For music fans, summer means one thing: the return of festivals and open-air concerts. I am no exception. For the last few months, I’d been impatiently counting the days until I could finally attend one of the most hyped shows of 2024: Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour .
While I was doing the requisite research to make sure I had everything I needed for what was sure to be an evening of glitter and joy , I noticed something that gave me pause: numerous posts on TikTok describing how loud and unpleasant the sound at the concert was. Apparently the decibels are so high that people are complaining about ear discomfort after the show. Yikes! Turns out this is not just a problem regulated to Swift’s show; according to a recent report from the World Health Organization, ear issues affect a ton of concert-goers.
“More than a billion young adults are at risk of permanent, preventable hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices,” the report states. It also estimates “that one in four people will live with some degree of hearing loss by 2050.” Double yikes! Eager to spare my ears, I quickly began looking for an effective solution to keep my hearing intact.
Luckily, there’s a whole new generation of hearing protection made for just that. After a ton of research, I decided to test out earplugs from the brand Loop . Here’s what I found out when I wore the earplugs at the concert.
Sound protection When you think about earplugs, you probably think of those foamy, multicolored cylinders that look like chewing gum. However, earplugs have actually come a long way and are now actually—dare I say it?— pretty cool. Case in point: Loop Earplugs, which offer hearing protection that is as beautiful as it is effective.
Co-founded in 2016 by Dimitri O and Maarten Bodewesa, this Belgian brand’s earplugs work for everything from dinner in a loud restaurant to noisy bedrooms to lively concerts. For the latter, Loop Earplugs are designed to reduce decibels without preventing you from actually hearing the music. They are also known to reduce the sound of the audience singing so that you can hear the artist on stage more clearly.
Earplugs at a concert These were the promises I hoped would be kept as I made my way to the show with the Loop earplugs in my bag. And, I can attest: the earplugs delivered: I was situated in a pit very close to the stage—and therefore right in the line of fire for those extra decibels. However, I was able to enjoy perfect sound quality with unparalleled hearing comfort.
No ringing ears at the end of the concert; no feeling like my head was stuck in a vice the next day. Even better, I was perfectly able to communicate with my besties during the show—whether they were wearing ear protection or not. I could also hear the crowd a little less while perfectly hearing Ms.
Swift sing every word of all my favorite songs—including Lover and Folklore . To test out the difference, I removed the earplugs for a few moments during the middle of the show. To my surprise, the acoustic sensations were the same in terms of tone and vibrance, but with the Loops in my ears, it all sounded way more pleasant.
Stye and comfort Did I feel weird wearing earplugs at a concert? In a word, no—especially since the Loop Earplugs don’t compromise on style; the in-ear protections are virtually transparent and have a jeweled ring. For added comfort, they also come with several ear tip sizes to fit all ear shapes and types. Thus, they remained completely in place without pain and I basically forgot all about them.
I also loved the small round box with the very practical handle for storage afterwards. In short, I think the Loop Earplugs might just be the coolest accessory to take with you to a concert. After all, if you protect your ears now, you’ll be able to enjoy music for a long time to come.
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