Hearos Ultimate Softness and Extreme Protection Ear Plugs — the best for travel

Let’s face it. Travel is a noisy endeavor. From the roar of jets, to screaming babies, to drunken hostel partiers. Having tested many, many brands of ear plugs, I’ve finally found the best and most affordable ear plugs for travel. Pick up a box for your next trip. You won’t be sorry!

Ear plugs are absolutely essential for many aspects of modern travel. I’ve tried many, many different brands, from DIY wadded up tissue to expensive, custom-made form fitting foam doo-hickeys. And I think I’ve finally found the best earplugs for travel. What’s more, they’re cheap!

I always carry a bag of ear plugs with me when I travel. They are essential on the plane. The constant drone of jet engines causes fatigue. Cutting the volume even slightly leaves you feeling more energetic and less fatigued when you reach your destination. Absurdly enough, I actually use ear plugs WITH noise canceling head phones. It’s like being in an auditory sensory deprivation chamber. Awesome.

But earplugs are great throughout a travel journey, not just on the plane. Ever been in an airport lounge where everybody is having important and loud conversations on their mobile phones about top-secret mergers and acquisitions or stock trades or nothing much at all? Pop in some ear plugs, grab a gin and tonic and get yourself into the zone. Calgon, take me away.

Staying in a hostel or flophouse? Ear plugs are definitely the key to a good nights sleep.

Shopping for ear plugs: what to look for.

Noise Reduction Rating

Ear plugs are rated according to the amount of sound that they block, called the Noise Reduction Rating. This is typically an average of noise attenuation across a range of frequencies. The number is reported in dB. You will want ear plugs that have a Noise Reduction Rating of at least 30 dB. Generally, the higher the Noise Reduction Rating, the thicker the foam material and also the less comfortable the ear plugs will be.

Size

Not all ear plugs are created equal. Unfortunately, it is difficult to tell which ear plugs will work for you without trying them. However, the simple foam style ear plugs can often be ripped in half lengthwise to create two smaller ear plugs that fit in shorter ear canals. Since the best way to insert ear plugs is to squash them first, width is less of an issue.

Color

Yes, it’s true. If you have ear plugs inserted correctly, you will barely see them protruding from your ear. Still, if they are a bright color, it’s obvious that you have them in. If that’s an issue for you, look for flesh colored plugs.

Hearos brand ear plugs are AWESOME!

I’ve tried many, many different brands of ear plugs but I’ve finally settled on two models from Hearos.

Hearos Extreme Protection Series

Hearos Extreme Protection Series are my go-to ear plug for really noisy settings: concerts, clubs with absurdly loud sound systems, short flights. With a noise reduction rating of 33 db, these are amazingly comfortable foam ear plugs suitable for short durations. Because they are more dense than other plugs (and thus block more sound), they aren’t as comfortable for long durations.

Hearos Ultimate Softness Series

For longer duration trips or sleeping overnight, I turn to the Hearos Ultimate Softness series. These block out less sound than the Extreme Protection but they are also more comfortable. I routinely use these for the duration of trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific flights. They are very comfortable and still have a Noise Reduction Rating of 32 dB. The Ultimate Softness Series are slightly more flesh colored and less obtrusive than the Extreme Protection Series.

So there you have it! I highly, highly recommend bringing a box or two of both of these with you on your next trip. Your ears — and your sanity — will thank you.