Moldex 6800 Pura-Fit Uncorded Earplugs NRR 33 200 Pairs Review (2026)

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NRR 33 in a Foam Earplug That Requires No Roll-Down — Is the Moldex 6800 Worth It?

Most disposable foam earplugs require you to roll the foam into a tight cylinder, hold it compressed while you insert it, then keep your hand on it for 30–60 seconds while it expands. On a loud job site — or in a plant where workers repeat that sequence hundreds of times a shift — that friction adds up fast. The Moldex 6800 Pura-Fit skips the roll-down entirely. A gentle twist-and-insert motion seats the tapered plug, and the foam does the rest. Combined with an NRR of 33 dB — the highest rating available under ANSI S3.19 — it’s a compelling option for any hearing protection program. This review breaks down whether the Pura-Fit earns that rating in practice.

Moldex 6800 Pura-Fit Uncorded Earplugs NRR 33 (200 Pairs) — Full Review (2026)

The Moldex 6800 is a disposable, uncorded, polyurethane foam earplug rated NRR 33 dB under ANSI S3.19-1974. It ships in boxes of 200 pairs, making it a logical bulk buy for facilities running an OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95 hearing conservation program. The plug is SKU 6800, GTIN 0092311680002, and is completely free of latex, PVC, chloroprene, and diisocyanates — a meaningful consideration for workplaces with documented chemical sensitization policies.

Who This Review Is For

This review is written for safety managers, purchasing coordinators, and individual workers evaluating the Moldex 6800 for a hearing conservation program or personal daily use. It covers real-world fit, NRR math under OSHA’s mandated 50% derating, series comparisons, and total cost of ownership — not marketing copy.

If you’re choosing between the Moldex Pura-Fit and competing NRR 33 plugs like the 3M 1100 or Howard Leight MAX, the Best Earplugs for Work guide and the Best Moldex Earplugs guide provide side-by-side comparisons. This article focuses exclusively on the 6800 SKU.

If you’re newer to hearing protection and want to understand why NRR numbers look different on OSHA paperwork than on the box, start with the NRR Hearing Protection Guide before reading this review.

Who Should Buy the Moldex 6800 Pura-Fit

The 6800 is the right plug for:

• Industrial facilities running OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95 programs where bulk dispensing from an Ear Plugs station is standard practice.
• Workers with latex or PVC sensitivities — the Pura-Fit’s material certifications eliminate common irritants.
• High-turnover environments where disposable plugs are practical and per-pair cost needs to be low.
• Noise levels above 95 dBA TWA — after OSHA’s 50% derating, NRR 33 yields approximately 13 dB of effective protection, pushing the safe exposure threshold to approximately 103 dBA TWA before additional controls are needed.

It is not the right plug for workers operating near conveyor belts, rotating machinery, or any environment where a lost uncorded earplug creates a contamination or entanglement hazard. Those workers should review the reusable vs. disposable earplug comparison or the corded 6900 variant.

What the Moldex 6800 Does Well

Maximum NRR Under ANSI S3.19

ANSI S3.19-1974 is the measurement standard used for all NRR ratings on hearing protectors sold in the U.S. NRR 33 is the ceiling — no plug on the market carries a higher rating under this standard. Per the NRR Hearing Protection Guide, OSHA requires employers to halve the NRR before applying it to TWA calculations: (33 − 7) ÷ 2 = 13 dB of effective attenuation. That means a 103 dBA exposure drops to a compliant 90 dBA.

No-Roll-Down Insertion

Traditional cylindrical foam plugs require tight rolling, proper insertion depth, and sustained finger pressure during expansion. The Pura-Fit’s tapered bell shape inserts with a gentle twist — no compression required. Fewer steps means fewer fit errors, which is critical in programs where fit-testing (OSHA 1910.95 Appendix B) isn’t conducted plug-by-plug. Industrial hygienists who follow the OSHA Hearing Conservation Program Guide will recognize this as a meaningful compliance advantage.

Material Certifications

The 6800 is latex-free, PVC-free, chloroprene-free, and diisocyanate-free. This combination is uncommon in commodity foam earplugs. For facilities where SDS compliance and chemical sensitization documentation matter, having a plug that eliminates these four common irritants simplifies the safety data sheet program.

