the early 70's but I once hopped-on a military Lear Jet from Rome to Athens and that was *very* nice. Regards, Walter

I've used earplanes A LOT! they work wonderfully!!!

<BR>You can buy the ohropax products at this site:<BR>http://translate.google.com/translat...lugs%26hl%3Den