Xtreme Foam Earplugs, 33dB NRR Ear Plugs, 100 Pairs, Foam Ear Plugs Noise Reduction & Hearing Protection

Before I get into the review, I'll give a disclaimer that earplugs should be inserted properly to get the proper effect. The jist of it is that you need to compress the tip and the insert the tip straight into your ear canal then allow it to expand (usually takes about 30 seconds). What I like to do is to hold my pointer finger and ring finger together, place the earplug on my fingertips with the back of it facing my pinkie. Then I bring my thumb down and squish the entire earplug and roll the whole thing (it works better if you do more than the tip in my experience) until it's a nice tight cylinder. Then I bring it up to my ear, without letting off pressure on the earplug until the last possible second, and smoothly insert it into my ear canal with moderate finger pressure. If that sounds like a really specific description, it's because I've had to give it a lot. I use these when I'm sleeping, when I'm working (I work at a gun range), when I'm working with/around heavy machinery, oftentimes when I'm driving, or if I just want some quiet time. I've been using them for years. Of all the earplugs brands I've tried (haven't tried them all obviously but I've tried a fair few) Hearos is the most comfortable brand with the most significant noise reduction. They use a softer foam that is significantly more comfortable for long term use than every other brand I've tried personally. The Hearos Xtreme Protection line is their largest and highest noise reduction earplug, and it's my preferred earplug. There are only two real issues with this product. The first is that each earplug has a limited lifespan. That said, they can be reused multiple times. If you keep your ears clean and keep them in a clean dry (if they get soaked they become utterly unusable) place when not in use then it does extend the lifespan of each individual earplug significantly, but the foam will deteriorate over time losing noise protection and they will get grimy. To keep your ears safe and healthy you'll have to use new ones regularly. Though these things are true for any foam plug. The other issue is that, despite being the most comfortable earplugs I've ever used, they can still cause some discomfort. This is especially true for the Xtreme Protection line just because of how large the plugs are. I'm personally quite used to the size, and I have a pretty large ear canal to begin with (probably partially just because I've been using earplugs for so long, but that's just speculation). To someone who isn't used to these they may cause discomfort that may turn to mild pain with extended use. If you're concerned about this, I recommend getting a smaller box to try them out, or if you don't need to have a particularly high noise reduction try one of their smaller size plugs. The brown/tan foam plugs (I forget the name but just search for Hearos) are a bit smaller so they will be significantly more comfortable, they have slightly lower noise reduction because of it, but they still make things significantly quieter. As a note for shooters I rate the Hearos on the whole as excellent, especially the Xtreme Protection line. When inserted properly they will keep you hearing safe in virtually any situation you might find yourself in. Though personally I do recommend also using over ear protection in tandem with the earplugs if possible, after a while with just the earplugs or just overear in indoor ranges I find that I still will get headaches from the noise while I don't have that issue if I use both. Most earplugs marketed towards shooters are cheap and especially uncomfortable, meanwhile they don't really offer significantly more noise reduction than these Hearos (most offer less). If you're looking for a recommendation on overear protection as a pairing in this review, pretty much any noise rated pair will do if you have underear, but a cheap and fair option that I would recommend is the Radians X-Caliber Youths if you can track them down. It's a comfortable budget option that fits pretty much everyone (both kids and adults, yes even if you're a huge dude) and seems to have better noise reduction than anything else I've seen in it's price-range. At time of writing Cabellas has them available for a touch over $20. Included is a picture of a couple of these earplugs (the blue ones) featured next to a penny and a quarter for scale. I also included a couple of Radian's Resistors (32 NPR) (the orange ones) to show that the Hearos are a bit beefier. That said, the Hearos are also about three times softer by feel, so I still find them significantly more comfortable personally. tl;dr They're excellent. Buy a smaller pack first if you haven't tried them before, and I recommend picking up the brown/tan Hearos ones too just so you have an idea of the feel/noise difference. They will all work for what you need them for and you'll learn from the investment.