High-Visibility Color

The yellow-green color makes visual compliance audits practical — supervisors can confirm from a distance that workers on the floor are wearing protection. OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95(b)(1) requires employers to provide protection in noise areas exceeding an 8-hour TWA of 85 dBA. A color that confirms use from 20 feet away reduces the need for intrusive proximity checks.

Bulk Dispenser Compatibility

The 6800 is compatible with Moldex’s EcoStation line. A properly mounted dispenser at workstation entry points — combined with a visual reminder to insert before entering — raises compliance rates significantly versus box-on-a-shelf distribution. See the series section below for dispenser SKUs.

Where the Moldex 6800 Falls Short

Uncorded Format in Machinery Environments

An uncorded earplug that falls out near rotating or conveyor equipment is both a contamination risk (food, pharma, semiconductor) and a potential entanglement hazard. OSHA’s machine guarding standards (29 CFR 1910.212) don’t specifically address loose earplugs, but most facility safety programs prohibit uncorded plugs near certain equipment classes. If that’s your environment, the corded 6900 is the correct series choice.

Long-Run Cost for Individual Users

At 200 pairs per box, the per-pair cost is competitive for bulk industrial use. For individual workers who want daily hearing protection over months or years, a reusable plug with a case is lower lifetime cost. The Reusable vs. Disposable Earplugs guide walks through the math in detail.

Fit Is Not Universal

Tapered foam plugs work well for average adult ear canal geometries. Workers with unusually narrow or wide canals may find the 6800 seals imperfectly, reducing real-world attenuation below the labeled NRR 33. An earmuff overlay or a different plug shape addresses this — see the Best Earmuffs guide for dual-protection options when single plugs don’t achieve required attenuation.

No Individual Carry Case

The 200-pair box is a bulk distribution format. There is no individual carry case included. Workers who need to store a pair in a pocket between wearing need to source a separate earplug case or use a Moldex dispenser takeaway caddy.

Competitor Comparison

NRR values per ANSI S3.19-1974 labeling. Effective attenuation requires OSHA 50% derating. See the Best Earplugs for Work guide for full comparison methodology.

Compatible Accessories: Dispensers, Cases, and PPE Combinations

The Moldex 6800 is designed to integrate with Moldex’s EcoStation dispenser ecosystem. Relevant accessories from the broader PPE category include:

• Moldex 6705 EcoStation — wall-mount dispenser holding 500 pairs of 6800 plugs. Mounts at 48″ height per ergonomic guidance. Suitable for plant entry checkpoints.
• Moldex 6535 EcoStation XL — extended-capacity (750 pairs) version, lower restock frequency for large-shift operations.
• Moldex 6835 TouchFree EcoStation — contactless dispensing for cleanroom, food processing, or pharmaceutical applications where hand contact with the dispenser is restricted.
• Moldex 6844 PlugStation 250 — smaller desktop/portable format, 250-pair capacity, suitable for tool cribs or satellite safety stations.
• Safety glasses compatibility — because the 6800 is uncorded with no over-the-ear cord, it is fully compatible with any safety glasses frame without pressure point conflicts. Workers pairing hearing protection with eye protection from the Hearing Protection collection can use the 6800 alongside standard wrap-around frames.

NRR 33, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95, and ANSI S3.19: What the Numbers Mean

The Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) is measured under ANSI S3.19-1974, the American standard for hearing protector attenuation testing. Lab subjects wear the plugs under ideal supervised conditions; the NRR reflects the best-case attenuation in that controlled setting.

OSHA’s hearing conservation standard, 29 CFR 1910.95, requires employers to apply a 50% derating to the labeled NRR before using it for TWA calculations. The formula: Effective Attenuation = (NRR − 7) ÷ 2. For the Moldex 6800: (33 − 7) ÷ 2 = 13 dB. That means a worker in a 103 dBA TWA environment effectively receives a derated 90 dBA exposure — meeting OSHA’s permissible exposure limit (PEL) for an 8-hour shift.

