Discounted earplugs: not any more

[Scootabout]

I'd been suspicious for some time that the last batch of earplugs I bought were substandard. They were Howard Leight Laser Lite like previous batches, but didn't seem to work as well. The sizing seemed different. Some of the polythene bags enclosing the pairs didn't have perforations. They didn't seem to block sound as well as the old ones.
I'd bought them at a discount on the auction site. About a tenner less for a box of 200 than Protec charged.

I've finally bought a new batch, this time from https://www.protecdirect.co.uk/
The first and only pair I've tried so far are obviously better. I'm annoyed, both with the previous supplier and with myself, for persisting with the duff batch. I sort of didn't really believe they could be substandard. The box and packaging all seemed legit. I now suspect they were seconds that somehow found their way onto the market. I think my hearing might have been damaged a bit - I have a bit of tinnitus now that I didn't have a couple of years ago.

I will never again buy PPE from an unknown supplier.

Anyone else had a similar experience?

[Skub]

There was this one time in Thailand.

[Scootabout]

There was this one time in Thailand.

You're talking about a different sort of PPE, aren't you?

[Claude]

Interestingly I’ve felt the last patch I bought haven’t been as good. Likewise the individual pack perforations aren’t as good as the previous box and the fit can be hit or miss.

[TightRS]

There was this one time in Thailand.

You're talking about a different sort of PPE, aren't you?

Vietnam Confiscates Over 300,000 Recycled Condoms for Sale
The police in Vietnam have seized more than 300,000 used condoms that had been boiled, dried and put up for sale in a southern province.

Officers who raided a warehouse in the province of Binh Duong on Saturday found the recycled condoms in bags weighing almost 800 pounds

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/25/worl ... ndoms.html

Binh Duong? More like Bin Dong! No wonder there's a discount on scampi flavour....

[Scootabout]

Binh Duong? More like Bin Dong! No wonder there's a discount on scampi flavour....

I think weeksy needs to add a "look of horror" icon to the response options.

[Scootabout]

Interestingly I’ve felt the last patch I bought haven’t been as good. Likewise the individual pack perforations aren’t as good as the previous box and the fit can be hit or miss.

Where did you buy them? Some dodgy [auction site] supplier, or a 'reputable' one?

[weeksy]

Binh Duong? More like Bin Dong! No wonder there's a discount on scampi flavour....

I think weeksy needs to add a "look of horror" icon to the response options.

Decent smilies are hard to find. Certainly in the format we need.

[Scootabout]

Decent smilies are hard to find. Certainly in the format we need.

Only kidding! Thanks for taking this thing on. It's going well, IMO.

[Claude]

Interestingly I’ve felt the last patch I bought haven’t been as good. Likewise the individual pack perforations aren’t as good as the previous box and the fit can be hit or miss.

Where did you buy them? Some dodgy [auction site] supplier, or a 'reputable' one?

Er... can't remember TBH it was years ago!

[Claude]

I'd been suspicious for some time that the last batch of earplugs I bought were substandard. They were Howard Leight Laser Lite like previous batches, but didn't seem to work as well. The sizing seemed different. Some of the polythene bags enclosing the pairs didn't have perforations. They didn't seem to block sound as well as the old ones.
I'd bought them at a discount on the auction site. About a tenner less for a box of 200 than Protec charged.

I've finally bought a new batch, this time from https://www.protecdirect.co.uk/
The first and only pair I've tried so far are obviously better. I'm annoyed, both with the previous supplier and with myself, for persisting with the duff batch. I sort of didn't really believe they could be substandard. The box and packaging all seemed legit. I now suspect they were seconds that somehow found their way onto the market. I think my hearing might have been damaged a bit - I have a bit of tinnitus now that I didn't have a couple of years ago.

I will never again buy PPE from an unknown supplier.

Anyone else had a similar experience?

Ordered a box of 200 from here. Ta