In early spring of this year I met Mark Hood from ‘Big Ear’ who happened to be one of my dining partners at the Hogs on High Seas cruise. Mark, who is also an avid motorcyclist, was one of the vendors on the cruise ship where he was set up and preparing custom ear plugs specifically for the motorcycle industry. Prior to meeting Mark, I had been using the inexpensive throw away foam plugs that you can purchase almost anywhere, mostly because I was uneducated when it came to hearing loss. I just assumed any hearing loss I had was due to the loud rock and roll music that my parents always told me to turn down, and that the damage was already done. Needless to say I became intrigued as Mark explained the benefits of his products as I watched him prepare Big Ear custom plugs for his next client.

The process is easy, you simply choose your desired colour of hypoallergenic silicone and wait as the product is then automatically mixed in a nozzle. The process is sterile ensuring no foreign particles enter the compound. The nozzle is then placed in your ear as shown, and the silicone is injected, forming to the shape of your ear. In approximately two minutes the silicone is cured and then removed from your ear, inspected and any rough edges are removed. You are basically in and out of the chair in five to ten minutes and ready to ride once again, only this time with your ears protected from noise.

The earplugs are not meant to block out all sound, but to give protection from loud environments while still allowing a person to communicate with others. While I was waiting for my plugs to cure a woman was speaking to me and I was impressed that I could actually hear her clearly, but everything was more muffled and loud noises were mostly eliminated. There are various other Big Ear products available for motorcyclists, musicians and sports enthusiasts. Available for avid iPod users is a custom ear bud adapter set for a more comfortable fit.

To find out more about Big Ear and their full product line, warranty, pricing and events you can find them at, check out their website www.bigearinc.com. Price is around $85.00.