My custom fit plugs are good for "short" duration only. For a longer ride they start to feel like hard rubber in there.
Foamies work best for me.

 

I'm doing pretty well with my custom plugs from PlugUp.... ( I use them for my iPod on long trips)
They are plenty comfortable for me ( my 12 day trip this year averaged out to ~600 miles a day with them in the whole time)

Honestly the best hearing protection I have used ( and best sounding for music) are the S-plugs. I should have never given those to the wife.

 

......actually not true. when I had the custom ones made (had to for work) I was told that even the best custom ones work no better than a good quality foam one with a high db rating (33db seems to be the highest) as long as it is insterted and seated PROPERLY. The problem is that most people just cram em in there - an not far enough so they are not getting the proper protection.

The way to do it is to roll the foam plug between your finger and thumb until it is a very small cylinder..... reach around your head from behind with the opposite hand and pull your ear up and back a bit; this opens up the ear canal and makes it easier to properly insert the plug. Now insert the plug well into the ear and hold it there until it expands (10 - 15 seconds)..... repeat for the other side. The way to know if they are properly seated and sealed is if you can hear no difference when you put your hands over your ears. And keep in mind foam plugs are intended for single use only..... they are not for repeated use as they lose their expansion properties when repeatedly crushed. I buy them from the local industrial supply by the case of 200 pairs. This process is a bit of a pain in the *** so a lot of people dont bother doing it correctly.... for these folks the custom ones are probably better because you just pop em in and go and even though they are expensive (couple of hundred bux for proper ones fitted by an audiologist) they're probably cheaper in the long run than buying the disposable foam ones - depending on how much you ride.

Another thing I've noticed about the custom ones that make me prefer the foam ones is that I have a hard time getting the custom ones to stay seated. They are fine for a while but they seem to work themselves lose after a bit which is a huge pain in the *** cuz I don't want to have to pull over to put em back in all the time. The foamies do the job and stay put.

 

Extra soft foam plugs work great except for the time to roll them properly. My riding buddies have to wait another minute or two to get going but I can easily roll for another 200 miles with them in.

 

sounds like the same ones I use........ Earsoft Yellow Neons - NPR rating of 33db ..... about $25 for a box of 200 pairs.

 

I have a pair of custom made plugs from Big Ears. It was worth every penny of the $70 I paid for them. I will go deaf by many other ways, but not by the wind. I think it enhances the experience not to have all that loud, rushing wind noise cluttering your ear drums. If you think cheap, foam ear plugs are just as good, you're wrong.

 

I paid $175 for these.
http://www.westone.com/music-product...g/cr1-earphone
I wear them, always with a FF, when I need to use the intercom or want to listen to music/phone. They are rated at 25 NRR.
However, I too think that 33 NRR foam plugs are more comfortable and effective. I will usually switch back and forth on long trips.

 

ummmmmmm actually you are wrong........ but I'm willing to let it slide just this once because the pic in your sig is so nice

 

I think it's funny how much money some of you guys are paying for "custom" earplugs!!! LMAO! Without getting technical here (since I know someone will dispute anything) the foam ones (when properly intalled, of course) make things alot quieter. That all earplugs are really for. Geez.

 

I like the foam ones too. I found the best deal for them on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/100-Pairs-NRR33-...item335b394cb9