CEP earplugs for Army flight helmet
- Thread starter Mike2K
- Start date
Too uncomfortable. I run without them.
Ollie
Well-Known Member
I've used several different designs of the foamies as well as the Surefire molded silicone tips that got issued at the beginning of this year. My advice is to stick with either the stock or slim foamies (both available at your friendly neighborhood ALSE shop). I found that I just could not manage to keep the molded tips in my ear canals and had to keep taking my helmet off to replace them which kind of defeats the purpose of hearing protection. Additionally they didn't seem to block as much of the high frequency transmission/hydraulic pump noise which made radio traffic considerably more difficult to hear.
If you're looking for something to enhance your helmet's comfort and make everything easier to hear, try looking through the Oregon Aero website. Their hush kit is relatively cheap and makes a HUGE difference in the noise level inside your helmet. If you decide to go that route go talk to your ALSO before you order and make sure he's cool with it.
If you're looking for something to enhance your helmet's comfort and make everything easier to hear, try looking through the Oregon Aero website. Their hush kit is relatively cheap and makes a HUGE difference in the noise level inside your helmet. If you decide to go that route go talk to your ALSO before you order and make sure he's cool with it.
Lefty
Well-Known Member
:yeahthat: Solid review. I concur, the molded ones are terrible.
The Fez
Analog Millennial
No wonder you're going deaf...
To the OP: I'd stick with the foam plugs. A few guys I know got the molded plugs and are having the same troubles as Ollie described.
Ah, this cracks me up.
The OP comes here with the sole purpose of hawking his website selling those custom earplugs (I pulled the link to his site), and all of the responses in his thread are saying NOT to use that type.
Talk about negative advertising. Karma is a wonderful thing.
The OP comes here with the sole purpose of hawking his website selling those custom earplugs (I pulled the link to his site), and all of the responses in his thread are saying NOT to use that type.
Talk about negative advertising. Karma is a wonderful thing.
///AMG
Well-Known Member
I've seen a couple guys get the foamy CEP ends stuck in their ear canals.....that was entertaining. We were getting gas at one of the NOLF's, and the guy came running in and said he couldn't get it out. Had to call crash rescue lol
I just use old school foamies now, that way I can hear the roar
I just use old school foamies now, that way I can hear the roar
Same with the CEPs, same thing can happen. I've had to use the leatherman twice to remove such from another pilots ear.
Hey wait a minute......what are you doing in this forum section?!?!?!
Lefty
Well-Known Member
///AMG
Well-Known Member
Same with the CEPs, same thing can happen. I've had to use the leatherman twice to remove such from another pilots ear.
Hey wait a minute......what are you doing in this forum section?!?!?!
Just trolling for easy prey
Yeah, we ended up using one of the crash crew's leathermans.....
Blackhawk
Well-Known Member
Unfortunately with the standard Army ICS either both or neither pilots must where the CEPs. If only one pilot wears them the other pilot can not hear the radios. If the other pilot turns up the radios the pilot with the CEPs is blasted.
Flying the -60 you pretty much had to wear either CEPs or earplugs under the helmet or you were guaranteed hearing loss. Only issue I had with the CEPs (aside from the either or none issue), was that the tended to fall apart in the desert. I did not have the opportunity to try the molded silicone version at the time.
Flying the -60 you pretty much had to wear either CEPs or earplugs under the helmet or you were guaranteed hearing loss. Only issue I had with the CEPs (aside from the either or none issue), was that the tended to fall apart in the desert. I did not have the opportunity to try the molded silicone version at the time.
John_Mitchell
Well-Known Member
I have been using the custom mold CEP's for two years now. I'm sure the foamy things that the army issues work great, but my ear canals are really small and I simply cannot get the foamy things into my ear. When I was at Rucker, I went to Lyster to get molds made and they would ship them to a company in Oklahoma (www.allamericanmold.com) to actually form the CEPs (for about 60 bucks). They work great for me and I couldn't imagine what I would to without them. Couple downsides though...you have get a new mold every 12 months or so, because your ear canal changes size and the molds will not fit as comfortably as they first did. Also, I had a problem with the CEP wire screw tip ripping out of the ear molds. I was able to fix this by placing one small drop of superglue on the earmolds once I screwed the black tip in....works like a champ. Been in Afghanistan for almost a year now and they are still holding up fine. Don't put the glue on first and then screw. I screw in the tips, position the angle correctly (down and to the back) of the black tip, then place one small drop of glue where it slightly contacts the edge of the black tip and mold. This way, I can chip off the glue, and clean the molds from time to time.
John,
The plugs do not require the super glue. Since they are manufactured differently they just press fit onto the speaker housing. This makes them easier to remove for cleaning as well.