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My experience with custom molded earplugs was disappointing. Not worth the money in my opinion. If your foam ones are coming out or forming air bubbles, I don't think you're putting them in right. Watch some YouTube videos on how. Nothing has a higher db level reduction than good foam ones. They will be in the 30s while the best custom ones in have seen have been about 23 db.
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My advice go to earplugstore.com and get the assortment pack (I selected the softest option) and try them all and see what you like the best. And order a box and ride happy ever after.
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Some good advice here. Thanks all.
 
I've watched a couple of videos to make sure I'm putting the earplugs properly. I can't get them as far in the ear canal as shown in the videos though. I'll buy a few different brands of foam and rubber plugs. I should find something that works!
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The trick for me is to pull up and back on my ear lobe while having rolled and compressed the foam ear plug first.
 
When put in right, they really work great, and I've used foam plugs for work and shooting sports for years. And along with headphones that are designed to cut out high dB levels, combined ear protection is pretty good.
 
I think the foam plugs are 30 or 33 rated, while the headphones are rated at 22 or 29? But they have the ability to AMPLIFY sound as well, so for shooting they are the shiznet. You can crank them up so you can hear a bug fart, but with the foam plugs and headphones, when you "fire" it's totally muted.
 
I'm really surprised nobody has made an over the ear set of "headphones" you can install in your helmet, that both offer bluetooth abilities, sound control etc. (They sell them for rally cars, but not for motorcycles...) Go figure. Stilo makes some dang cool helmets, but at 4k for a fully fitted out one, they are not cheap.
 
 
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I've been watching for the Sena noise canceling helmet for a while.  It seems after they demoed it at some motorcycle shows and the press seemed to believe it was supposed to come out  spring of 2016, if I recall correctly.   However, it is still 'coming soon' on their website, over a year later.  
 
I suspect they must be having issues, either with not being able to get the db attenuation they promised or it won't meet crash ratings, either of which would probably open them up to liability.
 
I've stopped waiting and just bought another helmet, and mounted my sena comms to that.
 
Edit: well I just looked at their website.  Maybe they are making progress.  It is still 'coming soon', but they now have 2 different helmets listed (not counting the cavalry helmet), and they updated the branding, now called 'Momentum'.
 
Edit 2: seems one is with noise canceling and one is without but with integrated comms and/or camera.  That points to them having troubles with the noise canceling if they are just trying to get a product out with their comms but no noise canceling.
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I never thought about using my Bose QC20 on the road, so I tried it yesterday. The earphones just about fit under my helmet but I think the slight pressure from the helmet makes them move a little bit so they are not perfectly placed which reduces their efficiency. Still, the wind noise was reduced to an almost reasonable level. It also reduces the engine noise and that is a shame. But unfortunately I had the loud popping noises, a sort of angry blip on sudden pressure changes. Bumps in the road (and they're everywhere), crossing cars, side winds all caused that horrible scream in my ears. So not an option.
Based on this thread and others, my wife got me some Bose QC20 for the holidays (combo Hanukah/Christmas gift).  Bose has a 30 day satisfaction guaranteed return policy so I wanted to try them out ASAP.  Rode with them briefly before/after work a couple of days ago.  My first impression with the smaller ear buds (small, medium, large silicone ear buds included) was not particularly good.  I got the same popping some of you did as low as 30 mph.  They got rid of some noise but not nearly as much as a set of cheap ear plugs. 
This morning I spent an hour swapping between the QC20s and Howard Leight Laser Lite ear plugs that I have been using for years.  Before doing this, I put in the medium size ear buds that can't be inserted into the ears well but cover the ear canals much better.  A revelation!  With a little helmet adjustment after I put it on, they sit perfectly.  The helmet held them comfortably in place.  For the hour, they were at least as comfortable as ear plugs.  Only got popping at 80+ mph. 
 
BIG reduction in bass noise.  I have a problem on this bike with booming bass wind noise.  With the stock screen it started for me at 15-20 mph.  The Givi screen and ear plugs moved it to 50 mph.  I still got turbulent bass at highway speeds unless I really tucked in behind the windscreen.  With the QC20s, that bass is gone.  The high pitch wind noise is about the same - maybe even a little worse- with the QC20s compared to the cheap ear plugs.  But the bass is gone.  Tip my head down slightly and tuck behind the windscreen little, and most of the treble is gone, too.  I mean quieter than a car with the driver's window rolled down.
 
I can play music at volumes I usually use indoors.  I played some movie music - soft synth and piano to big orchestra.  I can clearly hear all but the softest tones (think Hans Zimmer's Man of Steel sound track - I can't hear the synth just before the piano, and I can just hear the piano).  We tried a phone call with my wife.  At 60 mph, I can hear her every bit as clearly as a regular cell phone call standing still.  If I put the mic inside my helmet in front of my mouth, the same is true for her.  Now, that is a compromise since those are also the controls for the smartphone.
 
I'm really excited about this.  Unfortunately I face highway drones to get to fun riding, but I'd still rather ride there whenever possible.  I hope these ear buds will make the highway more comfortable and let me listen to music or podcasts.
 
The caveat? This performance is HIGHLY personal.  Helmet fit and earbud fit will have a huge effect on comfort and effectiveness.  For truly long rides, I would even consider tape over the ear buds to help hold them in place.
 
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