Are all ear plugs created equal?

Something I've used, not in international travel yet, but on scout camping trips when kids are up all hours of the night, is actually an app on my iTouch. It's called Brainwave, and it's like a white noise machine. I've used it on the camping trips, and it really helps with blocking out background noise and getting me to sleep. Last year, some adults were up talking half the night, a lot of the parents in our group were complaining. I didn't hear a peep.

This might be bit off topic, but I can't stand sticking anything in my ear. I can't use ear buds etc. What I use is over the ear noise canceling ear phones with either white noise or soft music. And don't forget eyeshades too. Many places have horrible window curtains.

I live in a block of flats with thin walls and have tried every ear plug available from super cheap ones to stupidly expensive silicone ones that fitted into the outer ear. I personally find the very cheap foams one the best. They block out everything except really loud noises. I do trim them down a little so they don't stick out so far from my head.

No, they are not equal. Having spent years in the shooting sports I have encountered a variety of ear plugs. Generally, I look for foam plugs that expand slowly after they are compressed. These will seal the best give the most sound isolation. The ones that expand rapidly are the cheap kind and will not seal nearly as well. Lately I have come to like the variety that look like wax blobs. They are very pliable and not meant to go 'in' the ear, just pressed on over the ear canal. There are also foam plugs with metal inserts so that some sounds can still be heard but really loud sounds are attenuated. Probably not what you want for sleeping but very good for working around sudden loud sounds.

Earplugs are marketed with a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR), with higher numbers being better. I have used a number of different foam earplugs in the 29 - 32 NRR range, all worked well for me. They are nearly worthless if improperly installed. You do not just stick them in your ears. Roll one up to a small diameter and place it well into the ear canal. Pulling up on the ear helps most people the plug. Hold the plug in place until it expands to fit. When installed, my earplugs are not visible from the front. See the properly installed yellow earplug at this Wiki link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earplug Practice installing and wearing them before your trip.

I'm sensitive to noise too so I use foam earplugs (I'm not home right now so I can't check the brand). They block out most noises. Also bring a sleep mask as someone else suggested, in case there's a lot of light.

My husband uses Macks Earplugs.

For sleeping, the most important thing is getting ear plugs you can sleep with, so you should experiment at home. I'd start with the inexpensive compressible foam kind you can get at Walgreens/Rite-Aid. Anything that extends too far out of your ears will probably bother you at night.

I fancy myself as somewhat of a connoisseur of ear plugs (ugh) because somebody around here snores like a fiend... My favorite is the Flent's 'Quiet! Please' style. They're wider and stay in my ear canal, whereas the others (usually colored foam - 'Quiet Time', etc.) are too thin to stay in, and/or noise can pass by them. http://www.drugstore.com/flents-quiet-please--foam-ear-plugs/qxp39878 You can buy them by the bucket...50 pair at a time...OR, just buy 6-25 pair at Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Rite-Aid, etc. - whatever store you've got. And pay attention to Chip's post about the proper way to insert them.

Big Boy snores??? ;-)

I use Flents Quiet Time soft foam earplugs from Walgreens. They're new so they work really well; I'm a light sleeper but recently while wearing them I slept through 2 thunderstorms that woke up my sister and other heavy sleepers.

Sorry if anyone thinks this is pretentious, but I use custom made silicone plugs that were created for me by someone injecting the resin into my ear canal. They're expensive to buy, but they last a very long time and they are very, very effective. I don't know if they're available in the US, but I got mine made by a UK shotgun manufacturer so it might be worth enquiring in gun shops.

When you practice putting them in (as referenced above) it also may help to drop your jaw open as well. Definitely practice with them at home first!

The foam earplugs can be had quite cheaply. If you ask a flight attendent, they will give you some. To use them properly, roll them up between your fingers until they look like a thick piece of yarn. Put them in your ear canal and let them expand. They work pretty well. When you put them in correctly, they are much less likely to fall out while sleeping than if you just try to stuff them in. The other ear plugs I've used were crudely refered to as monkey "parts" in the Air Force. They come in sizes (rather than one size fits all like the foam). They do the job also and I think a little more comfortably, but are also more prone to fall out when sleeping. I'll use something for flying but only use them for sleeping if it's noticably noisy. Like Ed, I don't really like having them in my ears. Alas, another father's day (and birthday) gone by and my best hints for noise reduction earphones went unheeded. :)

