It seems a perfect storm for F1 fandom was brewing in those early days of 2020-21. Netflix had just released Drive to Survive; an absolute gamechanger for onboarding engine-curious newcomers to the sport. On top of that Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen were about to embark on one of the most enthralling F1
seasons of recent times. Who could forget that famous finish? Love or hate that result, it’s hard to deny we’ve been spoiled in recent times with some incredible racing.
If you’re heading to this month's upcoming Grand Prix in Melbourne (or any other motosport mind you), we have battle-tested gear guaranteed to make your viewing experience the best it possibly can be (though we’re afraid to say another Max win we can do nothing about).
Whether this is your first or fiftieth event, it’s worth remembering that motorsports are LOUD! In fact, they’re several magnitudes louder than what’s deemed safe by the World Health Organisation. By wearing bespoke hearing protection not only will you have a more comfortable and relaxed viewing experience, you’ll keep yourself safe from permanent hearing damage.
Lastly, but certainly not least, don’t wait until you’re at the event to get your hearing protection.You’ll pay two to three times the price for gear that’s half as good!
Finally, we recommend below has been tested live on site at the 2022 Melbourne Grand Prix, where Charles Leclerc pipped Perez and George Russel in what turned out to be a false flag for Ferrari dominance!
We brought a lot of hearing protection with us to the 2022 Grand Prix as we had a big group of mostly Danny Ric fans with us and we wanted to try as much as possible. Of all we tested, the Earjobs Motomate was by far the most popular? How come? It blocked out just the right amount of noise, it sat comfortably in the ear thanks to a design that mimics the shape of the ear canal (slightly curved as opposed to a straight line) and was easy to keep track of thanks to the round
bottom metal carry case.
If you’ve ever had the privilege of attending a European motorsports event, you’ve probably encountered Alpine. They’ve made a name for themselves creating hearing protection tailored for specific events and environments. While on the surface, the Motosafe range is designed for motorcycle riding, they’re also an excellent option for viewing motorsports. Which to choose depends on your specific needs and just how much noise you're comfortable exposing yourself
to and whether you want the option to switch between different attenuation levels (the Pro comes with both the Race and the Tour).
3. Passive Ear Muffs
Passive ear muffs (as opposed to expensive electronic ear muffs that play music) are also an excellent choice for the Grand Prix. While most of our group preferred ear plugs more comfortable to wear on the whole, if you’re someone who doesn’t find ear plugs comfortable or easy to fit, ear muffs are a great option that can be easily fitted and that provide plenty of sound reduction.
While we could recommend specific brands or products, it’s probably easiest for you to decide based on your personal preference for colours and budget. All Class 4 and Class 5 passive ear muffs we offer will provide adequate protection for motorsports.
You can browse our passive ear muffs collection via this link.