What about hunting earmuffs? I'm a little wary of sticking things in my ears ever since the time they got plugged up with earwax.

They have moldable ones. Some look like plastic ear probes, other (and more common) are a softer material that easily compress and expand into the canal unobtrusivly when let go. Seriously, just follow the directions on the package and don't go shoving the thing onto your ear drum .

i only started wearing ear plugs maybe three months ago. and i've been playing for about four years now. as a result, i'm now partially deaf in my left ear. so it's slightly difficult to listen to the guy on my left. but the hearing loss wasn't from drumline stuff, that was all my drumset's fault. (i like to blame things on my drumset, like "my drums made me do it" and stuff like that). so it kind of sucks when i'm trying to talk to someone in a crowd and other loud places.

And if you use earplugs that are suppose to last for a while be sure to clean them once in a while. I use some sort of germicidal spray that works just great. Soap and water wont do the trick KILL THE GERMS!!

I never used to wear earplugs. But now i make sure i have them with me everywhere. if i practice without them i can really feel the difference, and i know i've lost some hearing from druming so long with out them. i just want to make sure i save whatever hearing i still have left.

The hearing loss issue is a big deal with musicians in general. Even band directors and conductors suffer from it eventually. I just had an appointment with an audiologist a couple weeks ago. I found out that at the ripe age of 19 I already have significant damage to nerve cells in my outer ear. Ideally, people should wear ear protection not just during practice but also when you attend a loud concert/show/gig and maybe even football games. Things of that nature that are just loud. The moral of the story is wear your earplugs!! A little discomfort during rehearsal is worth it to not lay awake at night by the time you're 30 because you hear ringing in your ears.

Invest in some comfortable ear plugs. I use Alpine Ear Plugs, they reduce the sound but they don't affect normal speech that much. So if you wear them during rehearsal or while instructing you can still communicate with the others. And they are really comfortable! I paid about 30$ for one pair. That's a cheap investment for your hearing! I own several pairs (I keep misplacing them). Just remember to clean them once in a while (as mentioned earlier)

I notice my hearing loss the most with my left ear when I'm playing with my rock band on the set. I see the high hat moving but it doesn't sounds like I took the remote and lowered the volume, when I actually play louder.

i wouls personally reccomend sensophnics custom fitted ear plugs. they work great

Wow. I advise everyone to wear them.. As a result of drumming, my ears have a constant ring and I have very noticable hearing loss. Not good!