Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Off Topic -- Ear Protection

OK guys, and gals.

Totally off topic this on. But where better to go to seek advice then my local lounge bar.

June is coming up and for me that means one thing. US Formula 1 Grand Prix at Indianapolis. This year i am taking my little boy for the first time. He is five and i cant tell you how excited i am about taking him. Got seats on the front straight right opposite the pit lane/garages.

Anyway, my question. Anyone got any good advice on what type of ear muff/head phone/ear protectors would work well on a five year olds head. Does any one have any experience with ear protection for little ones. Thes F1 cars get extreemily loud, especially at Indie, they way the sound echos off the grandstands. I myself wear ear plugs, but i don't think that will be very comfortable for him.

Any suggestions/advice?

Well maybe try your local gun shop / sporting goods store They would probably have something. Maybe Cabellas. Just a guess.

Ear muffs would be your best bet for him. Take him with you to buy them and try them on him, be sure the band adjusts to the correct size for his head and check the seal all around the ear. His ear should just fit inside the cup.
You should be able to find some youth sizes that will be fine.

Like Ian said, a sporting goods/firearms shop would be the best place to look.

And goodonya for watching out for his hearing .

Gun Shops. Never thought about that. But it makes alot of sense. Thank you for that. There are a couple of big hunting stores close by. Ill take him along and see what we can find.

Bill.
Last year was the first USGP held at Indie that i missed. The sound up there is more than deafening. It is head splitting. The schrill of an engine spinning at 19,000 revs is unbelievable. To NOT protect his little ears would be more than irresponsible. It would be criminal, and verging on child abuse.

what?

I agree.
But it's surprising how many people don't think that way. I've been to NHRA drags (very loud) and Busch series where whole families are sitting there with no hearing protection whatever.

Maybe F1 fans are just more intelligent .

Live close to Pocono raceway and it's the same here.

Child size 'Muffs' and internal soft plugs combined is my suggestion. I am not an expert, but, I used to date a speech pathologist, ears don't heal, once damage is done it is over........ anytime they 'ring' you are doing damage..... as an added note watch thoe ipods ......

Yep our daughter listens to her ipod so loud I have to tell her to turn it down in the truck. My ears ring all the time from working around machinery and loud bikes.

Went to my first NASCAR race and was amazed, there were 'babes in arms' with no hint of any hearing protection for any of the family members.

Definitley ear muffs. Like mentioned already check a gun shop. Or even better check an industrial safety supply shop. They should have various sizes and sound levels. For a kid, get the highest rated muffs you can find.

These are the ones that I have for myself.


Soren

I would expect a gun shop to have a better selection for youth sizes since there are kids getting into the shooting sports at young ages.

Not so many in the workplace. (Unlike the days before child labor laws or in those countries that produce many of our consumables).


See Dwight, you ain't the only one can slip in these socially conscientious things.

Welding supply shops also have lots of safety equipment.

Thanks all. Some good advice.

Oh, and Bill.

Quote:

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Maybe F1 fans are just more intelligent .

---

YES...WE ARE. And combine them with soccer fans

And you got a bunch of little ironstiens

Hearing protection for children at motor sport events is vitally important. After the age of 12 hearing slowly degrades naturally , with some help from iPods, Rattle guns, traffic, ex-wives and other noise generating devices, until you become an old fart that says" what you say'n young man?" So you don't want to hasten the process. I agree with Soren, get some Peltors and get them hi-viz so you don't lose the little fella. I order them for the crew at work and they are the biz.
Peltor range

rattle guns?

...impact wrench or pneumatic spanner I guess

Oh impact wrench. Thanx makes sense..rattle gun. I had no clue! LOL

Well, for my hearing protection, I got the OL her own bike.

For your situation, the Bose earphones with active noise cancellation might do the trick.

I used the squeezable ones on my 5 yo when we used to fly on the planes I worked on. (think 2 x 14 cylinder engines with strait through pipes @ 2000 horsepower each)We just squeezed them up tight. Though sometimes she would pull them out.
Also we used tight fitting ear muffs. I would assume most safety shops would have to cater for all shapes and sizes these days.
Cheers

I had never heard the rattle gun thing either been using them for years. Must not have hit the east coast yet.

Yeah Bill. I have been working on cars since I was old enough to hold a wrench and never heard that. I too have been wrenching over 30 years. Seriously for about 25 maybe (high school) By the time I went to high school I was already driving my Impala I built myself. Passed a 3 year Mechanics course in 6 months thanx to my guidence counselor.

I use these - highly recommended......

Don't tell anyone where to get those.
half the people here will disappear!!!

Mark,

I'm a musician so the hearing protection thing is important to me too. For me a have a set of custom earplugs that cut out 15db accross the whole range of sound. I can still converse or rehearse a group with them in. They work well when riding or mowing the lawn too. Ironically anyone who can fit hearing aids should also be able to get those.

For the little one: as a dad myself, I can tell you the most effective thing is "Whatever he will leave in/on." They make kids sized earplugs meant to eaqualize pressure when flying called Earplanes. Get them at your local drug store. These are the only ones that my 8 yo daughter will keep in. They are the rubber kind with baffles (like some shooting plugs)--kids don't like the feel of the foam ones because they expand and cause pressure.

Good luck--John

20% each year? You would be deaf by now!!

You know that if you take 20% off of something annually it will never equal 0? right?
My grandfather has 85% loss its amazing and enlightening.