BACKROADS • APRIL 2022
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INEARZ SPORT UH-3 EAR PLUGS • POWERFUL EAR PROTECTION WITH POWERFUL SOUND Personal ear protection has come a long way in the last few years. From riders wadding up cotton shoved in their ears with flimsy helmets barely holding them in, to foam ear plugs bought at the local hunting store, to more dedicated and modern designs. Every professional racer uses custom-created ear plugs to attenuate the loud noise of their profession. We have been using custom plugs for years now and these, too, have evolved and just gotten better… way better. At most of the bigger rallies you will see some vendors that provide custom plugs for your riding comfort. At the International Motorcycle Show in Carlisle this past Fall we stopped by the InEarz Sport Booth and talked with Mark Hood – the creator and designer of his custom ear plugs. While there, we had Mark make a mold for some InEarz Ear Plugs - of which he did two. One set were made of flexible silicone and were created for track days when I did not need to hear any GPS voice prompts or the first three albums by Chicago.
The second set were a bit more purposed and would pack a serious punch of Hi-Fidelity. These were custom cast in acrylic and had what InEarz calls their Triple-Drivers. The first set I was able to ride away with – which worked perfectly for me as the next week I would be spending two days at Virginia international Raceway with Reg Pridmore’s CLASS. The InEarz Ear Plugs suppressed all the intrusive track noises, yet allowed for enough input that I was aware when I had a rider coming up from behind for a pass. It took a bit for the Ear Plugs with the Triple-Driver Headsets to arrive – but they were certainly worth the wait. For years I have been used to the softer and more pliable silicone plugs, as they were available as well – but I chose their solid aplastic acrylic plugs, and these took a bit of getting used to. But these were well-made and digitally created custom plugs that truly fit my ear canals like a glove and after a bit of getting use to, slipping them in and out, they seemed to get more and more comfortable. The mark of a great custom ear plug is that you should not even know they are there. The acrylic plugs really deaden the outside world and, firing up the GPS, the prompts were crystal clear. But that is an easy thing. It was the music that I have bluetoothed into my
communication system (Sena 30K) that was truly impressive. Without a doubt this was the most amazing headset I have ever heard … ever! Amazing clarity came pouring in and I was picking up notes and instruments I had never picked up on before. The UH-3 Triple Drivers were made for listeners that can hear the difference and demand a higher-level listening experience. The rich, fullness of the triple drivers and enhanced low added a smooth transparency to all reproduced signals. Every instrument was clear and by itself – there was no muddied sound to be found – whether Rock (The Clash), Jazz (Steely Dan) or Classical (Motown, baby!). Although listening to music while riding is not the most important thing on my mind when I get on a bike – it is nice to have and better to have the very best. The InEarz SportsUH-3 Ear Plugs seem to be just that. The very best! These triple driver and crossover in each ear piece produce amazing sound and they still provide protection of 29-32 dba reduction of outside sound. The plugs, that come in a two-system carrying case complete with small cleaning tool, are available in two lengths of leads - 24 and 48 inch. I think 24 is probably too much as it is, but I usually wrap them up a bit to prevent them catching on controls and such. Now here is the part that you might not like when you hear… These are not cheap. Their Dual Driver UH-2 sell for $329… and the Triple Driven UH-3 $675. Not cheap, by any means. So, as a rider and a consumer the choice is yours. You will find Mark and InEarz at many of the bigger rallies or you can log onto their website at InEarz.com for more information and availability. $329 for the Dual UH-2 Drive and $675 Triple UH-3 Driven Headsets
