We just returned from a PTA fundraiser for my son's elementary school. Sounds benign, doesn't it? Actually it was a lot of fun until some teen groups began to perform. Although they were quite talented and did a great show, someone got to the school's sound system to turn up the volume to a painfully loud level. When it started, I unobtrusively seated my ear plugs. I always carry a set to any event with music, singing, or a sound system. It's amazing how often the sound levels are turned up abusively. Anyway, I happily observed the performances, while my oldest son did nothing (he's almost 13 & beyond the stage of regularly following the advice of a father), and my younger son just plugged his ears with his fingers. They had neglected to bring any plugs, and mine won't fit them yet. Inexplicably, my wife just plugged her ears with her fingers instead of using her plugs. Oh, well. I think the kids might listen to me and bring their ear plugs to the next sound event. As to my wife, I will never hazard a prediction.

I carry rubber reusable plugs that readily seat in my ears & deeply enough that they are not noticeable to others.

John

You are not the only one to be hit by ridiculously loud sound levels at live performances, wich BTW have nothing to do with "professionalism" or any sort of "artistic value" from the performers or the sound provider.

Good idea to allways carry with you those ear plugs.

You may also conduct a "search" at this site- the best in the live audio industry.

http://www.live-audio.com/

D.

At every firing range I've ever been on in the military, boxes of disposable rolled foam-type ear plugs have been available...is there no comparable civilian alternative? Besides cigarrette butts??

Those ARE civilian <grin> - the military just uses them. I remember when we handed out those awful pink waxed cotton wool plugs to GIs who forgot their issued plugs... The foam ones are much nicer to use.

I carry a fitted set of triple-flange plugs in my kit and in my briefcase (They offer the best attenuation of all ear plugs but MUST fit properly and must be inserted properly). Even when I'm flying commercial, I use the earplugs. Too many unexpected loud noises to ignore the ones you can attenuate... I like my hearing. And concerts - impossible to enjoy without earplugs nowadays - pity. Everyone plays too loudly.

I also carry one or two of the "disposable" foam type for others - a habit that hangs on from when my kids were too small to use properly fitted earplugs. Usually the simple E.A.R. type, but lately I have the type with a keeper cord embedded - they are harder to lose. And the type I have are easily cleaned with an alcohol wipe, so I ask for them back...

Interesting thread. I naturally have earplugs with me all the time, but I never give it any thought - it's just a habit. A good case could be made that they are a useful item to include in urban EDC.

My children are members of the junior division of our gun club. They shoot .22 LR target rifles, among other things, frequently. A range rule rigorously enforced by the junior division coaches is to wear ear & eye protection at all times. The club gives them disposible foam plugs of a somewhat reduced diameter so as to better fit their smaller ear canals. The kids are scrupulous about wearing them at target shooting, hunting, or working with any noisy tools at home. When they are shooting anything louder than .22 LR rifles (except in some kinds of hunting), they add muffs for double protection.

At the school among their peers, different standards apparently prevail! I have long kept extra plugs in all of our vehicles, packs, & BOBs. But no one (myself included) thought to go to the car to get them. I like Tom's practice of carrying extra sets of disposible ear plugs for others. I'm going to adopt it for future activities. At almost any other musical event, I would have insisted that they bring plugs. I allowed myself to become lulled into complacency by the apparent innocuousness of the event.

A couple of years ago, we attended an auto race. It was fun, but much louder than we had expected. And we were wearing plugs & muffs together. The noise was sufficiently loud that you could feel the vibrations in the ground and your entire body. I was amazed to see that about 1/2 the audience did not appear to wear any hearing protection at all! Some things are incomprehensible.

John

Since I was a teenager (late '70s), & had my ears ring from a Linda Ronstadt concert (seated on same level as speakers--also last time I let someone else choose the seats!), I've carried plugs.

Back in college, when we were dating, my wife laughed at me after I told her I had spare earplugs for her before we attended one of Charlie Daniels' Volunteer Jams (lots of good, Southern-fried rock!). We entered the auditorium between sets. When the next band hit the first downbeat, she pushed me back out the door & begged for the earplugs. :-)

I keep several E.A.R. foam type in the truck, for my own use, & others, as needed. Glad to hear others do so, too.

I've only got one set of ears, & one set of eyes!

David

[color:"black"] [/color] [color:"green"] [/color] Funny what will sneal up on you though...my sister-in-law is a baritone sax player; she's played thousands of gigs unprotected- now she has to wear ear-plugs or she'll be in pain.
Ted Nugent taught me all about that....mine rang for two days.

I use them at the movie theater. For some reason, they believe the new digital Dolby surround sound theaters were created to literally deafen people.

The "Keys" part of my name comes from the several years I spent as a keyboard player in a five piece rock group (and the time when I lived on a sailboat in the Florida Keys). We worked large clubs 3 to 6 nights a week and practiced once a week, with maybe one week off a year. I only wish I had thought to wear ear protection. The double stack guitar amplifier always to my right has left me with very little range of hearing in my right ear. My whole family is now into target shooting and I keep enough "eyes and ears" protection in the car for all of us. We too have used the ear plugs and muffs for a lot of events besides shooting. Regards, Keys

It is amazing how loud the movies are nowadays. And the sad thing is movies are not the only place that the sound is turned up way to loud. Foam ear plugs work very well and don't take up much room and don't weight anything. Carrying extra's is a good idea because no one else will remember to bring theirs.

I keep a set of earplugs in my truck at school. I teach shop so I always have them where I can get to them. When we have pep rallies, I am the only one who has earplugs and everyone else threatens to take them for themselves. I also use cotton for earplugs if I don't have mine with me for some reason. Also for the students to use when planing etc.

I was volunteering for First Aid duty at a Rock concert last summer. When the band started playing, some of the local city cops came over to see if we had any earplugs in our first aid supplies. They were quite grateful when one of our attendants handed them 6 pairs. <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Empty .38 hulls, inserted base first of course. They don't work very well tho...