Our Favorite Earplugs for Swimming In Any Water

Have you heard about the dreaded swimmer’s ear? It’s a painful infection in the ear canal, the area between your eardrum and the outside of your head. This condition is caused by water that remains in your ear after swimming and creates an environment conducive for bacterial growth.

The best earplugs for swimming – provided they fit – will reduce the chances of this dreaded scenario. You can also count on them to keep external noises at bay and thereby let you swim all those laps with all the quietness that the world doesn’t have to offer.

Having said that, not all ear-plugs on the market would offer these benefits. Apart from making sure that they provide a perfect fit to complement your ear size, there are many other features you need to pay attention to if you want to land the best ear plugs for swimming.

Best Earplugs for Swimming – Comparison Table

IMAGE	EARPLUGS	FEATURES
	Mack’s AquaBlock Ear-plugs	Material: Silicone Great for: Swimming, Surfing, and Showering Price: $	Check Price
	Speedo Ergo Ear-Plugs	Comes with: Reusable Case Great for: Professional Swimmers Price: $	Check Price
	Putty Buddies Original Swimming Ear-plugs	Material: Silicone Great For: Kids and Adults Price: $	Check Price
	SureFire EP4 Sonic Defenders Plus filtered Ear-plugs	Material: Medical-grade Polymer Comes with: Low Profile Design Price: $	Check Price
	Howard Leight by Honeywell Disposable Foam Ear-plugs	Material: High-Density Polyethelene Great For: Commercial/Residential Usage Price: $$	Check Price
	Every Cares Silicone Swimming Ear-plugs	Material: Medical Grade Silicone Great For: Swimming and Showering Price: $	Check Price
	Start Smart Soft Moldable Silicone Ear-Plugs	Material: High-grade Silicone Great For: Kids and Adults Price: $	Check Price
	3M 1100 Foam Ear-Plugs	Material: Polyurethane Offers: Noise Protection Price: $$	Check Price
	JBL Spearfishing Hydro Seal	Material: Advanced Multi-baffle Polymer Great For: Scuba Diving and Free Diving Price: $$	Check Price
	Medical Grade Doc’s Pro Ear-Plugs	Protection Against: Ear Infection Great For: Professionals Price: $$	Check Price

Finding the best swimming earplugs can be a very daunting task. To make it seamless for you, this buying guide lays out the criterion of selecting the best swimmers ear plugs.

Style of Earplugs

The best Swim ear plugs, regardless of the style they might be available in, are reasonably inexpensive products. That means that you shouldn’t be afraid to try all three of their commonly available styles to see which provides your ear with the perfect fit.

Flanged

Generally the most inexpensive of the three styles, flanged earplugs are also the most commonly available. They are a good starting point if you are still learning the ropes of swimming.

These earpieces have a canonical shape with multiple flanges on the outside to keep water at bay. It is for this very reason that these products can offer a universal fit.

Ergonomic

As their name implies, ergonomic earplugs rest more comfortably against your ear. Their design empowers these models to provide a snug fit on the inside of your ear, with their back side sitting flat against the outer ear.

Moldable

Moldable earplugs provide the best of both worlds. They have a silicone putty that you can press against your outer ear canal to achieve a custom-fitting, comfortable and watertight seal.

The biggest draw of these stoppers is that they don’t pick and choose between ear shapes. Whether you have long ear or short ones, you can expect any moldable ear plug to provide a perfect fit.

Material of Ear-plug

You should pay special attention when selecting the material of your ear-plugs. Some of them are made of materials whom you might be allergic to, and nothing ruins a perfect day in a freshly-chlorinated pool than ear-plugs which have drawn an allergic reaction from your ear.

Foam

The first picture which comes to your mind when you think of ear-plugs is most probably of those made with foam. Apart from being incredibly affordable, they are easy to mold, and perhaps more importantly, disposable.

Unfortunately, despite their advantages, foam earplugs also suffer from a few shortcomings. Their porous materials make them a weak shield in the face of bacteria attacks. As a result, you might have to replace them frequently.

Wax

In contrast to foam ear-plugs that need to go into your ear to create a seal against water, wax ear-plugs can seal your ear from the outside. For this reason, they’re more comfortable.

Silicone

Similar to wax stoppers, those made of silicone also seal the ear from the outside. Unlike them, however, you can use these stoppers as many times as you want, especially if their material of construction is hard silicone.

You might want to prefer soft silicone, though, if you prefer comfort over durability. One area where these products fall short is the noise-blocking department, as they can’t completely block out external sounds.

Reusable or Disposable

Reusable

As you might already know, reusable stoppers are going to save you money down the line. Most of them are made of silicone and can keep your ears well protected.

Furthermore, these products have multiple backups in case water bypasses their external layer. For this reason, you can count on them to resist water better than disposable stoppers.

Disposable

Disposable earplugs are the go-to choice of the majority. After all, what could go wrong with a product that comes cheap, does what it is supposed to do and you can throw it away anytime you want?

Unfortunately, corners are generally cut to keep the prices of these products within your budget. They aren’t as trustworthy as reusable stoppers when it comes to keeping water out.

Add-ons

Provided you can afford to pay a bit extra, you can get earplugs with the following add-ons:

1. Mack’s AquaBlock Earplugs

One of the best things about these earplugs is their pre-molded flange design. It helps them provide a more customized fit based on the shape of your ear canal.

At the same time, its universal fit means that this product would prevent swimmer’s ear. Secondly, as you can see by looking at their packing, these earplugs come in a package of two or three.

They are made of washable silicone and can be reused for months to come. Also, since a small part of the earplug always remains out of your ear, you won’t encounter any problems while removing it.

2. Speedo Ergo Ear-Plugs

In their quest for providing you the best fit, different earplugs experiment with different designs. Take the example of Speedo Ear-Plugs to understand this point.

