do you wear earplugs when you jump?

[heidihagen 0]

how much damage can the ride to altitde do to our ears? what about on the way down?
i wore them in the tunnel, but i spent more time in there... i'm curious how many wear plugs when they jump.
would earplugs be dangerous in any way since our ears pop? do helmets provide hearing protection? and if so, is that purpose frap hats???

i didn't lose my mind, i sold it on ebay. .:need a container to fit 5'4", 110 lb. cypres ready & able to fit a 170 main (or slightly smaller):.[/ce

[wmw999 2,534]

I wear earplugs pretty much from when the airplane taxis in to pick us up. I did enough damage to my hearing in my first jumping career, so I try to avoid it now.

Of course, I wear them when mowing the lawn and running similar equipment, too. I've never had a problem with ears popping or anything else from wearing earplugs in freefall.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[linestretch 0]

I generally only wear them when doing tandems, cuz I'm sitting closer to the front of the otter, and it's much louder. But, I should wear them always in the plane, and know it.

my pics & stuff!

[heidihagen 0]

my ears don't pop on the way up anymore, but they did on the first 10-+ jumps... the thought triggered that question though.
so is it just the ride to altitude that is likely to do the damage? not freefall? i love the way it sounds in ff... i guess that's a negative on the helmet q too. thanks

i didn't lose my mind, i sold it on ebay. .:need a container to fit 5'4", 110 lb. cypres ready & able to fit a 170 main (or slightly smaller):.[/ce

[pkasdorf 0]

In fact, very fortunately the pressure changes in freefall are not the range of those in scuba diving (30 foot waterdive is more than even usual HALO jumping). If they were, earplugs would be very harmful to hearing as they are when you dive because it interferes with the pressure equalization needed to prevent damage to the tympanus. Anyway, just in case, if I wore earplugs I would take them off just prior to jumping out of the plane.

HISPA # 18 POPS # 8757

[riggerrob 643]

Since I find engine noise very fatiguing, I wear ear plugs from boarding until landing.
In the summer, I un-tape one ear hole of my Pro-
Tec so I can remove one ear plug under canopy to better listen to my tandem students.

[BillyVance 34]

Ummm... never mind, this is too easy for me...

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[gerrcoin 0]

I wear attenuating earplug - that is ones that are designed to mostly reduce the decibel level of certain frequency ranges rather than just blocking all noise. They have a tiny hole which allows pressure equalisation across the plug which allows your ears to pop normally, almost as if you weren't wearing them. They are a little more expensive than disposable plugs but as you can wash and reuse them this make them worth it. They are very effective and the cool thing is that while they block out most of the engine noise it is still possible to talk to people (if they speak up a bit). As I am usually one of the last out this means that I usually sit up the front between (and in the plane of) the props, which can get uncomfortable after a bit.

I have also taken to wearing them in nightclubs because I find the decibel levels practically painfull, darn kids and their rock musak. Does that mean that I'm getting old?

Here is where I got mine, but I'm sure that there is a similar product in other countries.

[rwieder 0]

i'm not sure about how much physical damage can be done to the ear, ear canal from sky diving. i've never experienced a problem and have never worn ear plugs. i made my first 300+ jumps with out a helmet, and loved it. then i started doing jumps where i was not comfortable not wearing a helmet, one kick in the head on a 4-way is enough!

-Richard-
"You're Holding The Rope And I'm Taking The Fall"

[Zenister 0]

only if i know i'm going to be in the skyvan most of the day...

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[linestretch 0]

it's nothing about the popping....it's all about the ringing I hear the rest of night after spending all day next to the otters engines. I usually wear them the whole plane ride and freefall....then take them out under canopy. Though I've been bitch slapped by the risers a few times and that usually removes at least one of them.

my pics & stuff!

[Travman 6]

I noticed a few of the Tandem instructors wear them at my DZ, I guess when you are doing it as much as they are and for as long as they've been its probably not a bad idea.

[Kris 0]

Damage is cumulative. I like my hearing and want to keep it. I've started wearing them from pre-board to landing.

Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

[Beerlight 0]

The popping and/or "clicking" you feel on ascent has exactly "zero" to do with earplugs or eardrums....

That clicking sound is the eustachian tube "snapping" open, near the back of the throat.

It's entirely safe to wear earplugs (and adviseable) on ascent and during freefall.

Additionally, DO NOT valsalva on ascent, only only descent.

Ears clear automatically on ascent or anytime there is a reduction in atmospheric pressure.

Buck out.........

[tbrown 26]

Anyway, just in case, if I wore earplugs I would take them off just prior to jumping out of the plane.

[sundevil777 102]

I can concentrate better without so much noise in the plane and in freefall.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[bob.dino 1]

Additionally: it's significantly noisier up by the props where the TMs sit. Especially in the Skyvan.

[AndyMan 7]

I don't wear them in freefall, but I do sometimes wear them in the plane - depending on which plane it is.

Planes with wing-mounted engines can be quite loud, so I do wear them. This means Otters, Skyvans and Casas, King airs, etc.

I've been jumping a Caravan lately which is pretty quiet. I haven't been wearing them. I also didn't wear them the last time I jumped a PAC.

I take them out before freefall since I use audible altimeters.

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[billvon 3,070]

>I take them out before freefall since I use audible altimeters.

I use earplugs in freefall and have no problem hearing audibles. In some ways it makes it easier to hear them, since I'm not almost deaf by the time I get to alert altitude with all the noise.

[droidicus 0]

Quote

I use earplugs in freefall and have no problem hearing audibles. In some ways it makes it easier to hear them, since I'm not almost deaf by the time I get to alert altitude with all the noise.

What kind of earplugs do you use, the compressible foam roll-up plugs? I usually wear them in the plane and take them out before jumping since I find it hard to hear my audible as well.

Although if you have them in under canopy, and then open your mouth it makes a really cool whooshing/hissing kinda sound

~Droid

[Lindsey 0]

I could notice a change in my hearing after my first approx 100 jumps. So I always wear them now, and I try to force them on my buddies too...lol. The earplug Nazi! Now I need to get in a habit of wearing them on my bike.

Peace~
linz

--
A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

[wmw999 2,534]

I use compressible foam ones (both the soft green ones from the drugstore, and the orange ones on teh string), and don't have any trouble hearing the audible either.

The ones on the string are nice -- that way they're always attached to my jumpsuit, and I don't have to dig them out of hte fingers of my gloves.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[yarpos 4]

I didnt wear them for a 1000 jumps and know I am deaf to high frequecies > 8-9Khz.

I am reasonably sure of the cause and affect, but not 100%...your mileage may vary

steve

regards, Steve
the older I get...the better I was

[faulknerwn 38]

I must just have small ears - I forgot one time and was in utter agony the whole way down. It was worse than jumpiing with a cold. I wear them on the way up every time, but never on the way down..
W

[heidihagen 0]

Quote

Damage is cumulative. I like my hearing and want to keep it.

that's what it comes down to.. but i probably asked the question too early (2-3 jumps/wk).i probably will start wearing them after a while... i'm still the last to finish gearing up so i'll put first things first.
the foam ones don't work w/me. i used the rubber kind hunters use (wingnuts rec--thanks btw) because everything else kept popping out. i was really just curious how likely it is b/c i don't want to do damage. i did notice the front of the plane is louder last weekend-- thanks everyone.

i didn't lose my mind, i sold it on ebay. .:need a container to fit 5'4", 110 lb. cypres ready & able to fit a 170 main (or slightly smaller):.[/ce