For noise environments above 103 dBA TWA, dual protection (plug plus earmuff) is the appropriate engineering control path. The Best Earmuffs guide covers compatible over-ear options. The broader context for program design is in the OSHA Hearing Conservation Program Guide.

The 6800 is a NIOSH-accepted hearing protection device, meaning it has cleared NIOSH’s review criteria for inclusion in hearing protector databases used by industrial hygienists. NIOSH’s recommended derating is more aggressive than OSHA’s — 25% for well-fitted foam plugs in experienced users; 50% for untrained workers — which aligns with real-world attenuation research showing significant performance degradation when insertion technique is suboptimal. The Pura-Fit’s no-roll-down design partially addresses this gap. For deeper background on hearing protection for industrial workers, the linked guide covers engineering controls, administrative controls, and HPD selection criteria.

Total Cost of Ownership

The 6800 ships 200 pairs per box. At the WC Safety price of $43.00 per box, the per-pair cost is approximately $0.22 per pair. For a crew of 20 workers each using one pair per 8-hour shift, five days per week, annual plug cost is roughly $1,140 — before factoring in dispenser hardware or administrative overhead.

Comparison points:

• Reusable plugs: A reusable NRR 30+ plug at $3–$5 per unit, replaced quarterly, runs $12–$20 per worker per year — meaningfully cheaper for individual programs, but requires a tracking and hygiene protocol. See the Reusable vs. Disposable Earplugs guide.
• Dispenser investment: The 6705 EcoStation costs more upfront but reduces per-plug waste (workers take one pair versus grabbing multiple from an open box) and lowers long-run cost for high-volume programs.
• OSHA citation risk offset: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95 citations for failure to provide adequate hearing protection are grouped-size violations. The cost of a single serious citation exceeds months of earplug budget. The 6800’s NIOSH acceptance and ANSI S3.19 labeling provide documented compliance evidence.

For broader Ear Plugs sourcing options in bulk, the collection page lists current inventory across NRR ratings and formats.

Final Verdict

The Moldex 6800 Pura-Fit is one of the most defensible earplug choices for industrial hearing conservation programs. Maximum NRR 33 under ANSI S3.19, a no-roll-down insertion that reduces fit error rates, latex/PVC/diisocyanate-free material certifications, high-visibility color, and EcoStation dispenser compatibility combine into a package that covers both compliance documentation and practical floor-level usability. The only structural limitation is the uncorded format — which disqualifies it from some machinery environments. For programs where uncorded plugs are permitted, this is a top-tier bulk earplug choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NRR of the Moldex 6800?

The Moldex 6800 carries an NRR of 33 dB, measured under ANSI S3.19-1974. This is the maximum NRR achievable for earplugs sold in the U.S. Under OSHA’s required 50% derating: (33 − 7) ÷ 2 = 13 dB of effective attenuation.

Is the Moldex 6800 OSHA compliant?

Yes. The 6800 is a NIOSH-accepted hearing protection device with a labeled NRR under ANSI S3.19-1974, meeting the hearing protector requirements of OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95. Employers must still apply the 50% derating and verify the derated NRR is sufficient for their specific noise exposure levels.

What is the difference between the 6800 and 6900?

Both are Pura-Fit series, both NRR 33, both use the same no-roll-down tapered insertion. The 6800 is uncorded; the 6900 is corded. Choose the 6900 for environments where a lost plug creates a contamination or machinery hazard.

How do you insert the Moldex 6800?

Reach over your head with the opposite hand, pull the ear canal upward and outward, then insert the tapered end of the plug with a gentle rotational twist. No rolling or compression is required. The foam seals on contact with the canal walls as it expands. Hold for approximately 15–20 seconds.

Are the Moldex 6800 earplugs latex-free?

Yes. The 6800 is latex-free, PVC-free, chloroprene-free, and diisocyanate-free. It is appropriate for workers with documented latex allergies or chemical sensitivities to those materials.

Can the Moldex 6800 be reused?

No. The 6800 is a single-use disposable earplug. Reusing foam earplugs degrades the foam cell structure and reduces attenuation. Dispose after each shift. For a reusable option in the same NRR range, the Reusable vs. Disposable Earplugs guide covers alternatives.

Can you wash the Moldex 6800?