These stoppers have a contoured design that is designed to complement the shape of your ear canal and prevent the ingress of water. While their interior will mold itself according to the inside of your ear, the exterior part of these stoppers juts out of the opening.

That allows it to sit perfectly against the outer layer of your ears, thereby allowing you to pull the earplugs out easily. Once you’re done with swimming for the day, you can wash these stoppers, and they’ll be ready to use.

3. Putty Buddies Original Swimming Earplugs

Compare them with the Mack’s Aqua Block and Speedo Ergo, and you’d find out that the Putty Buddies are by far the most expensive earplugs of the three.

Luckily, they justify their price tag with features you don’t usually get in budget-minded models. Since these earplugs are made of pliable putty, they provide two specific benefits to their users.

First, since putty is soft and moldable, it won’t trouble your ears. Secondly, and this benefit stems from the first, their universal size means that these products can fit ear-canals of people of all ages.

4. SureFire EP4 Sonic Defenders Plus filtered Earplugs

Did you roll your eyes after looking at the price tag of the Putty Buddies? Then prepared to arch your eyebrows as the SureFire EP4 earplugs are even more expensive.

Though, similar to the Putty Buddies, they have their reasons for charging you above-average market price. The first of those reasons is their noise reduction rating of 24dB.

These stoppers come with filter caps that tame the external noises to such an extent that they would no longer be damaging to your ears. However, if you want to remain aware of the surroundings, you can remove the caps and still hear.

5. Howard Leight by Honeywell Disposable Foam Earplugs

Are you worried that you might end up losing your swimming earplugs no matter how much effort you put into securing them? Then what you need are stoppers like the ones offered by Howard Leight.

Their corded construction means they’d never get lost and would be easy to found if dropped in water. Besides, there is no downside to the cord. Just like the stoppers which it connects, the cable is washable and disposable.

Howard Leight ships multiple pairs of both the wire as well as the stoppers in the same package. So you won’t be running out of them any soon. As for the earplugs, their bell-shape design allows them to match the contours of your inner ear.

6. Every Cares Silicone Swimming Earplugs

As a close look at their design would testify, these earplugs boast a tree-like design with three branches jutting out in both directions. This unique arrangement allows them to erect three water-resisting layers, with the first one sitting at the outside of your ear and the last blocking the ear-canal.

For this reason, you can count on these products to keep water out and prevent you from swimmers’ ear. The last of the three layers whose edges touch your outer ear makes for easy insertion.

It also ensures that you can easily stick out the swimming earplugs once you’re out of water. Also, since they are made of medical-grade silicone, these stoppers are odor and BPA free.

7. Start Smart Soft Moldable Silicone Ear-Plugs

Three features of these moldable silicone earplugs help them stand out among the competition. They boast soft silicone construction which empowers them to withstand multiple warm water washes.

Their universal size means both adults, as well as children, can easily fit them inside their ears. Also, while other manufacturers send plastic cases to store earplugs, Start Smart sends a glass case alongside these stoppers.

It has a sturdy opening/closing mechanism and, once closed, would secure the stoppers for as long as you aren’t using them.

8. 3M 1100 Foam Ear-Plugs

The 3M Ear-Plugs have the most basic design you can think of. They have one size and are available in only one color, orange. Their lack of moldability means that there isn’t much room for customization, either.

That means that you have no choice to use them the way they are. Having said that, their simplicity is what makes these stoppers endearing to their users.

True, their design is a bit basic, but you won’t be complaining about it once they stick inside your ears and prevent a drop of moisture from getting in.

That they aren’t moldable should pose a problem as their size is universal. Similarly, while orange might not be the favorite color of too many people, it’s bright.

9. JBL Spearfishing Hydro Seal

Starting with a glance at their design, the Hydro Seal earplugs boast a multi-baffle construction that provides exceptional protection against the ingress of water.

It also allows the users to clear their ears while driving, but not at the cost of lowering its guard against moisture. In case you’re wondering, all of this is made possible by the Hocks Noise Braker technology.

This system results in a force-field like barrier which doesn’t need to seal your ears to block the entry of water. Hence the reason why while these stoppers let sound waves pass by while preventing water intrusion.

Apart from preventing swimmer’s ear, these swimming stoppers reduce the chance of surfer’s ear. They do that by sealing both cold air as well as water.

10. Medical Grade Doc’s Pro Ear-Plugs

Since they are made of soft hypoallergenic plastic, Doc’s Pro swimming earplugs are latex-free and completely reusable. These products have memory properties that allow them to maintain the inner shape of your ear after first use.

That’s why they’re used by extreme water sports enthusiasts. Once you have fitted them correctly, you’d notice that they have formed a watertight seal against the inner contours of your year.

This property, plus their memory-retention feature, is what allows them to provide an excellent seal that cannot be breached by water.

11. Insta-Putty Silicone Ear-Plugs

Similar to most other moldable earplugs on the market, the Insta-Putty Silicone stoppers are an excellent choice for swimming, bathing and showering.

You don’t have to worry about their sizes as their moldable design helps these earplugs provide a universal fit to become useful for people of all ear sizes.

Since they cover the entire inner ear to block the ingress of water, these earplugs are safe-to-use for adults and children alike. Their hypo-allergenic and non-toxic outer layer won’t allow the build-up of dirt, while also making sure that there is no bacteria infestation in the ear’s stagnant water.

Conclusion

Having gone through the buying guide and detailed reviews of the best swimming earplugs on the market, we can now say with certainty that Mack’s AquaBlock Earplugs are our choice.

These stoppers have a flanged design that makes them easy to stick in and remove, have a triple-flange system that gives a more comfortable fit, and are washable and reusable for a long time. Also, their price tag is such that it won’t blow a hole in your pocket.