To plug or not to plug?

ourfi

Was wondering about getting earplugs for surfing. Any one tried them? Seem to be prone to sinus / head colds & want 2 avoid them. Would they help or worse ruin your balance while out wave catching?
Ta

eoin_murphy

ourfi wrote: »

Was wondering about getting earplugs for surfing. Any one tried them? Seem to be prone to sinus / head colds & want 2 avoid them. Would they help or worse ruin your balance while out wave catching?
Ta

I've never tried them personally but I've found wearing a hood will keep most of the water out of your ears. Plus it'll keep your whole head warmer (especially from wind chill)

The main reason I've heard of people using earplugs is to avoid surfers ear.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfer's_ear

bigsurf.ie

These work very very well...

http://www.surfplugs.co.uk/

Get a mould of your ears done in specsavers for a tenner, send them away, get your coloured plugs back in the post.
They fit extremely well, easy to clean, etc...

I had a burst ear drum and all that goes with it, and highly recommend.
Read the gorey stories also on that website.

Hoods can still let cold water into your ear if you get the blast of water in at the right direction.

If you want to do it super cheap, normal yellow ear defenders or ear plugs also work, but not as comfy as the above.

Regards,
Pearse
bigsurf.ie

Decos

Bigsurf, do those plugs pop out while your surfing often? If both pop out after a bad wipeout will you defo lose them or are they still tied/held onto your wetsuit?

kodute

http://www.proplugs.com/

I have these, fitted in the surf shop with a sizing chart. They have a small hole and a cord to prevent a wipeout robbing you of them. Recommend them.

bigsurf.ie

Hi Decos,

No they (surfplugs.co.uk) don't fall out...as they are moulded to your ear by taking a silicone imprint first, the fit could not be better.

They sit in behind "the flappy bit" of your ear also...not the lobe that usually gets pierced, but the other bit! (sorry, crap description).

Also, they have a string joining the 2, that are set (moulded) into the ear pieces...I've removed the string, as I did not like it, but you could tie say your wetsuit zip strap onto it so you don't lose them. But I don't think they will fall out if fitted properly.

Even if you do lose one, the silicone imprint is kept by surfplugs, and you can reorder easily. Also get custome ones made up if you want...mine are blue and red!

Regards,
Pearse
bigsurf.ie

ourfi

Ta folks,
& your right I couldn't even read all about the surgery 4 surfer's ear as was cringing 2 much. Well scary!:eek:
Think there's some plug shopping 2 b done....