My wife and I have tried a number of earplugs. My wife's ears are shaped in such a way that typical foam earplugs do not stay put and gradually work their way out of her ears. Fortunately, a number of years ago we stumbled upon the "World's Finest Earplugs." Hyperbole aside, the moldable earplugs at http://earplugsonline.com/ are really very good and affordable. They are the only earplugs other than very expensive custom earplugs that stay put in my wife's ears. They are comfortable and block out all unwanted noise. We put them to the test on our first trip after purchasing them. Our little Amsterdam hotel was next door to a very loud celebration that lasted into the wee hours of the morning. Since it was the first night in town after being awake over 24 hours straight (we travel from the west coast of the U.S....) we desperately needed a night of uninterrupted sleep. The World's Finest Earplugs did the trick while being virtually unnoticeable while being worn. We wouldn't have gotten to sleep before 3am if it hadn't been for the earplugs! We now consider the earplugs to be an essential part of our travel kit.

I'm an incredibly light sleeper. If there's ANY noise, it'll wake me. If there's ANY noise going, my body simply will not go to sleep, period - if the room is not utterly silent, I won't sleep. I'm just built that way. So I have lots of experience with earplugs. I don't go anywhere without them (when I travel, I take dozens; have spares at my office, in the car, etc.). The foam ones work pretty well, but not all are equal. They should have a DB rating. Don't bother with any with a rating below 30. The best ones I've found are Orthomed "Earplugs in a jar", rated at 33 DB (the highest rating I've found). They're blue foam. Follow the advice above about how to them. I find they work best when I roll them into a very tight, string-like shape between thumb and index finger; using your other hand, reach over the top of your head and gently pull up on the top of the ear your are about to the plug into; tilt your head slightly towards the opposite side; quickly but gently the tightly-compressed foam plug into your ear while continuing to twist/roll it; make sure it goes in as far as possible (before it starts expanding) but leave just BARELY enough sticking out so that you will be able to grasp the end and remove it. Keeping your head tilted and the ear pulled up, hold the plug in place as it expands, until it has expanded completely (about 5-10 seconds). Repeat for the other ear. Gets easier with practice. The only sounds that you will hear at that point is your blood moving through your circulatory system. If the sound of your pulse keeps you awake (as it sometimes does me), adjust your position. Also bring along an eye mask to help shut out the light. Hope that helps.

David: Your post is really helpful, thanks. Ed wrote... "What I use is over the ear noise canceling ear phones with either white noise or soft music." You're lucky you can sleep with headphones on! I sure couldn't.

Susan wrote, "Ed wrote... "What I use is over the ear noise canceling ear phones with either white noise or soft music." You're lucky you can sleep with headphones on! I sure couldn't." Well.... I can't sleep with earplugs in my ears. To each his/her own. Actually once I fall asleep tossing and turning often results in them get pulled out of position. Sometimes that results in me getting woken up by other noise. Mostly they are used to help me fall asleep as opposed to helping me stay asleep.

I support Joe and JustTravel: Macks work the best for me. I believe that these are silicon and it feel like you are playing with soft paraffin. I usually take one plug and break it into two pieces and each piece into the ear to cover the canal. The standard practice is to use one plug per ear. I get these are at chain drug store for about $6 for 12 plugs. Each plug lasts about one week before I toss it.

Another vote for Macks silicone ear plugs. I use them at home and for travel. It is the only kind that works for me--the foam just aren't effective.

It is worth considering a travel white noise generator. There are a number of makers of these-here is an example:
http://www.sharperimage.com/si/view/product/Travel+Sound+Machine/100908?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=NonBranded&Keyword=travel%20white%20noise%20machine&cm_mmc=CPC-_-Google-_-NonBranded-_-travel%20white%20noise%20machine&gclid=CIrm57KwsaoCFYrJKgodGlad-A (sorry for the hideously long URLyou can also just google "sleep machine travel" These typically have a number of sounds to choose from, but I normally go with "white noise" which is a bit like the noise TVs used to make when you were tuned into an empty channel. These do a great job of masking outside noise. Of course, you'd need to be sure to get the right power adapters, etc.

If one is bringing along a netbook or some other similar device with speakers, it can also be used as a white noise machine: http://www.simplynoise.com/ One less thing to lug around:)

note to Michael I can't believe I never thought of using my laptop as a white noise generator! As you mentioned, one less thing for me to carry next time since I always have my laptop with me anyway!!