You Should Be Wearing Earplugs to Concerts, According to an Expert

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Concerts, tours, and festivals can be some of the most memorable events. There's nothing quite like seeing your favorite artist on stage, and it's easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of live music once you step into the venue. But it's important to remember that while you bop around to the bass, your hearing need to be protected from long term damage. Concert earplugs are made to reduce the volume of loud noises and music while preserving sound clarity and quality.

The Best Concert Earplugs

• Best Overall: Loop Experience Concert Earplugs

• Best Budget: Vibes High-Fidelity Earplugs

• Best Disposable: 3M Safety Disposable Earplugs

• Best Custom Molded: Decibullz Custom Molded Earplugs

• Best for Kids: Alpine Hearing Protection Kids' Earplugs

What to Consider

Noise Reduction Rating

The Noise Reduction Rating, or NRR, measures the effectiveness of a hearing protection device. It describes the average
sound level reduction (attenuation), and most products have this number listed in decibels. Concert earplugs can block anywhere from 10 to 35 dB of noise. Depending on the type of show you're attending, and the level of noise that you want filtered, take a look at the earplugs NRR number. The higher the rating, the more your hearing will be protected. Most of our selections on this list are in the 18-32 decibel range.

Sound Quality

Look for concert earplugs that are designed to maintain the clarity of your favorite music while reducing the overall volume. More specifically, shop for pairs that are high-fidelity, like our best overall pick from Loop. These earplugs use a combination of an acoustic channel, a filter, and a membrane to prevent the distortion of sound. High-fidelity earplugs will allow you to enjoy tunes without feeling like the noise is muffled.

Type

Most people are familiar with foam earplugs, since they can be used to block other loud noises like construction work, the roaring of a plane engine, or your spouse's snoring. A great option if you're in a pinch, but they don't offer different levels of attenuation, and can be uncomfortable and stiff.

Silicone earplugs are reusable, affordable, and usually have the high-fidelity filters we mentioned above. They can also come with interchangeable heads, so you can find a more comfortable fit for your ear canal.

Custom molded earplugs are tailored to your specific ear shape, and are commonly used amongst musicians. They will be more expensive, but they are the most customizable.

We suggest finding earplugs that evenly reduce noise levels across frequencies, so that you can hear conversations while enjoying your favorite tunes at a less harmful volume.

Comfort

The best concert earplugs will be the ones that are the most comfortable for you to wear for extended periods of time, especially if you're a regular at multi-day music festivals. Look for earplugs that are made with soft, moldable materials that fit snugly into your ear without causing pain.

Some are designed to be inserted deep into your ear canal, while others sit more shallowly around the outer edge, so find a pair that feels secure even while you're headbanging.

How We Selected

We spoke with an expert to gain a better understanding of the importance of protecting your hearing, how extended exposure to loud noises can affect your hearing, and what concert earplugs can do to prevent future damage. We evaluated each product based on its noise-reduction abilities, design, comfort, and price, selecting earplugs that are comfortable, convenient, and cost-effective. We spoke with editors and included several options that we have hands-on experience with, and for the styles we haven't gotten a chance to test, we scoured user reviews and researched top contenders based on the same criteria listed above. We've settled on the following list of the best concert ear plugs to keep you jamming all night long.

For more great ways to drown out the din, check out our picks for the best hearing protection options for home and DIY projects, the best noise-canceling headphones, and the best bone conduction headphones.

Experience Concert Earplugs

Loop Earplugs are a favorite among concert-goers and our staff, thanks to their comfortable, stylish, and high-fidelity design. The earplugs have an NRR of 18 decibels, so you'll get moderate noise reduction without blocking out the sound of conversations nearby.

Four ear tip sizes come included, as well as a convenient carrying case that you can store in your pocket or hydration pack. The earplugs come in a variety of colors, which is a nice touch considering they're still very visible when you're wearing them.

Senior Service Editor, Melanie Yates, likes that these earplugs sit closer to the outer ear rather than deeper inside your ear canal.

