How to Protect Your Ears at a Music Festival

You’ve probably dealt with ringing ears before, finding that it goes away after a day. While this works for the occasional concert-goer, regulars on the music festival circuit should consider protection for their ears. The repeated onslaught of decibels can wreak havoc on your head, so grab one of these earplugs to prevent tinnitus and deafness in old age.

You can’t just pick up any old earplug, though. The ones you find in a pharmacy, like 3M’s E-A-R Classic aren’t made for sound, so they don’t form a tight seal or an even drop in frequencies, resulting in a muffled sound. Acoustic earplugs are designed to reduce the entire frequency spectrum as evenly as possible, so what you hear is the same as what’s coming out of the speakers, just at a lower volume. Some even say earplugs increase fidelity due to all the low-level noise getting blocked out, allowing just the music to pass through.

Mack’s offers disposable acoustic foam for a cheap price, convenient if you tend to lose small objects. Paying 20 bucks for a pair can be a drag if you accidently drop one of them, though some pairs have a cord connecting them so they’re harder to lose. Etymotics offers such a pair, but the company is targeting the audiophile and musician market with the expensive, $300-plus earplugs. These are designed for performers who need the best sound quality to know how they sound to the audience.

For something in your price range, check out the company’s cheaper ETY-plugs. Many rival companies are popping up to target consumers with more stylish plugs and partnerships with festivals like Electric Daisy Carnival. Notable brands include Dubs, Earlove and Downbeats.