Custom ear plugs

[postal]

I have 3 pair from Ear Defenders. 2 for shooting, 1 for motorcycle riding.
I have "vent tubes" in my motorcycle plugs to equalize pressure and to allow some noise in to avoid being distracted by the sound of my breathing or hearing my whiskers brush against the helmet. (They work that well).
I think Baker charges 50.
My oldest pair is about 5 years old and holding up well.

THIS!!!!!!!

Baker/ear defenders hits all the so cal gunshows. They've been in the business a long time and know what they're doing.

These plugs tend to last about 6 years or so. Your ears change shape and size over time, though the plugs will still be fine, they will not fit properyl after about 5 + years.

Someone mentioned custom plugs for their young child. The child will outgrow the plugs VERY QUICKLY!!!!!!!

I'm on my second pair from Baker (from ears changing).

Someone mentioned the cost of foamies in comparison.....

2 things.

1- Custom molded plugs typically offer the highest amount of decible reduction for any single layer of protection. You can still double up with mouse ears on top of it if necessary.

2- My ear canal is very narrow, and foamies !!!!REALLY HURT!!!! after an hour or 2. It's very painfull in a short amount of time.

I wore my first set of custom plugs 8 hours a day, 5 days a week for a couple years at one job I had. No problems.

I would never use foamies again. EVER! unless I forgot my Baker/ear defenders.

[Tri750]

I have to be honest,bike NEVER washed my Bakers in 5 years!
Haha! To gross you out, I lick mine before putting them in to ease installation!
Never had a ear infection ever.
My motorcycle ones have the vent tubes that prevent them from shifting as no pressure can build up to pop them out.
I do suggest a BRIGHT color so they are seen by range officers from a distance so they won't think your unprotected.
Bright is good also if you drop them. I dropped my very first pair (BLACK) in the pits at Buttonwillow raceway. On the asphalt! Never did find them. I picked up rocks, bits of rubber from race tires thinking I found them!! Funny, but cost me 50 bucks to replace!!

[jyo]

As a lifelong shooter, protecting your ears is VERY important. Had a set of custom plugs made for me a the Shot Show many years ago---after wearing them for a short time, I found that the materal they were made of made the inside of my ears itch like CRAZY! Hopefully that has been fixed with newer, better materal...

[Merc1138]

As a lifelong shooter, protecting your ears is VERY important. Had a set of custom plugs made for me a the Shot Show many years ago---after wearing them for a short time, I found that the materal they were made of made the inside of my ears itch like CRAZY! Hopefully that has been fixed with newer, better materal...

Depends on who makes 'em. A lot of the instant stuff ready at the shows and things use the same material. The ones where they ship the molds off to a company to get made are different.

Of course everyone's ears are different, so custom plugs just might not work for some. But they're at least worth trying.

[postal]

Baker/Ear defender puts some sort of clear protective coating over the plugs.
That may or may not solve your problem of what sounds like some type of allergy.

[dinkydau]

I bought those plugs, maybe not the same company, at the San Mateo Sportsmans Expo about 4yrs ago or so. I used them but then left them in their box they were shipped in. Last year i tried them on again and they did not muffle the sound very well. The yellow foam Classic earplugs still work the best other than ear muffs. I might try the new custom plugs again to see if they reall work. Mine at that time were well over $100.

[DPmax]

I've used them for a few years now, they work great and I shoot a 338lm with only the plugs. Do yourself a favor and just get in line at the next gunshow you go to. I think I paid about $40 or $50 last time I had a pair done.
BTW, they do have this stuff as a DYI kit online but those tend to not setup or shrink, better to have them done with the proper goo.

[Merc1138]

I bought those plugs, maybe not the same company, at the San Mateo Sportsmans Expo about 4yrs ago or so. I used them but then left them in their box they were shipped in. Last year i tried them on again and they did not muffle the sound very well. The yellow foam Classic earplugs still work the best other than ear muffs. I might try the new custom plugs again to see if they reall work. Mine at that time were well over $100.

Your ears change shape over time. Just like you're supposed to go to the optometrist every few years to get your prescription checked if you wear glasses. Any of the people doing earplug molds should be up front about that.

[Tri750]

The clear coat Baker uses "seals" the surface of the plug against abrasion if you keep them in your pocket or banging around your range bag. The plastic case they give you protects them.
Baker can also trim them after the fact of they are not perfect. They Dremel them then recoat them.
Motorcycle plugs are smaller than shooting style so they don't foul your helmet.
The shooting style is chunky so they can be grabbed easier and deaden more sound.
I shot this morning and realized my shooting plugs also have the pressure vent. Still dead quiet.

[Hoshnasi]

There is a guy on big shoot days at Triple B that do this same process for $50.00. They even put spent primers in them as well (I don't think it has a purpose).

OOOORRRRR, you could save the cash and do the process by yourself at home.

[Merc1138]

There is a guy on big shoot days at Triple B that do this same process for $50.00. They even put spent primers in them as well (I don't think it has a purpose).

OOOORRRRR, you could save the cash and do the process by yourself at home.

Since you can't block your eardrum, you can't shove the radians goop in your ear far enough.

wtf would they put spent primers in earplugs? If you had case heads sticking out so from a distance it looked like you had brass stuff in your ears that would be kinda funny though.

[Hoshnasi]

Since you can't block your eardrum, you can't shove the radians goop in your ear far enough.

wtf would they put spent primers in earplugs? If you had case heads sticking out so from a distance it looked like you had brass stuff in your ears that would be kinda funny though.

Is that somehow different from the booth acquired plugs in OPs post?

[Merc1138]

Is that somehow different from the booth acquired plugs in OPs post?

What the professionals are supposed to do, it stuff a piece of foam in a string or some other kind of blocking material into your ear canal so the material used to make the earplugs or take a mold can safely be shoved far enough into your ear canal so get a proper fit. Otherwise you end up with a poor fit that leaks sound with the slightest movement(which is bad) or run the risk of causing problems with your ear drum(very bad).

While I'm sure it's possible to get the right amount in there to do it, I wasn't going to risk my hearing when I used the radians kit, and as a result they turned out crappy a couple days later and didn't fit well enough.



And this is a guy that went out of his way to do it wrong:

[thegamettt]

Is that somehow different from the booth acquired plugs in OPs post?

He uses the foam blockers you are supposed to use. Its a very deep fit with out any discomfort.