Radians Custom Molded Earplugs

Used this kit to create a custom mold for a set of Shure E2 in-ear monitors. If this didn't work, I was in for a $90 trip to the audiologist to make impressions, send the impressions off to a lab to have them fitted for new molds for an additional $150 and then buy a different pair of in-ear monitors that would fit the new molds for at least another $100. YES, for $340 I'd have a superior result, but I like the E2's I already have and for $10... why not? All in all, my results were very good, and I ended up with a set of custom in-ear plugs that with just a little bit of tweaking afterward, block out almost all external sound and give me a very comfortable fit. The sound is great too, with better bass due to a good seal. My approach: Before I started, I grabbed a small prescription bottle to bite on and keep my mouth open while the mix was setting (the only thing I could think of - since I use these for musical performance while singing). Then I set up my phone to start the timer. I made sure to take off the existing sleeve from the in-ears and put the ultra small small fiberglass filter on the end of the sound hole to prevent silicone from getting into the driver. Scotch tape would probably work too. Then I split each jar of putty into 4 equal parts - giving me a total of 4 tries to make a good pair. (You will likely not get it perfect on the first try, so as long as you're resigned to that - you'll do all right). I prepared my in-ears like I was about to put them on. I then did one ear first by mixing the putty and hardener, being careful to fold over each fourth until the mix was one consistent color - or for about 30 to 45 seconds. I then gently placed the mix in one ear and pressed moderately, but not packing it too far into my ear. Lastly, I pushed the in-ear monitor in, like I was wearing it, and then wiggled it a little and smoothed out the edges. I then bit on the prescription bottle to simulate and open mouth and set the timer for 15 minutes, not 10 - and sat as still as I could. I carefully took them out after 15 minutes and did the other ear in the same way. They mixture set well and was very firm after 15 minutes. I set them aside for a few hours, pulled out the in-ear monitors and then used a drill bit to drill the sound hole out. Ultimately though, I needed to use pointed scissors to cut out a small sound hole into my ear from the monitors. The first one came out great, but the second one, the seal was not quite right. I must not have positioned the in-ear monitor properly. No problem, second time, it worked. I used the remaining putty to make some small plugs. I was very happy with this product. Definitely worth a try of $10 for me. Hope this helps someone else.

If you look at standard plastic ear plugs they are round and have sealing flanges. So if you are one of those folk whose ear canals are oval shaped or curved or anything but perfectly round standard plugs don't work. In fact they are worse than not working because they produce hotspots. Hotspots are where you put your earplugs in and then after a half hour or so you feel a burning pain like someone is drilling a hole in your ear with a red hot poker. Sometimes you can take the plugs out and sometimes you can't. Anything involving standard ear plugs plus a standard military aviation helmet/visor/oxygen mask produces a situation where not only do you have hot spots but you can't get the plugs out. There is a bone right under the skin of the ear canal where hotspots are the worst. Those little flanges tend to attack that bone first. I nearly forgot to mention foam rubber plugs. They produce fewer hotspots but you have to jam them in to keep them from popping out and then at a crucial time they break their seal and you get an earful of noise. And they itch when you get sweaty. These babies are better! I really wish they'd had these custom molded plugs back when I was in military aviation. If they are this comfortable out in the woods with a chain saw or out in the field on the tractor they'd be great wearing that skin tight aviator's helmet. Sweat doesn't bother them, there are no hotspots and they seem to attenuate ear-damaging high tones more than low pitched sounds. Some words of experience: 1) Instructions say to mix half, do one ear and then do the other. Next time I mold a set I'm going to mix both halves, then split in halves and do both ears at the same time. 2) Forget the mirror. An ear mirror reflected off the bathroom mirror through the distortion of your bifocals just doesn't work. Plus, unless you have two left hands you can't hold the mirror and shape the left plug. Then you need a spare right hand to do the same on the right. I got a second person with clean hands to help tidy up the outer surface. 3) I've bought several pairs of these through Amazon. Beware of one of Amazon's associates "123CloseOut". The one pair I bought from them still hasn't arrived and Amazon tacked on an extra un-advertised shipping charge for these pirates to ship to a PO box. Edited on 11/16/13 to add: All ear plugs of all varieties become uncomfortable if you leave them in long enough, but these less than any others, and less than most headsets. I've had time to wear this set for a couple of extended exposures since I wrote the review. They do start to itch a bit after four hours or so, about as much as foamies do after a half hour. Sweat seems to make them work a bit better, a definite plus. Wearing a radio headset over them is entirely do-able, though I have to turn up the volume to the top to be heard. But that's what they are for, to reduce sound. They work just fine alone, at least as good as any other single set of plugs or headphones I've ever used.

Uso como in ear pois sou músico e toco num lugar barulhento.

This is now my 3rd purchase of these. I’m sure they would last longer but I clean mine regularly and they tend to dry out. I get about a years use out of them before I replace them. Yes it does look like you have stuffed play doh in your ears, but I love have custom fit earplugs that are comfortable under a helmet.

Bought them for sleeping, the compound is very hard and not appropriate for sleep.

Product doesn't really work well. Not sufficient noise canceling for motorbikes or mowing.

Spent a lot of time researching various custom earplug kits.... I was thinking I’d go for the Pro Guards or the other Radians at around the £30 mark but I thought I would go cheaper first in case I don’t like them, or they don’t work or I’d make a mess of it ... I’d read so many reviews talking about these type of mixes getting stuck or going hard too quick etc and I wasn’t keen to spend too much only to waste it ... I’m glad I got this kit... it was perfect for my iem’s... I took off the ear tips of the iem’s RHA T20 and I blocked the filters with a bit of toilet roll... I cleaned my ears and hands etc and mixed half the material with each other which was easy and quick to do... then I placed it in my ear as if I was making a straight forward ear plug.... then I pushed my iem’s into my ear like I would normally ( might be worth practicing if you want to pay attention to how the iem’s normally seat themselves) As I pushed in some of the mix was displaced so I just sort of pressed it around my ear gently and tried to move as much as I could away from the body of the iem... this took a minute or so and then I waited for about 15 minutes... I then removed the plugs and iem’s and everything was set it place... I left them a little longer and then I was able to pop the iem out of the mould (it came out very easily and went back in just as easily... I then trimmed the irregular parts where the mix was thin as I pushed it away from the iem.... I then unblocked my iem’s and popped them back in to locate where the tips would be and then removed again and used a skewer to push through from the outside and left it in as I trimmed the hole needed with a sharp knife... I then put earbuds back in and connected them up to move player... and fitted them back into my ear... at first I thought they weren’t in properly but I saw in the mirror they were in perfectly the reason they didn’t feel like they were in properly was because the fit and feel was perfect.. it really was... I found these the most comfortable I had ever had wearing my iem’s... and the sound quality was brilliant... it really opened the sound up... I cannot believe how these feel now... it’s like I am not wearing my iem’s now... I’m very very glad I took the plunge and tried it for myself.... I have now ordered another couple of packs as I’m going to do my other iem’s now... I recommend anyone fed up with tip rolling or only being able to use ear tips for a few hours or and wants to hear their iem’s as they were intended to try doing this yourself it’s very easy and very worthwhile.... just remember preparation and dry run throughs so you know exactly what and how you will be doing it.... do that and you won’t regret it and all for £9...!! A quick follow up... I bought another set from Amazon but what they sent was out of date... the date stamped on the inside of the box must not be more than 12 months old or the mix won’t perform as it should... I checked this with Radians before using or even opening the plastic containers So I returned them for an exchange but please check that date before trying to use the mould... see my pic for location of the production date.