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Custom ear plugs

E

ecoyne

Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2012
Location
San Jose
Moto(s)
2016 Yamaha FJR 1300, 2015 Ducati Multistrada
I'm ready to take the plunge into the world of custom ear plugs...

I know there's lots of vendors such as plugup.com at motorcycle events, but is there anyone local that does the same setup?

Thanks in advance!

Eric
 
http://www.hearnet.com/shop/index.shtml

kinda expensive, I had some made for $60 but that wasn't local.
You might not like them- I don't. They feel like a hunk of plastic in my ears. I prefer foam plugs. (The main problem is caused by not inserting the disposable plugs fully.)
Also be aware you'll need to shave the outer edges of those silicone plugs with a razor blade so your helmet fits over the plugs.
 
Hmmm... The guy I got mine from is from Fairfield but met me in Danville to fit them. I like them. I'll post his contact stuf when it pops into my brain.
 
You don't really need someone local. You can have someone help with making the molds, but it's not difficult to do yourself. Marilyn at plugup keeps molds, so when I wanted a backup pair there was nothing involved other than sending money. She'll replace broken cords for almost nothing (35 dollars the last time I had it done) so they will last for a long time, my first pair are working fine and 5 years old. While not very noticeable on the bike, her dual driver model definitely have better upper range than the single driver models.

You can always take the mold kit she sends and have impressions done by a local audiologist.
 
I had the same idea as you when I decided I wanted a set of custom-molded plugs a few years ago. I started calling around to audiologists explaining what I wanted, and each time I got put on hold for several minutes and then a rather confused-sounding person would come back and tell me to schedule an appointment and they thought they might be able to do what I was looking for.

In the end, I opted to go to someone that had actually done this before (many times) and actually knew what the heck I was looking for. I did the mail-order ear impression from Marilyn at Plugup.com and my custom-molded earbuds turned out perfectly.
 
I got mine from superiorsoundtechnology.com
i am pleased
 
I got mine at a race day a couple of years ago, they had a vender spot. I wanted them for the track and riding, BUT I didn't wear my helmet when they were hardening in my ears so they are kinda uncomfortable to use with a helmet. So, if you want them for riding, especially if you are doing the expensive ones that connect to iPod for music, I strongly suggest you bring your helmet! I still wear mine whenever I need noise protection, they are tons better than the squeezy temp ones (IMHO).
 
Weird experience...

10 years ago I was fitted with custom molded earplugs by a medical professional/rider who did custom earplugs for riders. Even after a completely remolded second pair the earplugs failed completely and I gave up.

In the house they worked perfectly but on the road they were crazy-loud and I couldn't ride 5 miles on the freeway. Both pairs worked the exact same way. The buffeting noise was horrendous. Amazingly they somehow seemed to amplify the noise and they seemed worse than no earplugs at all. I couldn't believe the results. They didn't even work for sleeping as they were too big. I never said anything because I like the person who made the earplugs and those earplugs were very popular.

I still want some custom earplugs so I will try again. It will be cool if it works.
 
I read silicone type are more significantly more expensive, is that money spent worth it?

And now I contemplate getting filtered plugs, as I do run a Sena BT unit with speakers inside the helmet... Anyone tried a filtered plug?
 
Fit is extremely important. For comfort, obviously. But more important is that they must seal 100% completely. Any leakage and you will get a lot of low frequency sound transmission. I've had professional (audiologist) fit plugs that were perfect and ones that were poorly fit and let a lot of sound through.
 
Big waste of money in my case. Paid a high end place to make them. They sucked. Had them redone. They still sucked. Get better performance from the cheap disposable Hearos; I just cut them down a little, so they're more comfy in the helmet. I've also been wearing the malleable silicon ones lately and I think I like them the best of all.
 
Butch said:
I got mine from superiorsoundtechnology.com
i am pleased
Click to expand...

+1 Great people and great ear plugs. I have the plugs and a set of stereo custom earpieces. When I am on the plane I pop them in, volume about 1/2 and I cant hear anything except music :) :thumbup

When they make your plugs you can tell them they are for Motorcycling and they will size the "outside" accordingly :ride
 
Are we talking earplugs or earphones?

For just earplugs, I've not found anything better than plain foam ones.

For earphones, I made my own for $10.
 
ecoyne said:
... Anyone tried a filtered plug?
Click to expand...

I have a pair. The hole that allows the sound to pass is very small and clogs with ear wax. It's hard to get out. The filter part was not that great either, definitely not a big difference from just using solid plugs.
 
Not all customs are created equal. After buying a "motorcycle specific" pair I wasn't terribly happy with. I called Westone and talked to a guy named Rich Anesko, who was super helpful. Loads of useful information about what to order, what materials to use, etc. I would go with Westone again, but probably a call to any reputable maker might be worthwhile.

A few things to ponder...

Customs won't actually isolate more than properly fitted disposable foamies will. Most of the experts will tell you that right up front. They can get real close, but the 33NRR foamies will still block the most. The thing I like about customs is that they're always there, and super easy/quick to pop in.

Helmet shape and fit can make otherwise well-fitting customs not work so well. If (and how) the helmet liner deforms the shape of your outer ear, it can easily break the ear canal to plug seal. In other words, customs might require you to get a different helmet. And it's kinda impossible to test before they're made.
 
I got mine made from my ENT Dr. They just made a mold from my ears, sent it off and a week later i had my custom ear plugs. They're amazing. Also a portion of it was covered by insurance. Might want to look into it if you have an ENT Dr.

Either way you go you'll be so happy with custom fit earplugs.
 
i'm getting ready to pull the trigger on a set with integrated headphones. I have a set of regular ones now, and yes they are indeed worth every cent.
 
Appreciate all the suggestions and comments! Going to give it a shot!
 
I got my first pair at a local motorcycle show a couple of years ago and just got another pair a couple of months ago.

The company was www.fit-ear.com and they are in Colfax, CA. I don't know if that is near you.

No molds, they inject the stuff right into your ear.

My problem is that I could not get foam plugs to stay in my right ear. A bitch to get in and normally it was in the helmet at the end of the ride. Looking at the custom plugs, I now see that I have a very narrow ear canal.

They do take a little time to get used to, but are worth it.

Besides track days and bike shows, you might try gun shows.
 
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