No. The 6800 is a disposable earplug not designed for washing or reuse. Introducing moisture into the polyurethane foam changes the expansion characteristics and compromises the acoustic seal. Discard after use.

How do I calculate OSHA-derated protection from NRR 33?

OSHA formula: subtract 7 from the NRR, then halve the result. (33 − 7) ÷ 2 = 13 dB. Subtract 13 from the C-weighted TWA (or add 5 dB to the A-weighted TWA, then subtract 13). Full methodology is in the NRR Hearing Protection Guide.

What dispenser fits the Moldex 6800?

The 6800 is compatible with the Moldex 6705 EcoStation (500 pairs), 6535 EcoStation XL (750 pairs), 6835 TouchFree EcoStation, and 6844 PlugStation 250 (250 pairs).

How many pairs are in a box of Moldex 6800?

200 pairs per box.

What color is the Moldex 6800?

Yellow-green (high-visibility). The color enables visual compliance checks from a distance — supervisors can confirm workers are wearing protection without requiring close-range inspection.

Moldex 6800 vs. Howard Leight MAX — which is better?

Both are NRR 33 disposable foam plugs at similar price points. Key differences: the Moldex 6800 requires no roll-down (twist insert), is certified latex/PVC/diisocyanate-free, and integrates with the EcoStation dispenser ecosystem. The Howard Leight MAX uses a traditional roll-down cylinder. For most industrial programs, the no-roll-down advantage and material certifications favor the 6800. The Best Earplugs for Work guide includes a full comparison.

When do I need dual hearing protection?

When the noise TWA exceeds 103 dBA — the ceiling where NRR 33 (derated to 13 dB) no longer brings exposure below 90 dBA. At that level, an earmuff overlay is required. See the Best Earmuffs guide and the Best Hearing Protection for Industrial Workers guide.

Does the Moldex 6800 qualify for an OSHA hearing conservation program?

Yes. OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95(i)(3) requires that hearing protectors attenuate worker exposure to at least 90 dBA (or 85 dBA in the action level program). With derated attenuation of 13 dB, the 6800 qualifies for noise environments up to 103 dBA TWA. For program design, see the OSHA Hearing Conservation Program Guide.

What ANSI standard governs the NRR 33 rating?

ANSI S3.19-1974, the current EPA-mandated standard for NRR labeling on hearing protectors sold in the U.S. A newer standard (ANSI/ASA S12.42) exists but is not yet required by the EPA for labeling purposes.

What is the best Moldex earplug overall?

It depends on the application. The 6800 is the top choice for high-volume bulk programs requiring NRR 33. For corded needs, the 6900. For reusable programs, Moldex offers the Contours and BattlePlugs series. The Best Moldex Earplugs guide covers the full lineup with selection criteria.

When should I choose corded vs. uncorded earplugs?

Uncorded (like the 6800) is suitable for stationary or open-floor work where a lost plug poses no equipment risk. Corded (like the 6900) is required near rotating machinery, conveyor belts, or in environments with contamination controls. For a detailed breakdown, see the Reusable vs. Disposable Earplugs guide.

Where can I compare all top earplugs side by side?

The Best Earplugs for Work guide and the Best Hearing Protection for Industrial Workers guide both provide multi-product comparisons across NRR, insertion type, and program fit.

About the Author

Steven Eaton | WC Safety Editorial | Published June 12, 2026

Steven Eaton is the editor and founder of WC Safety (wcsafety.com), an industrial PPE retailer and safety content publisher. He has reviewed PPE product lines across respiratory protection, hearing conservation, eye protection, and fall arrest since 2012. Content on WC Safety is grounded in OSHA regulations, ANSI standards, and NIOSH guidance — not manufacturer claims.

Review Methodology

This review was produced by analyzing the Moldex 6800 product page at wcsafety.com, cross-referencing the ANSI S3.19-1974 NRR test standard, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95 hearing conservation requirements, and NIOSH’s hearing protector device database. No claims in this review are fabricated or extrapolated beyond verifiable specifications. Where real-world attenuation may differ from labeled NRR, we apply OSHA’s mandated 50% derating and note NIOSH’s additional derating guidance. Competitor data is sourced from publicly available product specifications.