Sorry guys , not the greatest topic but I've been getting water in one of my ears of late , which , can be a little annoying . Can anyone suggest a good old plug which is comfortable on the ear and of course waterproof . I have been using blue tack which is pretty effective but probably not ideal .

Hey there,

I recently blew my eardrum which meant that I couldn't get water in my ear. As all of my leisurely activities involve water in some way, I was of course keen to circumvent the doctor's orders to stay out of the water and started looking for earplugs to allow me get wet without getting water in my ears. After looking through various forums on multiple websites, these are the top 3 things that I found that people tended to use (in no particular order):

- Mack's Earplugs (name of the brand) Soft Silicone Ear Plugs. Works like blue tack, though more malleable and less sticky. I had quite good success with these, though you have to make sure your ear is clean (wipe it with a tissue) beforehand so it sticks well. You can only get about 5-7 uses out of one before they stop sticking.

- Mack's AquaBlock Earplugs. These go into the ear canal. Some people say they're great and can swim many laps in the pool and they don't let any water in. In my experience though, they let in water easily. You may have a different experience.

- Blue tack. You have already experienced this so I don't need to explain, but I found that it stuck well and provided a good seal.

I also purchased myself a surf hood (i.e. neoprene head cover usually used for surfing in colder waters). Whilst this is not watertight by any means, it does do a relatively good job of keeping your ears/head dry. I can do many duck dives in the surf and my hair will not get wet.

Hi I have had really bad surfers ear for best part of 15years...and I now have to wear hearing aides ...ive battled with hearing problems especially when I' get out of water from a session my hearing is wrecked. Ive tried most plugs but the ones I swear by now are the new surfears, made by surfers for surfers... cost about $70 but well worth the investment. They let in noise but keep out cold water and that's crucial in stopping infections or irritations.
Great product... Google them. I never leave home without them.
Cheers

Thanks GusD .

Supmaori I googled those surfears , they sound great . I like the idea of still being able to hear my mates in the water and at the same time keeping the water out . When I do have water in my ear , I can barely hear when on the phone , which is a huge problem in my line of work . Thanks .

Zorkies are great ear plugs, not cheap, but work great.

+1 for Surfears

You could also try using a product to dry out water from ears. There is a product called aquaear, I have used it after swimming with success also used on our children to help avoid infections after swimming in chlorinated pools.

It looks like surfears are hard to find here . I don't think anyone sells them in OZ .

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stm said..
Sorry guys , not the greatest topic but I've been getting water in one of my ears of late , which , can be a little annoying . Can anyone suggest a good old plug which is comfortable on the ear and of course waterproof . I have been using blue tack which is pretty effective but probably not ideal .

great topic stm ive got the same problem .thanx guys for the helpfull feed back .ill try to purchase some 2day

I have "Seals ear plugs" that are quite nice (originally called "Sorky"), easy to put and take off.

Kind of like the Goretex vents, they let air through to keep some hearing and balance

http://www.eq-love.com/seals/presentation/
__

Although I must say I now mostly use the SurfMuff, as it also keep ears globally warm, and it seems sufficient in our not-so-cold water that do not require a hood. www.surfmuff-uk.com/

Great thread. I have one ear 95% closed and getting the drill in October. My wife is a dr and all the drs at her work who surf reckon blutak works well. It's never leaked on me or broken off. Can be a bit trying if you've got hairy ears though....youch.

Thanks for the feed back boys . Supmaori I might take your advise on this one .

I received an email back from surfears and they are currently speaking with a distributer to sell in OZ . They also said you can purchase from the web shop and they will ship to OZ . SaltH20 has the web address on his post .

Good call mate..as I said I wear hearing aides most of the time..so need to look after the natural hearing I have left. Since purchasing surfears I haven't had any further problems with water getting in after a session...which means dry ears . Good luck mate..by the way..in your little back you receive 3 sizes that interchange to ensure a snug fit.

I have been using Doc's Pro Plugs for a few years now, IMO they are great, and can buy from local surf shop. For about $35 pair.

I have had 1 ear drilled and was meant to go back for the second a few years ago, but started with blutac then proplugs and have not had water trapped in ear or any related problems sense. Wish i knew about them 20 years ago, and i quite often see young guys bashing their heads to get water out of their ears so i suggest they start wearing ear plugs (but they never listen to old farts like me)

www.proplugs.com/

I have custom made ear plugs which are so comfy....got them on our National Health Service in Scotland. Got them as I had an ear infection which took a while to clear...I just moaned about the fact that I surf but also swim in the pool a lot. I used Docs Pro plugs before which were okay.

