Hearing protection without earplugs

[MrChips]

Morning all,

Bit of a curveball one... been riding 20yrs and have used all manner of earplugs to keep the noise levels down. Favourites are my ACS custom fit ones, as well as the green Howard Leight Maxlites..... but...

A few months ago I had both my daith's pierced which is effectively my inner ear cartilage. Whilst i'm glad i now look "cool" as I approach 40, this was done in an effort to reduce my migraines and so far it's been an eye opener and i've literally not had a single one for months. Now it's riding season and to use earplugs won't really work with the current piercings. I'm looking at what alternatives I can try...

There's a handful of slimline foam speakers that claim to be noise cancelling and fit inside a helmet... like this:


Has anyone on here tried something like this? I can't see that they'd work well at all without a decent seal around the ear.

Or what about putting some proper multilayer noise isolating foam inside the helmet, or the adhesive rubber like Dynamat for a car?

Helmet is a Shoei NXR so reasonably quiet already but after 20yrs of decent earplugs i'm struggling to find something that is even half as good as earplugs. I should be able to use earplugs again in around a years time but don't like the thought of damaging my hearing in the meantime.

MrChips

[Jazoli]

They won't work at all, as you say you need a proper seal for ANC to work, as for suggestions I don't have any I can think of.

[Pothole]

Have you actually tried earplugs? Just going by Google image search, I don't think a piercing in mine would touch the plugs...

[sociopath]

Those speakers work, I have them in my lid, but they don't reduce noise. I wear earplugs to reduce the wind noise, and can still hear the music/phone.

[MrChips]

Pothole said:

Have you actually tried earplugs? Just going by Google image search, I don't think a piercing in mine would touch the plugs...

Yep, the anatomy of my ears means the piercing is very well tucked into the inner ear so even the foam ones are putting tons of pressure on it. That may be ok in a year once it's all properly healed but at the moment it's both painful and risks messing up the healing

[KTMsm]

I haven't tried it but I recall that fur lining reduces wind noise

Can't cost much to try a couple of pads by your ears

[lukeyman]

What about the type that look like a head phone on the end of a spigot? Would the spigoty bit clear the piercing?

Glad the results are positive so far. Something I've contemplated myself.

[Disco You]

Have you tried the soft putty like plugs? They might be more forgiving of your new fashion accessories

[Triaguar]

What about a revisit to a good quality custom makers... perhaps even a medical one... have a pair made to take the piercing into account...

[Krikkit]

Triaguar said:

What about a revisit to a good quality custom makers... perhaps even a medical one... have a pair made to take the piercing into account...

I suspect that'll be the only solution - moulded plugs that take account of the piercing position.