It fulfils the IP 67 standard ("Ingress Protection", the numbers indicate the degree of protection). This means that the hearing aids are largely protected against the ingress of water and dust. Ambitious racing cyclist, MTB and touring cyclist Wolfgang Struckmeier, himself hard of hearing and a hearing aid acoustician by profession, tested the Ambra M H2O model from Phonak on a tour around the Adriatic Sea, covering the route Venice-Bari-Dubrovnik-Trieste. For several weeks, the device had no failures: "It proved its dust-tightness, especially on the SS61, after which the wash water resembled a broth," reports the cyclist. Sweat flow over thousands of metres of altitude did not harm the hearing aid, nor did a swim test in the Adriatic (note: IP 67 does not mean absolute waterproofness!). Safety-relevant is "that you can hear traffic approaching from behind earlier - sometimes better than people with normal hearing". Conversations are also possible, and wind noise is no louder than without a hearing aid.
PLUS Works in rain, sweat and road dust; increases road safety through better perception of approaching vehicles
MINUS Larger and somewhat bulkier than some sophisticated indoor appliances
Price approx. 1,500 euros (depending on model and service)
Reference/Info www.phonak.com