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stm said..
Thanks for the feed back boys . Supmaori I might take your advise on this one .

I received an email back from surfears and they are currently speaking with a distributer to sell in OZ . They also said you can purchase from the web shop and they will ship to OZ . SaltH20 has the web address on his post .

Hi all just thought I would let you know that I received my surfears today . Only 7 working days , not bad .

I tried them on , they feel good and you can still hear no worries . I'll test them out in the surf and give some feed back .

I have had one ear drilled out and have had many semi deaf very uncomfortable months dealing with ear infections, I have tried a few different things. I tried Blu tak a few times over the years but never liked it as the total hearing and pressure block always put me off when surfing and i think it affects balance and coordination. I also used docs pro plugs which are great but I have always inevitably had them blasted out and swept away during a wipeout, I now use a cheap $10 set of plugs made by speedo they fit semi snug and still let a little airflow through they still get smashed out but I keep a few spares. I had been meaning to get some of the seals plugs but had forgotten what they were called they look like the design least prone to being washed away. Even if you have had your ears drilled the exostoses grow back and protecting them from cold wind is just as important as water so any type of plug or hood helps

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stm said..

stm said..
Thanks for the feed back boys . Supmaori I might take your advise on this one .

I received an email back from surfears and they are currently speaking with a distributer to sell in OZ . They also said you can purchase from the web shop and they will ship to OZ . SaltH20 has the web address on his post .

Hi all just thought I would let you know that I received my surfears today . Only 7 working days , not bad .

I tried them on , they feel good and you can still hear no worries . I'll test them out in the surf and give some feed back .

Really interested in your feed back! I use generic ones now and not being able to hear takes the social out of surfing. Also I feel balance is off and I feel disconnected. It just makes it a very strange experience so now I resort to just using one in my "bad " ear. This could proof the ideal solution for year round use.

Hi, here in western coast of northern hemisphere winds blow north so we usually get exostose at the right side ear, probably left side for you southern hemisphere boys.
To avoid ears infection which is real trouble , i already try different ears plugs but i really can't stand them. IMO, The best way to avoid infection and avoid being completely deaf after surfing is to clean my ears with a spray called AUDISPRAY. new.audispray.com/en/home
good stuff

I had a surf with my surfears in today and am happy with my purchase . My ears are dry and it was no worries with hearing my mates out in the water . I recon you lose about 10% or less of hearing , which is real good . The surf was overhead+ and after a few deep ones , followed up by some time underwater , I recon I gave them a pretty good test . I fiddled with them a little after each wipe-out but was happy that they were still sitting well in my ear .
They are not cheap , but what they say is what you get . Two thumbs up

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stm said..
Sorry guys , not the greatest topic but I've been getting water in one of my ears of late , which , can be a little annoying . Can anyone suggest a good old plug which is comfortable on the ear and of course waterproof . I have been using blue tack which is pretty effective but probably not ideal .

SORRY, WHAT DID YOU SAY

Just an alternative approach to solving the problem.

I spent 2/3 of my life being near deaf from ear infections and clogged canals.
Pro plugs ect worked pretty well.... but:

When I started wearing a "kook hat" with chinstrap and mesh over the ears... the problem went away completely. I never wear ear plugs anymore. The hat is just a mesh covering over the ears, so water can get at my ears... but it is never a problem. I think that the protection from direct water intrusion and protecting from wind is the key to my success. I hear perfectly with the hat on, and my ears never bother me anymore. I just look like a dork. But I'm a dork that can hear

I use Sorky earplugs for swimming. They are designed so you can still hear with them in which is helpful.

At age 60 and 45 years surfing predominately in SA I know about surfers ear. Go for the softest arrow shape silicon swimming plugs that fit. Best to get them at swimming centres with quality stock and a variety to choose from. Pharmacies rarely stock what we need. I bought a small bundle in the USA that have lasted well.

Just got mine in today.
Did not water test them but I tried them in. WOW very comfy (although I can't comment on how they feel after a longer period of use)
Most amazing is the hearing. I just have to share this. It is as if they are not there!! the sound is just slightly subdued but you can have a conversation as if you are not wearing any ear plugs. Very impressed. will see how they go on the water but so far they do what is promised!!