save me from swimmer's ear

December 9, 2007 5:30 PM

Attention swimmers- please help me find these earplugs....

I used to have a pair of (I think they were Speedo) silicone earplugs for swimming. Except that they didn't really function as a plug- instead they allowed water to drain out of my ears as soon as I turned my head one way or the other. They were made of a whorled piece of silicone, I think-- kind of shaped like a coil/rotini/ curlicue that you stick in your ear- less than an inch long and probably about a quarter inch in diameter.

I can't find them anywhere and I think they may have been discontinued- how unfortunate, as they did not give the sensation of stopping up my ear and yet prevented water from entering by encouraging it to shed.

Has anyone seen them?

Thanks.

posted by mistsandrain to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (6 answers total)

Earplanes?
posted by cocoagirl at 5:41 PM on December 9, 2007

If it's not on this page, I'd still call the folks at Lane 4 and tell them what you're looking for. I've been to this shop, it's all swimming, all the time. Maybe someone there can identify them for you.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 5:42 PM on December 9, 2007

Were they like Cirrus EarGuards, or were they one continuous coil? Also, my son (who has had swimmer's ear) says to tell you to use drops of rubbing alcohol or something like Dry-N-Clear after each swim if you can't find the ear plugs you're after.
posted by iconomy at 5:42 PM on December 9, 2007

Response by poster: The coil was continuous and more flexible.
posted by mistsandrain at 2:20 AM on December 10, 2007

Kiefer has a good selection of swimmers ear plugs that may help.
posted by TedW at 6:09 AM on December 10, 2007

I used to get swimmers ear a lot.

I always used these as a kid, though it looks like they've changed their packaging.

And a doctor once told me that I should rinse my ears with a mixture of equal parts rubbing alcohol and white vinegar.
posted by muscat at 12:58 PM on December 10, 2007