Gear Review: Surefire EP-3 Sonic Defender Ear Plugs

By: Steven Peltier

Pardon...uh...excuse me...err...em...come again? Sound familiar? Sound cloudy and vague? Are your ears ringing, burning, or bleeding? Can you hear anything? Anything at all? Hello? Are we all just dust in the w-i-nd? Sometimes I ask myself these very questions after conducting each rumbling, spitting, and violently thunderous concerto with my Duc and its cored carbon fiber cans. I guess the real question is - is the journey gonna leave me deaf? Or worse? Will I end up just slightly off kilter like all of those cranky people in the grocery store check out line? Hell no! I will not succumb! But oh do I despise ear plugs...especially those expanding foam slugs that make you feel like you've plugged your head with a marshmallow and then submerged yourself underwater. If you ask me, this is another instance where we are all just victims of extremes. If you go without ear protection, you subject yourself to the continuous roar of buffeting air. If you sufficiently plug up your ears, you get to experience riding from the perspective of your imaginary friend, hovering outside of the actual event, wishing your were part of the experience...only to be jolted awake by that stealth mini-van that crept into your blind spot to remind you that everyone is out to kill you. Could there be a middle ground? I said, could there be a middle ground? Well maybe...there is a little known product from those amazing flashlight guys at Surefire - the EP-3 Sonic Defenders.

	If you've ever owned a Surefire flashlight, you're surely already aware of the passion these folks have with engineering a fine product. With a collection of 7 Surefire flashlights, I should be given shares in the company. More to the point, I really like their stuff. So, dropping $10 on a set of earplugs was nothing more than tax on top of a box of 123 lithiums (batteries). The sonic defenders are molded ear plugs that feature a "Hocks Noise Break Filter" to block harmful noises above 80dB, while letting everything else pass. From the Surefire web page, "Sonic Defenders" protect your hearing - without interfering with your ability to hear routine sounds and conversation. Safe sound levels are allowed to pass through, while potentially harmful noises (above 80dB) are reduced." In true SMR fashion, let me try on a pair and share my impressions.
	First, here's just a simple look at the product in its round plastic case. As you can see I purchased the medium sized plugs. I'll get into the logic of that in a bit.
	A close-up of the plugs themselves. As you can see they come as a mirrored set, red for your right ear, clear for your left ear. The material is a "soft hypoallergenic medical grade polymer," again quoting the manufacturer. Don't be fooled by the image. These plugs are soft. The entire plug has a soft silicone feel, kinda like a Gummi Bear.
	One of the nice features of the Sonic Defender is that it has two operating modes. The normal, "unplugged" mode features an open channel through the center of the plug. This is huge from a comfort perspective, as it allows your ears to equilibrate when wearing the plugs (one of my biggest gripes about foam plugs). If you require more sound protection, you can simply close the hole with the attached stopper. If you do this, you will immediately notice a slight vacuum and a significant reduction in the allowable noise.
	As you probably have picked up on, these plugs are quite small. The outer ring is designed to secure the plug within the inner folds of your outer ear, while the baffled shaft of course slips directly into your external auditory canal. As a medium build person, I chose medium. I would imagine this rule of thumb working for most people, but adjust accordingly if you are lobe challenged.
	Just a view with the stoppers in place. It's a pretty ingenious design - for a $10 earplug.
	When you actually put these in your ears, you will immediately notice a couple things. They really sit securely within the ear with no protruding bits. This is perfect for wearing them under your helmet. How many times have you put on ear plugs only to have them loosen when you put your helmet on?
	The rating card from the manufacturer. This may shock some of you who are used to foam plugs with a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of 30+. The rated 9dB NRR here is for stoppers out - expect about 16 dB for stoppers in. While the NRR provides a reasonable approximation of the usefulness of the plugs, I will defer to the tech sheet supplied by Surefire to explain how the Hocks Noise Break is intended to function.

On the road, I have to say I was pretty impressed with the Sonic Defenders. I've worn them now for a few rides, with one trip extending over 150 miles. On that trip I switched between stoppers in and stoppers out. My first practical impression is that these plugs are REALLY comfortable. in particular, the central shaft that extends into the ear canal is really soft and almost unnoticeable. You surely don't feel the pressure normally experienced when wearing the expanding foam plugs. Having the stoppers out, also helps in this regard. My ears were able to equilibrate naturally. With the stoppers in, this is obviously less effective, but the plugs are comfortable nonetheless. After about 2 hours wearing the plugs, I did start to feel some pressure exerted by the outer ring on the folds in my outer ear, but this was minor and surely not painful. I could easily wear these plugs all day. From a noise reduction standpoint, these plugs perform as advertised. They surely knock down the roar of buffeting wind I normally experience, but they let enough sound pass to retain the feeling of being "connected" to the ride. I can also carry on a conversation with them in place. This is even true with the stoppers closed. That being the case, I'm sure some of you may prefer even more noise protection for a truly quiet experience. For your $10, I'd recommend you buy the 50 pair canister of foam plugs with a 33dB NRR. My endorsement of the Sonic Defenders stands squarely with the fact that they provide me a comfortable, intermediate solution. I also think it's cool that they are made by the folks that equip our special forces. I'm almost fully geared up for my second career as a vigilante crime fighter...

Published: Jul 10, 2007

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