Alan Herdman

Whitewater Kayaker, Galway, Ireland

My name is Alan Herdman. I started kayaking over a decade ago and in this time my sport has brought me to all corners of my home country of Ireland, England, and both the French and Italian Alps. Having trained for years, I have been fortunate in that I get to work doing what I love as a kayaking instructor, which I find has a way of bringing its own adventure every day. Kayaking has provided me with some of the most unique experiences in my life, and through it I have had the pleasure of meeting many interesting personalities and inspiring people of whom I am proud to call friends. Following the rescue of 8 children from drowning in the Summer of 2015, I have been awarded several medals for bravery, and am delighted to have most recently been nominated for the Pride of Ireland awards being held later this year (read more here).

As a kayaker living on the stormy west coast of Ireland, I am often exposed to some rather unfortunate weather conditions and cool water temperatures. This, over the years has led to me developing Surfer’s Ear which can become quite painful on exposure to water. I use SurfEars because they are the only earplugs which I have found to provide the bombproof protection needed on the river, yet not impair my ability to hear, which can be essential for the safe navigation of some rapids. Looking after your body is important, and when it comes to the health of your ears, you should make no compromises.