We’ve all been there. Stepping out of the ocean frantically shaking our head from shoulder to shoulder trying to budge that last drop of water. The longer it stays there, the more frustrated you become and the worse your balance gets. And you haven’t even reached the pub yet. What you need are some decent surfer’s ear plugs.

It’s unfortunately common for bodyboarders to hit the waves without providing adequate protection for their ears. The absence of problems in the short term illuminates a false sense of security, one that will cause you more problems later in life if you’re not careful.

Especially common in cold water surfers, problems in the ear canal can develop from repeated exposure to strong winds and not so tropical sea temperatures. Surfer’s ear, or exostoses for the science dudes, is a condition where the bone in your ear canal develops unwanted growths. Believed to be the body’s natural way of protecting itself, surfer’s ear can significantly impair your hearing if ignored for too long. Eventually the bony growths can bridge the gap in your ear canal and lead to loss of hearing. Allowing it this far would require many trips to an ear specialist and eventually surgery to repair.

Surfer’s Ear Plugs Designed For You

Luckily, however, solutions range from the resourceful to the professional, and there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy many years of epic bodyboarding with perfect hearing. Check out our latest YouTube video to see Rob Barber from Bodyboard-Holidays talk you through his experience of ear plugs over a long and successful career.

• Blu Tack – The everyman’s quick fix. A trip to the kitchen or the removal of a few bedroom posters could provide you with some low cost surfer’s ear plugs. Incredibly tacky (the clue’s in the title) and brilliant at keeping the water out, this can be a great option if you’re feeling frugal. Unfortunately though, Blu Tack works just as well at keeping the sound out, so you could miss out on conversations with your mates or shouts from other surfers.

• Custom Surfer’s Ear Plugs – There are various companies on the market that offer custom fit surfer’s ear plugs. An impression is taken inside of your ear and the resulting mould creates uniquely fitting ear plugs. Allowing slightly more sound in than Blu Tack, they still work well at keeping the water out. However, any drop of water that gets in tends to stay in, and this can annoy you long after you’re back on dry land.

• Surf Mould Pro – Not only are these guys local to Newquay, they’ve also created a total game changer when it comes to surfer’s ear plugs. Their custom fit ear plugs are created around an internal hydrophobic membrane, this keeps all of the water out while letting all of the sound in. They’re also more flexible than other brands which makes them comfier and easier to wear during long hours of bodyboarding. No loss of hearing, no water creeping in and no ear ache. It’s a thumbs up from us!

If you want to book onto an epic bodyboarding holiday this year in Europe, Asia, Africa or America – head over to the Bodyboard-Holidays website and check out our trips. If you’re not sure where to start and would like a bit more information, call us on 01637 879571 and we’ll be happy to point you in the right direction.