Suzuki SV650 Riders Forum banner

Pinlock Ear Plugs Review

10K views 12 replies 7 participants last post by  NorCalNav 
#1 · (Edited)
I've been using 3M disposable ear plugs since I first started riding, I was able to get 100-150 packets of these for free from the library where I went to college. They provide excellent protection against against wind and exhaust noise, but they fell short in two areas:

1. It is difficult to hear others speaking when I have my helmet on (on or off the bike), so I usually have to ask them to speak loudly

2. I have to turn my Sena SMH10R all the way up in order to be able to hear music or a phone call

With that said, I decided to try a more permanent solution so I have placed an order for a pair of Pinlock Ear Plugs (same company that makes the pinlock visor inserts), wasn't easy to get a pair as they are sold out everywhere. I'll post a full review after I've had some time to ride in them.

For those interested, here's a link to the product:
http://www.advdesigns.com/pieanewgehep.html?gclid=CjwKEAjwl9DIBRCG_e3DwsKsizsSJADMmJ11ZadG-522u7Ed2IFVqPWsKFdGTgoIwVfBpsWPGf0mFhoCPIbw_wcB
 
#3 ·
#4 ·
Here's my review, one thing to keep in mind is that I completely "rebuilt" my HJC RPHA 10 last night by replacing the pads and shield detents. I did notice that the shield was not sealing completely against the gasket so I will probably need to readjust the detents to get a better seal.

Let's break this down into segments:

1. Ease of use: This is an important factor in earplugs, normally I have to roll the conventional earplugs and by the time I'm getting ready to put the earplug into my ear it has already started expanding back to its original shape. With the Pinlock Earplugs there is nothing to mess with, just use the opposite arm to gently pull your ear up and back while inserting the ear plug.

2. Riding: Compared to conventional "disposable" ear plugs I was able to easily hear others talking to me while my helmet was on and I was off the bike walking around getting ready to go for a ride. That said, once the bike was started the engine/exhaust were definitively more audible than they would be were I wearing a conventional earplug. However, I was able to clearly hear my music playing through my Sena SMH10R as well, and it no longer sounded muted the way it would with conventional earplugs, though I still had the music turned all the way up.

3. Highway riding: I tested these on the highway at speeds up to about 90 MPH, I think this is where I found an issue. Pinlock earplugs are designed with a pass through filter to block wind noise but allow voices or sounds through. This is where I think this product fails, as to an extent wind noise was reduced but it was still extremely noticeable.

There are two possibilities as to why this would be the case:

A. I noticed, after replacing my shield detents last night, that the visor was not completely sealing against the gasket which at highway speeds could be allowing/creating increased wind noise.

B. The product fails at what it was designed for.

In order to be able to tell which, I will be removing and reinstalling the shield detents to make sure the shield seals properly and retesting the earplugs and providing an update.

In any case, I hope this helps some forum members who may be interested in this product!
 
#5 ·
Update:

As of now the helmet is being identified as the cause of the noise, the lower portion of the visor is not properly sealing against the gasket. I've called HJC and they are going to send me some weather stripping to be placed under the existing gasket to prop it up and help it seal against the visor.
 
#7 ·
Another good option is a Shoei whisper strip, It's a thin donut like gasket that goes around the bottom of he helmet and helps reduce the opening below your face and can be installed on most helmets. I recently bought one and it makes a huge difference in wind noise as most of my wind noise was coming up from below my ears.
 
#8 ·
I look forward to hearing an update. I spend a lot of hours on my bike and just can't deal with disposable plugs anymore. Foam plugs do give me great wind protection and I can still listen to music at any speed through my helmet speakers, but all sounds are muffled and it's very hard to hear other people speak while I'm on my bike. They also make my head feel like it's inside a bubble, they irritate my ear canals after using them for a while. I've been researching my best options and I have my choices narrowed down to these Pinlock earplus or Alpine Motosafe Race earplugs. I was drawn towards the Pinlocks because of how easy they seem to insert, however I've seen many disappointing reviews about them either not fitting properly, falling out, losing the insert, and just not offering adequate wind protection at highway speeds.

Has anyone has a chance to try both these Pinlock and Alpline Motosafe, or any other musicians ear plugs to compare?
 
#10 ·
I look forward to hearing an update.
Sorry for the delay in replying! I will be able to offer an update this Thursday as I finally received the materials from HJC to correct the issue I was having with the lower portion of my visor not sealing correctly, and will be doing an extended ride to follow up on that.

Regarding disposable ear plugs, I completely agree!

Please check back Thursday evening for an update.
 
#9 ·
See all the links I posted earlier. They are all the same, just different brands advertised for different purposes.


Even these (http://www.ebay.com/itm/271023731976) work well and you only pay one buck a pair.


Sent from my SM-T817T using Tapatalk
 
#11 · (Edited)
Okay, time for a final review to wrap this up!

After riding close to 100 miles Thursday afternoon I was able to test the Pinlock Earplugs over a wide range of riding scenarios. As I've said before, it is easy to hear others talking to me on/off the bike with the engine running, which was always a problem in the past. Music is audible even at lower volumes, however with the sound of a race exhaust in the mix I find it is necessary to turn the SENA SMH10R volume control all the way up to counteract this. As for wind noise, I would say that a majority (~85%) of it is blocked out, but you will still hear the VERY VERY faint sound of wind rushing past your helmet. In addition, you will be able to easily tell if one earplug is not correctly or fully inserted. In my case, I experienced this once and could immediately tell due to the increased noise in one ear, simply pushing it further into my ear solved the issue.

Do I recommend these? Yes, I do. If you want to buy a pair you'll have to look as they are sold out everywhere or currently being sold as a "pre-order". Hope that helps those who were interested!



*I should also note that I have performed HJC factory approved repairs for a problematic lower visor seal on my RHPA 10, this means the helmet is as sealed as possible.*

*EDIT: Tested conventional disposable earplugs to compare a final time, the VERY VERY faint wind noise is present with these as well so I would say the Pinlock Earplugs operate at the same level as conventional earplugs without the drawbacks a set of conventional earplugs presents.
 
#12 ·
Almost a year later.... Thanks for the review. I was looking at a pair of these at CycleGear today and decide to wait and see what the one's Ofir recommended were priced at. After Googling trying to find his most recent post, I came across this review, which also had the same info that Ofir posted in another thread. It was very nice to see the review of the Pinlocks as these weren't even on my radar until I noticed them in store.
 
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top