The hot water sloshes down my ear canal like an aural Neti Pot. The wet globs feel like Silly Putty stuck in my ears. It's weird. But somebody had to test these Decibullz, and if what the company says is true, then this is the last time putting them in my ear will be anything but supremely comfortable.
For now, I need to find some Q-tips.
Decibullz makes a series of products in wireless headphones and earplugs for high-fidelity sound and for percussive noise. But the brand's signature is this strange and marvelous customization process.
Decibullz Decibullz Custom Molded Earplugs
Out of the box, these products all seem similar. The plug starts as a hard disc of plastic that looks like a cubist kidney bean. I never really think about what the inside of my ear looks like, but I can’t help but wonder how this is going to fit in whatever is in there.
The fitting process is not dissimilar to that of an elementary school basketball mouthguard. Get some water boiling, take it off the heat, and drop in one of the plugs (not two, they’ll stick together). Five minutes later, take it out. Don't jump the gun here and rush into the form-fitting process. Remember, that was boiling water, so let it cool off for 30 seconds or so.
When it’s time, I pick up the piece and turn it over in my fingers, leaving a fingerprint in the rubber. Then I begin pushing it into my ear—not the canal, but the opening around it, the “concha” as I learn. I still remember the feeling of biting down on a mouthguard, the squeak between my teeth, and I won’t forget this feeling either. It’s warm, which is nice, but it briefly feels of hey, nothing should be in here! All the same, I gently push on the warm plug, smoothing it out across the opening of my ear until it seals all around it. Not so bad.
Decibullz Decibullz - Custom Molded Percussive Filters, Custom Molded Hearing Protection
Decibullz Decibullz - Custom Molded Percussive Filters, Custom Molded Hearing Protection
As soon as I repeat the process in my other ear, I know the first isn’t right. It jiggles around, resting at a weird angle. I hadn’t pressed the tube that gives the plug structure into the moldable rubber well enough. The good news is, you can reform the plug if it doesn’t fit well. And unlike refreezing ice cream, this actually works. I put it in the water again, and work it into the ear the right way. The tight way.
The benefits of the Decibullz are twofold. Since it seals all the way around your ear, it blocks sound before the ear canal. It does what you’d want any earplug to do, but better. And because it is formed to your specific ear, it fits, and fits well. Unlike normal earbuds that make my ears ache after a few hours, or foam earplugs that always sneak out, these are locked in comfortably. Whether you’re listening to music in the gym, running down the street, head banging, playing the drums during “Wipeout,” or just riding the subway, you’re going to hear less of the things you don’t want to hear.
The only downside? When you take out the earbuds to look at them, you're seeing what the inside of your ear looks like. ~Shudders~.
Still, Decibullz set out to create a custom-fit, comfortable set of in-ear earplugs, and they succeeded greatly. Which set you need depends upon your use case. High-fidelity is great for listening to, or making, live music. You’re not going to go deaf, but the sound will be dampened across the frequency range, rather than just cutting out all your treble. Cheers to that. The percussive plugs are great for shooting sports, explosions, and sharp, loud noise. The louder a percussive sound is, the more the filter blocks it, but you’ll be able to chat normally otherwise.
Whichever you pick, it's a plug you’ll actually use—because you won’t notice that you are.
James Lynch is Popular Mechanic’s Field Editor looking for stories across the U.S. about those building a better America. He’s passionate about the Erie Canal and the Apollo Space Program.
