Mark Douglas
Staff Writer
I am constantly on the lookout for new and improved products/gadgets which will make my life more comfortable.
One of my biggest annoyances in life is foam ear plugs; they are uncomfortable, un-hygienic and basically useless. There is nothing worse than finding an old pair of dirty plugs that you forgot to throw in the trash hiding away in your pocket mutating into some kind of new life form.
So, when my brother offered to make me a pair of custom fit acoustically filtered ear defenders from Protect Hear, I jumped at the chance. He also offered to make me a set that would connect to my cell or ipod, however, I declined his offer because I like to hear my motorcycle when riding. 
I have been using these defenders for over a year now and I cannot believe how I managed without them.
They basically cut out (attenuate) all white noise allowing you to hear what is going on around you. I have worn these at rock concerts, nightclubs and always on my bike and they make a huge difference. They are saving my hearing and protecting me from dangerous noise.
One of the key benefits is that they increase my riding time; I don't get so tired because of road noise when out doing long distances. I can hear other traffic around me and I don't get a pressure build-up in my head making me feel all groggy. They are also easily cleaned and at the moment are showing no signs of wear. Manufactured from soft silicone ,they are also very comfortable and stay in place when putting on your helmet.
They are not inexpensive to buy($200 approx), however, they have a lifetime of seven years and I worked out that buying foam plugs for that period of time would cost twice as much and do nothing to protect your hearing.
