Decibullz - Custom Molded Earplugs, 31dB Highest NRR, Comfortable Hearing Protection for Shooting, Travel, Work and Concerts

Update 10/25/25 I used the Decibullz earplugs at the pistol range and it performed noticeably better than cheap foam earplugs. Cheap plugs are not enough for me at the pistol range, but the Decibullz alone was suffcient. I would rank the Decibullz at just below cheap plugs with muffs. Decibullz with muffs does an outstanding job of reducing gunfire. I plan on using Decibullz and muffs at the rifle range where local shooter love to use muzzlebrakes. Original review: I was worried about molding these to my ears and whether they would really make a difference compared to traditional foam ear plugs. Turns out that these really deliver what they promise. First, the molding is easy and works perfectly if you follow instructions and watch the video. Start by attaching the plastic ear plug and plastic backing to the mold. Do one ear at a time and keep track of which ear mold is being molded. Check the thermoplastic mold for either a R or L to know the difference. Then heat water to boiling and pour the water into a coffee mug. Place the mold into the mug. Do not put the mold into water that is boiling. Wait 5 minutes. Use a timer. After 5 minutes remove the mold from the mug with a metal spoon and place it onto a plate for 30 seconds to cool. After 30 second put the plug into your ear hole and mold the thermoplastic so that your entire ear conch is covered and sealed. Wait until the mold is hard, about 2 minutes. Repeat for the other ear. If you need maximum hearing protection, remove the plastic plugs and install the rubber ear plugs. I will update this review after I go to the shooting range.

For a while, I was researching a lot of the top choices for hearing protection because my girlfriend and I were going to the Indy 500 for the first time, and we wanted to protect our ears. Having been to NASCAR races before, I knew what I was looking for and I also knew I didn't want over-the-ear ear muffs because they can put some strain on your head and cause sweat to pool around your ears. So, I wanted earplugs to counter these issues. I investigated a lot of options, but Decibullz was the first choice I saw and it stuck with me the whole time. I'll put it simply: These ear plugs are the best out there. With the slightest caveat. Most of the negative reviews for this product are due to user error. If you follow the directions and mold them properly, you will experience NONE of the issues they faced. These ear plugs were comfortable for an entire 3 hour race, no irritation, and no hearing loss at all. No sound bled through, and they didn't ever feel like they were going to fall out. The setup is pretty straightforward, but let me share what I did to make them fit absoultely PERFECTLY: 1. Setup the earplugs while boiling your water. I got the case/laynard/plugs bundle, so I used the non-laynard filters and the smallest tri-flange tip they had. This is to ensure the earplug goes in far enough into your ears to get a good inner mold(very important). 2. Once water and plugs are ready, do ONE PLUG at a time!!! This is crucial. The steps say to do both, but it is much easier when you can focus on one plug at a time. Let it sit in the water for 5-6 minutes. 3. Gently scoop the plug out with a spoon. I used a metal spoon and had no issues. And let it cool until you can touch it. Be careful not to squeeze too hard! 4. This is the most important part: Carefully put the plug in your ear. Make sure to rest it in your ear, and then ONLY push where the filter is initially. Making sure the plug is IN your ear properly is the most crucial step! And make sure it is in as comfortably far as possible. 5. Begin to massage the plug into the space of you ear. I focused on pushing to the back of my ear, then massaging above my ear lobe, and then the front of the ear. And then keep pushing on the filter to maintain that seal. Keep doing this for a few minutes. Also, very useful to have another person helping, but a mirror works too to ensure the whole ear canal is covered. 6. During this process, I also was squeezing my ear (top and bottom, front and back) around the mold to make sure it took total shape of my ear and to ensure it's not going to hurt my ears for being in a long time. 7. Once the plugs are hardened, carefully take them out and let them cool. Then repeat the steps for the other ear plug. 8. After all the plugs are molded, it is important to test the plugs TWO different times. First, test both plugs in at the same time to ensure the sound around you is at least muffled. Have some air blow into each ear. If you hear a lot of air/wind, then it is best to try and refit them to make sure your whole ear hole is covered. 9. If that test passes, then you will want to switch to the foam ear tips (these offer the best noise cancellation). Squeeze the foam tips so they compress and go further in the ear. Do the same test as the last step. If you have the same issue, make sure to change the tips BACK to the ones you used initally and then repeat the steps to refit them/warm them back up. 10. The plugs should significantly reduce the sound. Almost like you're underwater. But you should still be able to hear mostly everything. It reduces the noise, not cancel it out. For anyone looking to use these plugs for the same application as me (in-person auto racing spectating), then these are absolutely PERFECT! I was able to hear the cars go by at a reasonable volume, AND I could still talk to my partner between passes and hear the announcer clearly over the speakers. Because of how great these plugs were, I definitely anticipate using these for other applications (concerts, more races, anything that is loud). If you were on the fence about getting these plugs, please let this review be the sign to get them. Ignore the bad reviews, because they more than likely did not install them correctly. TLDR: Bought these plugs for IndyCar/NASCAR races, and worked perfectly for that application. I shared the steps I took to make them fit right, and experiencd none of the negatives the bad reviews shared because I followed the steps. Highly recommend getting these plugs!

