so how effective?
 

So how effective should the 'custom' ear plugs (same as ultimate squigees) be when in use. I must admit to being concerned that they will be too good and blank out too much noise. I am eagerly awaiting their delivery.

When the moulding compound was injected into my ears it was super quiet and quite pressurised.

Thanks
Lee

How much is too much?
 

It's a good question. There is no doubt that (fitting issues aside) you will get excellent sound reduction from a set of custom plugs. By talking to different bikers it is immediately apparent that each person's sensitivity to sound varies ENORMOUSLY. Some people can ride without plugs for hours on the motorway and not suffer remarkable discomfort (ignoring the longterm damage that is statistically likely for a minute) when others can only stand minutes of riding at speed without plugs of some sort (me). A relevant example of this during the fitting of custom plugs. Some report incredible sound reduction whilst I myself found it to be no quieter than that which you'd experience from a really good set of plugs. It is colder and slimier though. If you're worried about them covering up too much sound then you can test this by putting a good set of Max foam plugs in your ears and go for a ride. The custom plugs will not be better than that (they are the same at low freqs but slightly less effective at high freqs - read up on SNR and NMR and compare what the different manufacturers quote).

My advice for anyone thinking of getting these plugs is to accept that you may be writing-off say, £50, to get them made only to find that they don't work or that they are the best things ever. They are comfortable, clean, convenient etc but, on the flip-side, they may not work for you. Just don't get £170 headphones made up until you know that they will fit and that you like them or you may be wasting your money. Good luck everyone.

In relation to custom ear plugs what you wont hear is - at low speed transmission and chain noise , at high speed deafening wind noise . You can still hear car horns and sirens so i wouldnt bother with the little pipe that can be added . They are far superior to any other ear plug i have ever worn , you can wear them all day without discomfort - so well handy if you have a noisey hotel room , they are easy to keep clean plus i use them for them for shooting as well . All in all well worth the cash :thumbup1:

CUSTOM plugs
 

The plugs have arrived, I am very pleased with the quality and finish on the plugs. The fit is nothing less than perfect and they seem comfortable, although I have only worn them for a little while at home.

With regards to the quantity of noise that is stopped, I can no longer hear my wife talking to me and I have a vague notion that I have two kids somewhere in the house. I can hear Sky Sports fine though.....strange that..

Joking aside, i am very pleased and hope to get a good ride in over the christmas break so I can road test them then aswell.

The verdict
 

Altogether very pleased.

Good comfort for 4 hours, good level of wind noise reduction and a funky blue colour to match my bike.

The verdict is that these plugs by Custom Made Ear Protection are good value for money and do the job well. What more can you want in a set of plugs?

Lee :thumbup1:

How do you intergrate ear plugs with speakers into a radio comms system with PTT button and mic? The only way I've seen, to avoid wires hanging all over is a throat mic with extra phones jack. How did you all do it?:confused1:

I'm not sure we all do, I couldn't be bothered with that kind of stuff, I just had earphones and an old mp3 player in my top pocket for listening to music on the long stretches.

while I'm here
 

Another piece of advice.
When the UK police have their earplugs made (some forces, with UtimateEar I gather) they do a 'Helmet on' impression. They squirt the goo in, put a plastic bag skullcap on and then your favourite lid.

I would say - ask for this and don't be fobbed-off. These things are supposed to go under a lid so get your money's worth and have it done in a way that will guarantee that when the lining is pressed on your head the ear plugs will still fit perfectly. They don't tell you but this is not always the case. Don't have the worry of will-it won't-it...cover your bases and do it!

I use basic soft plug's & have a autocom on my bike i can here it right through my plugs.
I also mark my plugs L & R at the base (opposite that do not go in ear), and keep them in a container to save possibility of ear infection