In some parts of the world, if you say ‘Christmas’ people think of snow and a cosy fire. Down here, ‘Christmas’ calls to mind sunburns, soft drink and sand in the wrong places. After a year locked up, what better way to celebrate the best Summer ever than with some fun beach and pool gear?
Ear Band It Ultra Premium Swimmer’s Headband
$37.99
Putty Buddies Floating Moldable Silicone Swimming Ear Plugs for Kids
$6.99
For kids starting swimming lessons or just paddling about the backyard pool, a set of swimming plugs and a nice swimming headband can be a fun solution to the dreaded ear infection or swimmer’s ear. The plug works by creating a protective silicone area, securely preventing water from entering the ear, while the swimming headband works to keep the plugs in place, no matter how often you’re tumble turning or flipping in Marco Polo.
The Ear Band It Ultra is a comfortable, flexible neoprene swimming headband that fits comfortably in the water and keeps your swimming plugs secure. Available in thirteen colours (including patterned sharks and sea critters colours in small size and now dinosaurs and princesses), they’re a stylish swimming accessory that’s far more comfortable than a swim cap. The textured inside of the swimming band conforms to the head, preventing slippage even in the ocean or while taking part in watersports. In terms of sizing, small generally suits a 1-3 year old, medium a 4-9 year old, with the large suiting everything from 10 years up to adult. There’s a sizing guide on the product page, measure your child’s head before ordering for the most secure fit.
SurfEars 3.0 Ear Plugs for Surfing
$64.99
For the vast majority of recorded history, surfers wanting to protect their ears from wind and cold water crammed them with blu tack and hoped for the best. Surfers, you no longer need to raid your office supplies! The SurfEars is a complete ear solution for surfers and open water swimmers, with a variety of optimisations that let you hear conversations while keeping wind, grime, and cold water out.
The SurfEars system comes with four different ear tips and two different ear wings for each ear. This means you can make a totally separate set of plugs for your left and right ear, accounting for differences in sizing or comfort. Unlike a one size fits all plug, this level of control over fit ensures security and comfort for those long sessions in the water. A leash keeps the plugs safe around your neck and secure, even when you wipe out.
These SurfEars are the Version 3.0 model, including a variety of optimisations to increase strength and reliability. Acoustic mesh works to filter out wind/water while still allowing you to hear — great for safety as well as having a chat between sets. The mesh has been reinforced, as has the leash, ensuring reliability over the entire season. For younger grommets, age four to twelve, the SurfEars Junior is available too.
Zoggs Aqua Plugz Ear Plugs for Surfing and Swimming
$16.99
In any country with beaches, there’s a particular shame around not knowing how to swim. Thankfully, the culture is changing and more and more adults are taking to the pool for the first time and practicing their freestyle. If you’re taking up lap swimming as your New Year’s Resolution, a simple pair of reusable swimming plugs can make for more comfortable workouts.
The Zoggs are the gold standard among reusable plugs. The unique shape of the tips and the wings ensure a consistent seal for all adult ear shapes, ensuring a water tight seal no matter how fast you’re going. Somewhat uniquely for ear plugs, the Zoggs block almost no sound — making them appropriate for conversation with your lane partner or hearing announcements over the PA. They’re made of a hypoallergenic, soft silicone, ensuring comfort and preventing irritation in the sensitive ear canals. They’re a durable reusable plug, designed to last an entire season of consistent swimming — so far more economical than single use swim plugs.
Available also in a smaller size for kids, the Zoggs are a must have swim accessory for your junior squad participant.
$114.99
The worst part about leaving the water is that strange, balance-breaking feeling of wet ears. Sometimes it gets so deep, you worry it’ll never get out. Wet ears can be particularly disruptive for the little ones, prone to ear infections at the best of times and liable to let you hear about it for the entire drive home.
At Earjobs, we don’t recommend jamming the beach towel into the ears. Your ear canals are sensitive, you should never put anything deeper than an ear plug is designed to go. Thankfully, Macks have come in with an electronic ear dryer, designed to sensitively and comfortably remove water from the ear. This summer, prevent Swimmer’s Ear, Ear Infections or just discomfort by drying those ear canals.
The EarDryer works by gently blowing warm air into the canal, dislodging trapped water with the ventilated ear tip, The internal heating element controls temperature, while the custom motor regulates air pressure, ensuring comfortable air regulation. It folds up for easy travel in your beach bag and is powered by 3 AA Batteries.
The EarDryer includes four colour-coded, washable ear pieces to allow multiple family members to use the same unit. Just switch the ear pieces between uses and there you have it: hygienic and safe. While we mostly use this at the beach, it can be used after bath or shower time, for swimming lessons, even for drying hearing aids.