I got Decibullz earplugs to keep water out of my ears, and bought the Radians version for a comparison. Specifically, I need to use them for my son and wanted to try them myself before trying them on a child. Each has their advantages. For noise protection, the Decibullz are rated at 31 dB protection vs. 26 dB with the Radians. I couldn't tell a difference with a different type in each ear, but I'd say a technical point to Decibullz if you're looking for hearing protection. The molding process is a little simpler with Radians vs. Decibullz, but they are both pretty simple. Just like making a mouthguard, you put the Decibullz in boiling water for 5 minutes, take it out for 30 seconds, and then mold to the ear. I would wait a SOLID 30-45 seconds before trying on my child because they are pretty warm. Don't want to frighten a child while time is of the essence. After molding to the ear, let them sit another 5 minutes in the ear, and they are ready to roll. The directions didn't say whether one should remove the round Decibullz logo'd cap from the outside part during the heating/molding, but I did, and it seemed to work out fine. Once they are cooled, they are fairly hard plastic, but (theoretically) perfectly molded to the ears. If they aren't a good fit, they say you can repeat the process, but I've found from experience with toothguards that after the first try, they are less likely to fit the way they were designed to on subsequent tries. On the other hand, if it's only a small adjustment to be made, it might work fine the second time as long as you're very careful not to make big changes. When you finish molding them, they become pretty thin in an adult ear, but a child's ear is smaller so they will probably still have some fullness (and look like the photo) when molded to a child's ear. I wore them for a while, and they are as comfortable as you can expect any earplug to be. As long as you mold them under the curve at the front of the ear "bowl" above the ear hole, they should be pretty hard to accidentally knock out. They come with 3 different sizes of soft silicone "Christmas Trees" to fit on the stem that goes into the ear hole, and another foam rubber nub that can also be used. I think the foam rubber one gives a little bit better noise protection, but the silicone ones look to give better water protection. Still, as someone else wrote in a review, if the foam rubber one doesn't fit and you got them for noise protection, you're not getting the full benefit with the silicone ones. Also, the silicone ones seem to extend slightly further into the ear than the foam rubber ones, but this may be more perception than reality. As mentioned, they are designed with a small, logo'd rubber cap that seats on the outside of a tube that extends down the middle of the plug. With the cap in, they are pretty water-proof/sound-proof. On the other hand, if you lose that rubber cap, they lose 95% of their functionality. The reason they were designed this was was so that you could use them with sound-producing earphones (instead of the rubber caps.) Just be sure that you are ordering the earplugs if you want plugs, and earphones if you want tunes. In summary, Decibullz earplugs are safe to use (if you follow the directions), comfortable to wear, seem to stay in very well, come in slick colors, and probably do a little better job at noise protection that the competition. On the other hand, if you don't follow the directions, you could cause pain when molding them (not likely there would be any lasting damage,) and if you lose the little black rubber cap, they become nonfunctional.