"I like that these earplugs feel just like wearing regular earbuds — they don’t burrow deeply into my ears or create uncomfortable suction. While they may not be able to cancel out the loudest bass, they do take the edge off noisy concert environments, so you can enjoy the music and still hear your friends next to you."

Disposable Earplugs

For those who don’t go to concerts frequently, the 3M Disposable Earplugs are an inexpensive and quick-fix method for dulling louder noises. They are capable of blocking out up to 32 decibels of sound, and they’re made from a soft foam that expands in your ear, conforming to the shape of your ear canal for a tight seal.

Note that since these are foam, they don't offer any kind of noise filtration system, so music will likely sound muffled and lose its quality. But they're an affordable and convenient back-up, and you can just toss the pair once you leave the event.

Custom Molded Earplugs

If you’ve found that most earplugs are uncomfortable to wear because they're limited in size and customization, then you may want to try the Decibullz Custom Molded Earplugs. They are made from thermoplastic, so you can warm up the molds in boiling water and once they have cooled down enough, you can shape them to fit your ear exactly.

The earplugs reduce noise levels by 31 decibels, and they are reusable. Some reviewers mention that the molding process can be a bit tricky, but you get endless tries since the thermoplastic can be melted more than once.

Kids' Concert Earplugs

You can protect your children’s hearing at concerts with these Alpine Pluggies earplugs. They're made for children between the ages of 5 and 12, but they can also be used by adults with smaller ear canals. They have a noise-reduction rating of 25 decibels, and the earplugs are made from the brand’s signature hypoallergenic material.

In addition to being useful in noisy environments, these earplugs can also be an ideal option for swimming, since they're waterproof.

High-Fidelity Earplugs

I love that Vibes High-Fidelity earplugs are designed to be extremely discreet—so much so that most people won’t even realize you’re wearing them, thanks to the transparent outer tube.

The earplugs are structured with an acoustic sound chamber, which enhances music clarity, an acoustic filter for preserving high-fidelity sounds, and silicone tips for a more comfortable wear. The case is small and compact, but is still big enough to fit another set or two of silicone earpieces, in case you need to adjust.

The earplugs do a pretty decent job of dulling sounds without muffling conversations, and they have an NRR of 21 decibels. I've worn them to several raves, and found that I was still able to hear everything around me, just at a more tolerable volume. I didn't feel like I had to constantly remove the earplugs to get the same concert and social experience.

The main downside she found is that the sound tube is fairly small, which can sometimes make these earplugs harder to remove.

Earplugs for Concerts

Eargasm earplugs are popular with the musician crowd, and for good reason. They're reusable, discreet, and made with soft silicone so you can wear them for hours on end.

The three-flange style of these earplugs is intended to create a secure pressure seal to keep them intact (which can feel a little odd the first few times you wear). They filter up to 21 decibels of noise, and the pack comes with two different sizes so you can find the best fit. The storage case is made with aluminum, so it's very durable and can handle some dings.

The earplugs are a reliable choice for our Commerce Photo Editor, Dustin Fenstermacher. "I've played many a DIY show, attended incredibly bass heavy dance parties, zoned out at ambient sound installations, and attended concerts ranging from soft spoken to abrasive noise rock," he says. "Unlike the ubiquitous orange earplugs, Eargasm protects from hearing loss without sacrificing the high and low ends of sound. It doesn't feel like they're listening to music underwater in the deep end of a pool."

Concert Ear Plugs

The earplugs from EarPeace come with three different high-fidelity filter sets, from 17 to 26 decibels of noise reduction, which can come in handy depending on the environment that you're in. Maybe the "max" filter is suitable for all your favorite concerts, but blocks out too much sound when you're in a smaller group setting.

They're made with reusable silicone, and come in a dual-chamber carrying case so you can access the earplugs from either end of the storage container.

The structure is similar to Eargasm, so you'll get a secure suction-type seal when wearing, and there is a small pull tab for easy removal.

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