Over the years, I've become much more sensitive to noise than I used to be. 

I live with an incurable inner ear condition called Meniere's disease, and as a result, loud environments can overwhelm me in an instant. It makes it hard to focus, and if it's loud enough, I start to experience it as pain and discomfort.

Luckily, I still have my hearing, at least for now. Progressive hearing loss is a symptom of Meniere's disease and very thing I dread the most. 

But we also live in an age where more people are experiencing hearing loss than ever before, and we're finally forced to confront the fact that it's a thousand times easier to prevent hearing loss than to treat it once it occurs.

Titanium Earplugs:

Given my circumstances, it's safe to say that I rely on earplugs more than the average person. At this point, I consider myself somewhat of an expert.

I carry high-fidelity (musicians) earplugs with me everywhere I go, and I've tried almost every kind of earplug available today.

It’s important for everyone to protect their ears from noise-induced hearing loss. But when you live with a condition that affects your ears, your hearing is already at risk, and you have to protect it at all costs.

Which brings me to my latest discovery: ISOLATE Earplugs.

Isolate first caught my attention when they launched a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign last June with the slogan: “Switch off your ears.” They claimed the earplugs block out the noise (as opposed to foam earplugs which absorb it) while transmitting sound at a much lower volume via bone conduction.

I was sold, and I decided to back the project.

Fast forward a few months and my new earplugs arrived in the mail. 

The packaging was top notch, and I was immediately blown away by the quality. I chose the set made from aluminum, but they offer titanium as well (with additional noise reduction and higher price point).

After using these earplugs for a while, I can safely say that they are the best pair of earplugs I’ve ever tried. 

They block out more noise than any foam or silicone plug and are comfortable to wear for long periods of time. They’re also very low profile in my ears, rendering them nearly invisible to the people around me.

The only downside is that the foam tips need to be replaced every so often, which adds to the cost of an already expensive set of earplugs.

Isolate Earplugs aren't the answer for every situation, but if you're looking for silence, look no further!

Links:

ISOLATE Earplugs – Aluminum

ISOLATE PRO Earplugs – Titanium

Replacement Foam Tips

Flare Audio - The Makers of Isolate