E-A-R by 3M 10080529200003 320-2001 Cabo Flex Semi-Aural Banded Hearing Protector, One Size Fits All

Perfect when you have small ear canalsCan never get others to fit.

I used to be able to purchase these in the hunting department at sports stores, but the ones they sell now are all much larger and hurt my ears.

I bought these for my daughter who is a dog groomer. She found them to be very uncomfortable. The plastic band that they are mounted on is very small. Almost child size. This put too much pressure on her ears. I also have many activities that require hearing protection and thought I would try them as well. I am 6 feet and 200 pounds and found them to be way too small. Could not use them behind the neck at all and under the chin they rub on my throat. I could not get them to seal in my ears to provide any noise reduction. I have years of experience with using various types of hearing protection and just cannot recommend these. Maybe they will work for someone else, but I think they would have to be in the Goldilocks zone to fit. I returned them.

What more can I say. They work

Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) is 20 dB. The seller's Amazon page does include that info, but not right up front.20 dB reduction seems about right. Definitely SOME noise protection. Other items in my shop have greater noise reduction, though they may be less convenient or less comfortable.Pros:Reasonably inexpensive (under $10). I keep several pairs of hearing protection in the shop for visitors. People like the blue band and yellow conical plugs, picking this first off the hook where they hang. The yellow plugs are not porous, so they clean easily for the next user. The blue band has a comfortable spring to it, so it stays around your neck when idle, is easy to pull up to wear, and does not compress too hard on your ears. The yellow plugs seem to last fairly long. They do not impede conversation. They are much cooler than ear muff-style protection in a warm or hot environment. In cold weather they work under a knit watch cap.Cons:20 dB is a good start for hearing protection, but you can do better.That said, zero hearing protection is bad, and preventable. These are much better than none at all. Worn around the neck, you can be sure you (or visitors) always have hearing protection available when needed. That is the first requirement for effective hearing protection.This style can be worn three ways:** With the blue band hanging under the chin** With the blue band behind the neck** With the blue band over the headI prefer under the chin. There is less rubbing on the blue band, so there is less noise transfer to my ears. However, when using a respirator (fancy dust mask), behind the neck works more easily.Price: Other similar items had a lower individual cost, but not THAT much lower. I wanted to compare these to similar items with lower prices. They compared well. At a price of less than $10, the NRR may be the most important factor.Shopping note: It is routine for Amazon to show the item you are looking at, and compare it to similar items. When I checked this item today it was compared to several other hearing protectors. However, what variables or features did they compare? Only four things: customer rating (stars), price, who is shipping it, and who is selling it. Really? When there is something as easy as Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) to compare with? Must do better.I hope these thoughts are helpful to someone. Be well, be safe.

Use these for Monsterjam Events. They work great! They sit around your neck even when not using them so you don't have to worry about loosing them.

These used to be great 15+ years ago when they were made with the light blue plastic. My first pair lasted 10 years before they broke. When they switched to the dark blue plastic they wouldn't last more than a year. This last one I bought, broke the second time I used it after the return period. Not buying these or the ones with the orange foam ever again.

Thought these were going to be the best, but did not fit my ears well, and have only a 20 db rating, compared to another brand that has a 25 db rating and actually fits better. Might work for you, but not for me. I had to return these.