Your not the first person to mention that your ears change shape over time, so the fit then deteriorates. But there is a difference of opinion on here, quite a few are pro custom, but a few think their not worth it, so still not sure what to do. But anyway thanks for the reply's people.
Having bought a set of the Auritech custom made ceramic filter earplugs when I was at the NEC show back in early December 2015 and worn them twice now, I have to brutally honest and say I find them very little different from my preferred Howard Leight 'Max' foam plugs. They still transmit wind noise and at any speed above 40mph the satnav instructions from my Garmin remain barely audible. So for me, whilst the 'jury is still out' I am beginning to think they were a total waste of money and I am going to make contact with Auritech and give them some negative feedback on what I had thought was a topline product....:confuse:
I wear Bose noise cancelling earphones - they're brilliant and still going strong after 3 years of use - expensive but worth it
Howard Leight Max Lites for me too. I considered custom at one stage because I struggled to get plug in right ear but tried the max lites after numerous recommendations. I got 400 for £15. Ride with a pocket full and never worry about dropping them.
I went through loads of disposable ones before deciding the best for me were the E-A-R Soft FX. BUT you have to ensure they are correctly fitted and they slip out when your ears area bit sweaty in the summer. 400 FOAM EAR PLUGS 200 PAIRS OF EAR SOFT FX EARPLUGS | eBay That said I've bough a pair of custom ones at the bike show, still not arrived yet though!
Ive got custom ear plugs, can't remember what make they are but I've had them about 5 or 6 years. I like them but they make my ears hurt if I wear them for prolonged periods under my helmet so I've reverted to the foam type which are as effective and don't cause me any pain. I still wear the custom ones just depends how far I'm going. Interesting point above about ear canals changing shape, perhaps I need a new pair - although for the cost I'll probably just stick with the foam type.
Please try these: Mack's ear seals. They are fantastic. I too have custom-made earplugs (more than 1 pair) yet find the Mack's plugs more effective. I came across them in a chemist in the States and have worn them ever since. Plenty of places sell them in the UK now, just google them. Macks Ear Seals Earplugs x 1 Pair | Earplugshop.com | Earplugshop.com
I'd say if you can get conventional disposable foam plugs to fit you properly, so they do block out the noise, don't bother paying extra for custom fit. I have tiny weeny narrow ear canals and I simply can't get foam plugs to jam in my ears effectively, and then stay put when I've pulled my lid onto my head. I can sometimes get Howard Leight max lites to roll up and squish in for sleeping (blocking out snoring), but as soon as I pull my lid on, because there's still quite a bit sticking out of my ear, they come out. So I've got Ultimate Ears, and even they don't fit that far down my canals (my moulds don't look much like the pictures you'd see on their website), but they're better than nothing. The best I've found for sleeping are the Bio-ears silicone which you mould and squish to fit, a bit like a more user friendly version of the old style wax ones, but I wouldn't want to use those on a bike as they're kind of sticky (a bit blue-tacky) and would probably leave residue in my lid.
I have custom moulded ear plugs from Ultimate ear. Only reason I got them was to make my intercom better for my good lady and I. They are fantastic, improved the comms system 100%, but as others have said, if it's just noise reduction you want and can use the foam ones - then stick to them.
Think you convince yourself that as they are bespoke to you, the £100 ones "must" be better. The sales guys will defend their products to the hilt, but having been foolish enough to buy some, and then buying a variety bag of cheapy plugs from eBay, some of the penny plugs are a lot better. Better levels of noise cancelling and comfort for a fraction of the cost. Sure we'll get a vendor say some bollocks "science" and research, but I'm happy to decide on a simple test. Are they comfortable. Can I hear the wind. No lab needed for that then.
Yes they are - you can use in a variety of ways with or without music At the Bose outlet shop you can normally get 20% discount Plus you get to use them off the bike to Worth trying if your near a Bose stockist
I had a pair custom fitted at the NEC show many years ago. Used them once or twice, then put them in the bin and went back to max-lites. Problem? The fitting paid no heed to the pressure exerted on my ears by my helmet. Wearing the helmet completely changed the comfort and fit of the plugs, rendering them uncomfortable and useless. That's not to say that the foam ones are perfect. Far from it. I find that sometimes I can insert a brand new max-lite and the noise attenuation is poor. I then have to stop, helmet faff, remove, insert another, helmet faff and off I go. So for me the moral of the story is carry more than one pair (fortunately they are cheap), and don't accept poor attenuation, otherwise the kettle boiling will be coming to you!
Each to their own opinion. There is a chap on eBay that sells a selection of different types so you can try them out. Super Strong Foam Earplug Sample Pack - Selection Of The Best Noise Blockers | eBay I find them very soft and they gave the best noise suppression and comfort... perhaps you just have weird ears
it's clear everyone has their own preferred solution that they choose and works for them. What price do you put on your hearing ? @Pete1950
