After some epic performances, Glastonbury has come to a close. But festival season is still in full swing. Whether you’re grooving to George Ezra at Latitude or rocking out with the Foo Fighters at Reading, unpredictable British weather isn’t the only thing you should be preparing for this summer.
You’ve got your sun cream, poncho, wellies and novelty sunglasses, but with your bags packed and ready to go, there’s an extra essential item you may have forgotten: earplugs.
In a note posted on the official Glastonbury website, ‘Deaf Geoff’ Markson, ex-sound engineer to the stars, named “funky-coloured ear plugs” as “the coolest thing to wear this year.”
Geoff says that standing close to the PA stacks (even at the smaller stages) means you’ll be experiencing extreme noise levels, which could be damaging to your hearing over long periods of time – making earplugs for concerts a must-have accessory.
Regulations aren’t enough for hearing protection
While these days there are strict regulations regarding noise exposure for those working in loud environments, it wasn’t the same back in the day. Many in Markson’s generation of rock’n’rollers now suffer with hearing loss because of it.
He says that, “younger sound engineers now wear ear protection at all times at an event except when they are doing their mix.” So it makes sense that if you’re close to the stage or near a speaker, you should be wearing ear plugs.
Our advice: get some ear plugs for concerts
So, to get the most out of your festival experience, some ear plugs are definitely a great investment. And the good news is that they won’t break the bank! The Hearing Care Partnership offers different types of earplugs depending on your needs and even offer custom-made ear plugs that are moulded to your ear shape for maximum comfort.
If you’re concerned that wearing earplugs will ruin the music by blocking out sounds you want to hear, you don’t need to worry. Our general earplugs, the Elacin ER20s simply bring the volume down to a safer level – and with customised models you can choose the filters you want, providing specific protection, dependent on your needs.
Sound asleep
Another area we can help with is special sleeping ear plugs – because, let’s face it, a tent in a field with thousands of other party people isn’t the quietest place to catch some Zs. Our sleeping ear plugs are made of a very soft, durable silicone, making them extra comfortable and allowing you to dream in peace.
Look after your hearing
So, before you set off with your tent and your copious amounts of glitter, make sure you book a free hearing consultation with us online, over the phone on 0800 52 00 546 or pop into your local THCP practice.