Some background: I'm a really light sleeper and I'm SUPER sensitive to snoring. So for the past few years, my go-to earplug for sleeping is the #M TaperFit 2, in a large size because my ear canals are pretty big. But after the last few 200 count boxes of those, I've been running into quality control issues, so I decided to try something more sustainable. Enter these moldables from Decibullz. I really did my homework here. I watched a ton of in-depth reviews on YouTube, both from folks trying these for the range and for sleeping. And almost unanimously people rave about these plugs. So I grabbed a pair on same-day delivery and decided to give them a shot before re-ording TaperFits again. Amazon delivered them, and I spent some time reading the included instructions, and then just to be safe, I re-watched videos from reviewers as well as Decibullz to make sure I got the molding process right. Since I have such large canals, I went straight to the largest silicone in-ear plug size. After hot-soaking the plugs for five minutes and cooling for 30 seconds, I inserted the plugs as deeply into my ear canal as I could and began press-molding the plugs to completely cover the inside of my conch. I had my wife watch to make sure everything that could be covered inside my conch was covered. While waiting for the plugs to cool and set in my ears for five minutes each, we were watching TV, and I had zero issues hearing the show. So not a good sign so far, but I hadn't yet put the included end-caps in yet. After the setting process, I removed them and let them air-cool the rest of the way down. Last night at bedtime I inserted the end-caps and then pressed these back into my ear. After setting the silicone plugs into my canals, I could feel them slip ever so slightly back out, but seeing as the seal around my conch was still firm, I thought it might be normal. But as my wife was asking me how they worked, I realized I could hear her almost as easily as without the plugs. I noticed I was hearing my cat bathing herself all the way down the hall, which is quiet without anything in my ears. I pushed and held them in and they were about half as effective as my TaperFits, and when I let go they were practically non-existent in my ears sound-proofing wise. So all in all, in MY ears, these are a complete fail. Comparing with foam TaperFits, here's the rub: They are both rated at "maximum NRR" of about 31dB; the TaperFits say 32, but, they're comparable on paper. But when the TaperFits fit properly, the noise blocking is great. The finger-rub test -- where you gently rub two fingers together next to your ear -- is almost silent with the TaperFits. With the Decibullz, there was practically no difference: I could hear every detail of my thumb and forefinger rubbing together. A few observations about the Decibullz that I think contribute to the failures here: * The flanges on the silicone plugs are SUPER thin and light. This means they lack rigidity to remain expanded in the ear canal, or to hold them in place from slipping out of the optimal depth and position. I can also see these cracking and breaking down in no time, as I've experienced the same on other earplugs that had flanges this thin. See my included macro-lens super closeup video clip of how they flex and nearly fold with a very SLIGHT prodding with a tiny beauty tool. * The black endcaps that go into the hard plastic hollow core are also very thin. They seem to just act like a drum, propagating all vibrations from the outside that hit them, transferring that sound straight through the tube core, and into the silicon plugs themselves. * And then there's that hard, hollow, plastic core in the center of the molding, between the endcap and the ear canal tips. Why are these hollow?!? That's just a recipe to propagate as much sound as possible! These cores should be filled with some kind of sound/vibration dampening material, instead of providing an air pocket for compression in tandem with that drum-head of an end-cap. The engineering on this is frankly laughable. So what I would say in Decibullz defense here is that earplug performance is always going to be highly subjective to a degree. Everyone's ears are different and no one single product can be pest for them all as a result. But past that, there's just some engineering decisions here that leave me scratching my head as to how so many people can say these work well enough to ditch disposable foam plugs. I can't imagine the pain and volume I'd experience with a rifle going off on the other side of these tiny drums.

I am a mechanical engineer and do dynamometer testing on heavy duty diesel engines. I don't usually have to enter into the loud test cell, but on occasion I do. So far molding was easy, and they fit really well. I don't have a need for it, but I think I could wear these for extended periods of time without making my ears sore or "tired". One thing that I have noticed just from wearing them around the house, the foam ear plugs are a little too big to easily insert into my ears. It might just be my technique, but it would have been nice if along with various sized silicon plugs, the kit came with two sizes of foam plugs. It seems like the moldable part really only is there to improve comfort and to help prevent the plugs from falling out (an issue I have yet to experience with standard foam plugs). To test them recently (and this is completely subjective), I wore them up in our noisy mezzanine area (above each test cell is a large combustion air machine, exhaust piping flowing engine emissions out the building, HVAC, fabrication work, etc). For my initial test I used the silicone plugs (I forgot to bring the foam plugs along). They definitely do a good job of blocking noise, and I believe they would adequately protect my hearing. My very subjective comparisons: Vs standard foam plugs at work - The Decibullz with silicone ear plugs block significantly less noise (again I need to retest with the foam plugs on the Decibullz). Vs Howard Leight by Honeywell Leightning L3 Earmuff (R-03318) - The Decibullz block slightly less noise. From a comfort standpoint, is it worth $26? Probably not. From a noise reduction standpoint, they do an adequate job, but definitely not as good a job as the disposable plugs at work. Again not worth the premium price. From a cleanliness standpoint, I would need to see how they hold up long term. Sticking the same thing in your ear for a significant amount of time vs having a fresh set as they get dirty is something to consider. On the flip side, from an environmental standpoint, you have lest waste because you are reusing the same plugs. I would probably recommend spending the same or slightly less money on a large pack of standard foam disposable earplugs with a higher NRR. You get more protection, maybe slightly less comfort, more waste, but maybe slightly better hygiene. I ended up also purchasing: Moldex 6800 Pura-Fit Soft-Foam Earplugs, Uncorded Tapered Style, Green (Pack of 200) I will update my review once I have had a chance to test with the foam plugs.

