Are Earos One Earplugs Worth The Money?
A while ago I was gifted some earplugs that are designed to be worn at concerts. Eargasm Slide is the brand and the type and they feature a slider tab to adjust the decibel reduction amount yet are supposed to still provide clear sound. The idea is to reduce harmful noise levels but still let you enjoy sound un-muffled like it would be with standard earplugs.
I've used the Eargasm ones a couple of times, and they work okay but aren't that comfortable, especially not under my motorcycle helmet. On the advice of my buddy, I hopped on to Amazon and ordered a pair of Earos One earplugs.
Now, motorcycle highway noise doesn't bother me much, but I recently upgraded my stereo in the bike and this brand of plug in particular was suggested to actually hear the audio better. The new system is decent, but we always want more, right? Not only for motorcycling, I also wanted another option for concerts that would beat out the comfort of the Eargasm Slide.
The Earos One plugs claim to have a decibel reduction rating of up to 17, and they are probably close to that. In my opinion and with my ears, it's less than the advertised amount, but they do take some edge off. What I find cool about them is they don't muffle out minor sounds. As in if someone flicked a lighter near you, you still catch it and rather clearly, just a smidgen more quietly. I know that is the point of these, but the other brand I mentioned above seemed to mute out quieter sounds so that's what I expected.
The Earos One plugs were almost $20 cheaper than the Eargasm Slide, so they come in at around $40. The Earos are more comfortable, and they do a better job at least for me. Everyone's hearing is different, and ears are different sizes, so one type won't work for everyone. I haven't tried these on the bike yet, but after an hour of wearing them around various sounds, they are decent enough. I would however like to know where they get the 17 decibels for the noise reduction rating, because I would bet a paycheck it's not near that amount. Are they worth the $40? Probably, but I wouldn't spend much more than that.