I rely on these to sleep, and they are wonderful. I have big dogs, and while they take their job as night watch seriously there is a certain amount of random noise from their movements and snoring. I know that if they BARK I will hear them through these ear plugs, but random small noises are completely blocked out and I sleep easily. I have also used them when traveling on airplanes and at concerts. On a plane they mitigate the whine and random noise around me. At concerts they soften the harsh tones but let plenty through. Excellent product.

The best earplugs I have find. If you have a snorer, these really help with that background noise. I’ve tried many brands, this one is by far the best.

They do thier job and last a relatively long time recommend buying.

I use them for sleep because I have a bulldog whose snoring sounds like a chainsaw that needs to be oiled. These ear plugs block out all that noise. They are most comfortable the first couple of nights, but they tend to harden up a bit and become uncomfortable. It’s a good thing they’re so cheap!

I buy nothing but these! They work perfectly and rarely fall out. The trick to putting these in correctly: squeeze them in a cone tight way with one hand. With the other hand, pull the top of the ear slightly up and back. This opens the ear canal better. Then with your hand still tightly holding the plug, ease it in by aiming slightly down and straight. When you have inserted it, the plug should open up and block the canal. This should feel comfortable. The fit is universal. Sometimes if the plug isn't quite inserted all the way, it will kinda puff up and barely stay put. Try again. The plug will last me normally 2-3 uses, sometimes more. If its too deep, use tweezers to pull out. If it hurts, take it out immediately.

A little history first. I’ve been wearing earplugs for over 15 years now. This product was THE BEST (no kidding) I’ve tried out of some 30 brands of earplugs. They’re very soft to touch yet sturdy enough to fill your entire ear canal after expansion, with excellent noise absorbing ability. That is, if its quality stay consistent. Back in a few years ago Hearos decided to change the material of Xtreme Protection, which made the product completely worthless. Soft, feeble, little noise block. Lots of people were disappointed, so was I as I was stucked ordering 15 boxes of 100 pairs of the “New improved design”. Felt really guilty (pollution wise, not $) to just throw them all away unused, but you get the idea how atrocious they were. Needless to say, senses came to them (perhaps its feedback, perhaps its sales figure) and they revert the product back to old style & material on 2016. Moon was full once again. Recently, I ordered my latest box on November, 2018 and got a chance to use them last night. As soon as I grab them on hand, things were DIFFERENT. These earplugs looks identical, but are extremely flimsy as soon as you apply pressure. In contrast with the normal one, these earplugs felt they’re almost hollow inside. As expected, they’re too soft to expand properly and apply enough pressure to seal your ear canal. Noise passes freely through them and I gave up at 6am in the morning, waking up in search of my backup earplugs (another brand). As for reference, all of the earplugs are sold by Hearos themselves and they came with identical boxes. Only thing different was the latest box came with a ziplock bag and a sample pair of “Dazzlears” ear plug. Now, I hardly write any reviews on Amazon, but I’m so dissatisfied that I had to. Just how hard it is to stick to your product formula and quality control on your product? Did you Hearos, even tested or examined them before popping them out from factory? I’m just an ordinary consumer, but even I can tell the difference immediately when squeezing them, by nothing but hand. For now, I’m beaten enough to avoid these. Perhaps in the future I’ll give them another shot, but if that disappoint as well, it’s a goodbye Hearos for me. Please don’t make that happen.

Comfortable and effective. Be sure to buy direct from Hearos. Beware the BEST PRICES seller. The picture showed Hearos Xtreme ear plugs, which I have ordered six times in the past several years. The first five orders were fulfilled by Hearos and the ear plugs were great – 5 stars! In the sixth order, fulfilled by BEST PRICES, I received a substitute brand called Veook. The Hearos were a solid blue color. The Veook plugs are mottled light and dark blue and do not expand into and stay in my rather large ear canal. The Hearos were about 0.55 inches (14 mm) diameter, the Veooks were smaller at 0.5 inches (12.7 mm) diameter, and yellow 3M are still smaller at 0.46 inches (11.7 mm) diameter. The Hearos can be used several times (which I understand is probably not hygienic), until they will no longer compress and expand reliably. Five stars for actual Hearos Xtreme ear plugs. Zero stars for the BEST PRICES seller, upon whom I wish a pox and the virus.