So other reviewers have already responded to negative reviews for the Decibullz Earplugs, but I thought one more response to a majority of the complaints in the negative reviews. I nearly passed on these earplugs if it hadn’t been for the positive, independent buyer reviews, which explained most of the complaints in negative reviews of these earplugs. First, if you want a “plug-n-play” earplug (pun intended), then these aren’t the earplugs for you. These earplugs are NOT designed for use right out of the box, but that’s what makes them so superior to generic foam earplugs. Everyone has a unique ear shapes and ear canals, and these earplugs allow buyers to shape each plug for a personalized fit and thus a seal and stability that is TRULY tailored to the ear it’s in! Second, most everyone has purchased a product and immediately discarded the user manual. Even if you take that approach when your Decibullz arrive you’re in luck, because their website has some well made, and easy to understand, walkthrough videos of how to properly shape your Decibullz. At the most it takes 20 minutes to watch the videos or read the included manual/instructions and take the necessary steps to get the Decibullz uniquely formed to fit your ears. Third, if a first you don’t succeed in getting the right shape and feel, you don’t have to toss them (unlike applying your phone’s screen protector). This is my second pair and I repeated the simple heating process, which allows malleability of the plastic, to get the fit I wanted (but I’m a perfectionist). Fourth, the foam earplugs, which you can see in one of the pictures associated with this review, are the way to go in order to achieve the best noise isolation. If you’re familiar with any brand of foam earplug then you know the correct way to place them in your ear is to compress the foam prior to placing them in your ear canals and allow the foam to expand inside your ear canal for a tight and proper fit. This is a unique, but very important, attribute of any foam earplugs or earbud tips, compared to their silicone counterparts. Lastly, if you take the time to get mould formed to your liking, and use the foam ear tips as mentioned above, then you will undoubtedly have a positive experience with this product!

Really easy to do! Worked great. I had no problems molding these. Fallowed directions, besides I did do each ear one at a time. I did take my lower earrings out. But I have one near the top of my ear and you can see a little indent from one. But did not cause any problems. I also did boil water on the stove not the microwave. As soon as the water started to boil I took the water and put it in the coffee cup. Waited maybe 20 seconds and then drop one in. I honestly think they worked great. A few years ago I had custom ear plugs made with a puddy like stuff and I loved them. Used them for trapshooting for many years. But I lost them and I really wanted a new pair. And I found these. They are very close to the other ones I had. But I was surprised how easy they are to do. And how they actually worked. I do feel like they will last along time. But I can definitely tell they plug my ears. I will be using they the next 8 weeks for trap. So I feel like they will last along long time. We shall see! Best of luck

I liked the quality of packaging and how the product looks out of the box. Molding the earbuds yo my ears was the first disappointment. Right side worked on the first attempt and stayed in the ear pretty snag. Left side did not work as well - had to do re-mold it three times before it kinda stayed in. Just to get it out of the way: I did read provided instructions and read all the comments with tips on how to warm up and mold. It probably is the shape of my left ear, and I suspect that if there was more material I could have been able to make a better fit. I also experimented with different types and sizes of the tips that were provided. Silicone tips worked more or less (again, left side gave me issues), but the foam tips that are supposed to provide the best protection I had to remove literally minutes after inserting in the ear - they caused very significant irritation and discomfort, to the point of being unusable. With partial success molding the earbuds and silicone tips, I took these them on the road. With half-helmet and ears being exposed, I was hoping to achieve reasonable enough reduction in wind noise such that I could go on 1-3 hour rides. That has not happened for two reasons. First, left earplug was not tight enough in the ear and kept moving a little bit, which resulted in a lot of wind noise leaking through. Second, overall noise reduction was not sufficient either - ended up with ringing ears an hour or two into the ride and had to switch them for another set I had. Overall, this seems a great product that just did not work for me.