I do a lot of shooting, mainly competition trap shooting. When i was like 12 i got a set of custom molded plugs for like 40 bucks or so. Ive been wearing them since. They are amazing. They mold them inside of your ear, so they fit great. They dont stick out of your ear really at all, so they wont get hung up on a helmet. Usually after i shoot 1-200 rounds my ears feel fine, not really any ringing or anything. I can still hear pretty good with them in, but its really easy to get them out and put in. My dad carries on conversations with his in. They also have some that you can have a hearing aid put in, or headphones for a ipod or something. Ive only seen them at the shoots, but you might be able to find someplace locally. The place that made mine was really the only one at the shoot and they go all over. It doesnt take them long to make, they are cheap, and you can get them in almost any color you want, or a swirl. Thats probably the best thing you can do, and its fairly cheap. The hard part is finding the place to do it.
As for riding with them in I've never needed them. On the sleds the sound has never bothered me. But at truck and tractor pulls, if i remember to, i take mine and wear them. I can still talk to people but it doesnt hurt my ears. I also got mine in a bright orange so when i drop them in the grass i can usually find them.
