Why are earplugs for kite surfers important?

If you often kite surf in the sea or on inland water, it is crucial to shield your ears from cold such as wind and water. Especially in Autumn, Winter, and Spring, it is very crisp for our delicate ears, and because of that, we can suffer from the so-called surfer’s ear.

In order to prevent this, use earplugs for kite surfers that will protect your ears from cold and dirt. You also want to keep hearing well, so the earplugs must be sound-permeable.

You also want to protect your ears against hard blows on the water where you can experience an eardrum tear. So, for earplugs to be adequate for kitesurfing, they need to provide protection from:

• Cold
• Wind
• Water
• Dirt
• Hard blows

What is a surfer’s ear?

Surfer's ear (exostosis) is a condition that causes irregular bone growth within the ear canal, which can cause severe damage to the ears. Irritation from cold wind and water exposure causes the bone surrounding the ear canal to form lumps of new bone growth, constricting the ear canal. As soon as the ear canal gets blocked by this condition, water and wax can become trapped and increase the chance of an infection and hearing loss.

These bone growths narrow your ear canal, resulting in lower sound wave transmission, a plugged feeling, and conductive hearing loss. If ear infections become more frequent, hearing loss noticeable, or they grow big enough to touch each other or block your eardrum; they will need to be removed surgically.

You can avoid all this by purchasing a good set of earplugs! A big downside (outside of having an operation) is six weeks recovery period and no water contact during this recovery period! It’s worth mentioning that this condition is also encountered (although less often) in warm water locations as the wind cools the water even on a warm day.

Sadly, many kiters are struggling with this problem. That's why we strongly advise wearing ear protection before you hit the water, especially on a freezing and windy day.

The good in the bad is that the forming of exostoses is a slow process. If you wear earplugs to keep the water and wind out of your ears, you shouldn’t develop the condition in the first place. If you already have exostoses, they probably will not continue to grow if you prevent further cold water/wind exposure, whereas the exostoses you already have are permanent and will not abate by wearing plugs.

Kitesurfing at cold temperatures can lead to a surfer's ear. You can already damage your ears if the water temperature drops 20 degrees, so still protect them well during a kitesurfing session. There are several ways to protect your ears against the risks of getting a surfer's ear. Here are some options you should consider:

Surf Cap

You should wear a surf cap in the spring and autumn, and especially during the cold winter months. A surf cap blocks the cold wind blows and will give your ears proper protection against the cold. If you have long hair, it keeps your hair in place, too, so your vision won't be impaired from the side wind or after a water crash.

Surf Earplugs

An effective way of protecting your ears from the cold while kitesurfing is by using SurfEars. The improved 3.0 SurfEars fit even better than the previous edition. Since your left and right ear are dissimilar, there is now a plug for your left and right ear. They are also clearly visible through different colors.

The outside mesh of the SurfEars, where the sound can pass through and the water can not sometimes broke with the 2.0, but in the new 3.0 SurfEars, the mesh is made with advanced construction behind the mesh so that you can no longer poke a hole in it with your finger. Also, the composition of the gel has been changed to close the ear even better for water. This prevents hearing damage and bone growth (surfer's ear).

Another alternative is Doc’s Pro plugs, very affordable earplugs that can easily be adjusted for deviating ears. This ear protection is also broadly used by divers and endorsed by multiple ENT doctors. The plugs have the asset that they close the ear canal in the auricle, so there is nothing in your ear itself. For kitesurfers, there are so-called ‘vented’ caps with a tiny hole in them, so that the cap does not draw a vacuum in your ear. You can only use them a few times, though.

The right size

The size of the earplug is crucial (like the size of your kite). With the right size, the cap closes your ear properly, and it is in the right place in your ear. If you are going to buy a new set of hearing protectors, go to a store where you can try them.  The majority of earplug brands supply fitting sets so that you walk out of the store with adequate size. If you know what size you are wearing, you can order them online too.

Surf Spray

The ultimate solution to protect your ears while surfing/kitesurfing is by using water-repellent ear spray. This spray brings an oil-like substance into the ear, which lets water slide directly off the ear, preventing dirt from sticking to it. This type of spray usually consists of natural ingredients, such as olive oil and 0.5% tea oil.

Conclusion

By now you should have learned that the surfer’s ear (exostosis) certainly is not a thing to be joking with. When out in the water, especially during the cold days, wearing proper ear protection is strongly advised, unless you want to develop a condition that’s going to cost you numerous times more than a pair of decent earplugs.

Please Note: Just because an ear defender is marked, for example, "Gunshot" - it will still cover other things, like "explosions"