Why Choose Custom Earplugs Over Disposables?

Custom versus disposable earplugs

The goal of any earplug is obvious: reduce the volume of sound. And even though it’s true that any earplug can achieve this, it turns out that it’s not that simple, for two reasons:

All sound is not created equal—The sounds of speech are much different than the sounds of background noise. You want to suppress more of the background noise than of speech or music.

Sound is dynamic—specific frequencies necessitate different handling, and volume shouldn’t be decreased by too much or by too little.

So, for an earplug to be effective, it has to 1) limit the volume of sound, but not by too much or too little, and 2) deal with assorted types of sounds, or frequencies, differently.

As you’ll discover, custom earplugs accomplish these two feats better than foam earplugs and have the edge in three critical categories: sound quality, comfort, and cost.

1. Sound Quality

Foam earplugs block out all sound and all frequencies, generating what is known as the occlusion effect for the user, which is the feeling of a “hollow” or “booming” echo-like sound in their own voice. Foam earplugs reduce all-around sound quality and produce a confined sensation.

Custom earplugs, conversely, have special filters for a precise, even level of noise reduction (attenuation). The earplugs can be programmed to reduce volume only by the necessary amount, and can filter certain kinds of sound more than others, preserving the quality of speech and music.

2. Comfort

Foam earplugs, to be effective, have to form a deep seal within the ear canal, causing a constant feeling of pressure, and this “plugged up” feeling is nearly universal.

Custom earplugs, however, are molded to the contours of each patient’s ears by a hearing professional, producing a secure, natural fit without the feeling of constant pressure. Custom earplugs are also developed with soft, medical-grade material that doesn’t shrink or change form.

Additionally, foam earplugs are unable to adjust well to variations in ear size and shape. Given that custom earplugs are specially shaped for each patient, variations in ear size and shape pose no problem at all.

3. Cost

Let’s do some quick calculations, beginning with foam earplugs.

Assume that you work in a profession that requires the daily use of earplugs. Assuming an average cost of $0.19 per pair, with use on 5 days a week over 4 years, the total cost would be:

$0.19 X 5 days X 52 weeks X 4 years = $197.60 total cost.

(Also keep in mind the environmental cost: over four years you’d be throwing away 1,040 pairs of earplugs!)

Let’s compare that $197 to the cost of a pair of custom earplugs.

A top quality pair of custom earplugs can last four years or longer, but let’s just assume four. The majority of custom earplugs cost under $100, so your total cost after four years is less than half the cost of the disposable earplugs—and you get better sound quality and comfort in return.

Not to mention that by wearing the same custom earplugs for four years, you’ll eliminate the waste associated with discarding over 1,000 pairs of disposable earplugs.

Custom molded earplugs and disposable earplugs will both reduce volume and protect your hearing, but that’s where the commonalities end. Custom earplugs have far better sound quality, are more comfortable, and cost you and the environment, in the long term, much less.