SureFire EP5 Sonic Defenders Max Full-Block Earplugs, triple flanged design, reusable

These are the best earplugs that I've found that block enough sound and are comfortable enough to wear all day on a construction site. They fit snugly in the ear canal and the fins help hold them in place even better.The only real downsides are that, first, they can be a little difficult to get into your ear canal, but I've found that to be true with nearly all earplugs and, second, that they do build up ear wax under the little rubber flanges which is kind of gross but, again, common with this style of plug and it's easy enough to clean them up. Overall they are great and the little plastic carrying case makes them convenient to always have on hand.

Just ordered my second pair as a backup up in case of loss or damage.I've been using these more frequently than planned because not only are they comfortable, they're incredibly effective. I use them beneath earmuffs at the range (gotta protect the mastoid, too!) and using power tools. They're also great for barking dogs/snoring spouses/deaf relatives/enthusiastically shrieking small children/general annoyances, etc. At night I'll put one in and sleep with the other ear on the pillow so that if there's a real need, I'll wake up but otherwise remain unbothered.Recently I shared a small room for nearly two weeks with a small child and loudly snoring man. Wore these to bed and had no disturbances, a minor miracle!Generally I have huge issues with ear protection not fitting or causing pain after wearing a short while. These not only fit superbly, but they have never caused any discomfort. They can be a bit tricky the first couple times to put in but after that it's a breeze. They're marked right and left and I've found that using the other hand to pull upward on the top of the ear aids insertion by straightening the ear canal.I carry mine wherever I go now, to make life a lot more bearable since I apparently have the hearing of a bobcat and wish to continue that way despite a noisy urban life and much time spent at a shooting range.

I bought these to use when riding my motorcycle to work on the freeway. I ride a naked sport bike with a pitiful excuse for a windshield and no further wind protection to speak of, so the wind noise is outrageous without ear protection. Add in my moderately loud exhaust, and I get a headache every time after 20 minutes of riding. I'm a pretty big guy who wears a XXL helmet, but I ordered the medium size of these, and they fit me just fine. I could probably have gone with the large and been OK, but the sizing seems pretty forgiving, and they are relatively flexible.I've only tried them with the plugs in so far, but they drown out a vast majority of the wind noise, and make my ride so much more comfortable. They stay in place well when I'm putting my helmet on, and I haven't had an issue with them slipping out while I'm riding and turning my head. They actually work so well that on my next ride I think I am going to take the end plugs out, because they end up drowning out the sounds from cars around me, which can be a bit dangerous. I'd highly recommend these for any kind of use where you're encountering a lot of constant, droning noise such as wind or exhaust.

I got these because I normally use the 33dB NR orange foam earplugs, and found that they hurt my ears after a few hours use. Some times my job requires me to be in a very noise environment, all day, and I need hearing protection. But using the orange foam ones would hurt my ears, and even my jaw after hours of continuous use. They really reduce the noise by a lot, but it was not worth the discomfort. I got these as a reusable, more comfortable option, and they hit the mark fairly well to that end. They clearly do not reduce the noise as much as the orange foam ones, but they are not rated to, so I'm ok with that. The shape of the ear plug is more comfortable in the ear canal, and the black part on the end makes for easy insertion and removal. I can wear these ear plugs for the whole day, and experience much less discomfort. Anything jammed into your ear is going to be annoying after a while, but these offer a night and day difference in discomfort compared to foam earplugs.However, I do have a few minor complaints, though they may simply be related to the shape of my ears. There is a "sweet spot" of how far to stick the earplug in. If I stick it in all the way, it blocks less noise than if I find a perfect spot where it's only partially inserted. Also, the top of the black outer part does irritate my outer ear, and there's no real way to alleviate that. Again, these issues could just be the shape of my ear, since these are not custom fit. Overall, I would recommend these to people who find the foam plugs to be uncomfortable.

i work in a factory as a mechanic, and things can get pretty loud near equipment, especially ammonia compressors. these babies do an excellent job of blocking noise, provided you get them in correctly. the round pieces go right inside the bowl of your ear and keep them in place for a long time, even through sweat. we have an earplug program at work, but quite frankly, it seems to be done to appease osha, rather than for our actual protection since the earplugs provided are pretty cheap. i decided to take things into my own hands because i am the one that suffers if the plugs dont work. and these are well worth the price. you can clean them and keep useing them indefinitely. i have had mine for about 5 months and have cleaned them a couple of times. still work like a charm.update 4/18/14: i have milked the life of these plugs out to about a year, give or take. after that long they start to lose their pliability and thus their effectiveness. but i have since replaced them with new versions of the same thing. and will probably continue to do so. i do have one area of improvement for these. in the food industry, it is now largely a requirement for earplugs to be metal detectable. that would (again) make these workplace approved.