DUBS Product Review

You don't have to be old to enjoy DUBS. In fact, it makes sense to start using ear plugs (especially badass ones like DUBS) sooner rather than later. Me? I grew up with Walkmans, moved on to iPods and attended 100+ concerts in between. For me, it's more of a necessity. What separates DUBS from all the others (including DownBeats, which I also love) is clarity: You hear everything, only not as loud. In other words... the perfect pair of ear plugs.

Priced at $25 a pair, DUBS are available in four colors (blue, pink, teal and white) and come packaged in a convenient, see-through container (perfect for travel or tucking inside a pocket or purse.) These tiny wonders are practically invisible inside your ear; yet somehow, consist of 17 different parts. Even close up, they best resemble a modern bluetooth receiver (minus the irksome, blinking blue light.) In other words, no one would ever think you're wearing ear plugs.

DUBS lay flush against your ear, and stay there. This makes them ideal for long stretches or walks. They're also terrific on the Metro, allowing me to block out noisy passengers without having to play music. In order to truly evaluate them, we put DUBS to three bigger louder tests... A Neil Diamond concert, an IMAX screening of Furious 7 and last night's NHL playoff game between the Caps & Islanders. Two of the three events took place at Verizon Center, easily one of the (potentially) loudest venues in DC. Each time, I sat in blissful peace, as those around me squirmed in visible discomfort. Best of all, there's almost no distortion whatsoever. You can still catch every line by Vin Diesel; or sing along to "Sweet Caroline," without any/most of the pain. I can safely say DUBS saved my life (or at least my ears) during the hockey game, during which the sellout crowd was routinely encouraged to scream as loud as possible. By the way, who's the wiseguy who came up with the idea of a jumbotron decibel meter anyhow?

Looking for negatives? I suppose what makes them so enticing (their small size) also means you could lose them easily, if you're not careful (hence, the case.) Other than that, what's not to like? They're affordable, inconspicuous and best of all... efficient. I can't imagine attending another concert without them. Neither should you.

To learn more about the technical jargon (low/high pass paths, etc.) click here. Already sold? Click here to purchase online.