Each time I buy new gear, or upgrade my helmet, I vow to get earplugs that work for me because I know I
should be looking after my lugholes.
The problem I have is that ALL plugs I've ever tried, from the cheap twist-and-stuff ones my instructor gave me 20 years ago (and which I secretly stashed in a pocket rather than wore), to today's vastly more expensive silicone rockets that come with their own carry case, all give me that slightly remote feeling I associate with a head cold. They screw with my balance, equilibrium, call it what you want, and I know when I'm using them that I'm a worse rider.
I get scrappy. They make me feel clumsy, like I have congestion. It's quiet but I don't feel safe, so I don't wear them
First question: is this really just me? Second question: is there anything else that works? I can't have things stuffed into my ears because, try as I might to get used to the idea, the feeling is basically wrong. I've spent days of riding trying to get over the sense of detachment and... I can't.
What I'm imagining is some sort of over-the-ear, noise-cancelling device whose level I can dial in and out to find a sweet spot. Does such a thing exist?