Getting the chance to take a week-long break is a well-known way to lift our spirits, but even relaxing holidays can include overwhelming elements like travel noise and loud restaurants, which can prove overwhelming for some of us.
I recently spent a week at a popular forest-based holiday village in the UK, thoroughly enjoying the serene surroundings and their resident deer, birds, and the odd cat. Going inside the main plaza of shops and restaurants was a stark contrast, however, with coffee machines, small children, and general chatter making for an overwhelmingly loud environment.
Fortunately, I’d thought ahead and packed my Loop earplugs. I actually have three different pairs: the Loop Dream earplugs, which are the comfiest sleep earplugs I’ve ever worn, the Loop Engage 2 earplugs, which I adore due to their iridescent purple coloring, and finally, my Loop Switch 2 earplugs.
I’ve already mentioned my beloved Switch 2 earplugs in my article on gadgets for tackling sensory overload, but my appreciation really peaked during my recent vacation.
My gold Loop Switch 2 earplugs have been a game-changer thanks to their versatility. Their three sound-reducing modes, Engage, Experience, and Quiet, reduce sound by around 20, 23, and 26dB, respectively, so they did the job in various scenarios.
It’s been satisfyingly easy to switch quickly between modes as required, as all I need to do is swivel the outer ring until I feel it gently clicking into place.
As someone with a processing disorder, it’s easy for me to lose track of which setting I’m on, and so I’ve really appreciated being able to simply feel the position of the raised notch, confirming that I’m in Engage mode if it’s pointing forward, or Quiet if it’s pointing back.
I love the fact that I can adjust the level of noise reduction in each earbud. This came in particularly handy when popping for an early lunch after checking out on my last day, as I could set my left ear to Quiet mode to reduce the screeching and cackling from a group enjoying a boozy brunch on that side, while keeping my right side on Engage so that I could continue having my conversation.
They came in useful for unexpected situations as well, saving my ears from the particularly noisy hairdryer in my room, and the racket from the military helicopter on exercise that passed overhead multiple times late one evening.
Thanks to their smooth design and lack of electronics, the Loop Switch 2 earbuds are really easy to clean. The pale-colored carry case is pleasingly durable, which was a relief to discover after I dropped it down a sloping brick-paved path.
Aside from its durability, I also appreciate how small and light the carry case is, meaning I could easily squeeze it in regardless of how overboard I went with my packing. I find it really easy to open, too, and haven’t had any instances of it opening up when floating about in a variety of different bags.
I’m able to get the Loop Switch 2 earplugs in place quickly and easily, and have found them super comfortable to wear, which is high praise from me, considering I can struggle with the fit of some of the best earbuds, due to my small ears.
This is in part due to the small diameter and shallow depth of the outer part of the earbud, but most importantly, because the included tip sizes range from large to extra small, which is a particular bonus for me, as small tips are all too often not quite small enough.
At a list price of $59.95 / £54.95 / AU$94.95, these aren’t the cheapest earplugs around, but they’re well worth the spend due to their reliability and convenience, especially if you have ears on the petite side.
So, if you’re yet to find the sweet spot in sound reduction over the course of your day, the versatile Loop Switch 2 earplugs might just be the perfect fit.
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