Who would have thought the team that help protect your motorcycle also want to protect your hearing? But, that’s just what R&G aim to do with these excellent moulded ear plugs.
If like me you aren’t a fan of earplugs, I’m guessing it’s because, like me, you can’t stand dealing with the standard foam plugs which are a pain to insert, usually fall out and don’t do bugger all noise deadening. There’s the camp who swear you need to stick them in your mouth first before squashing them into your ear canal, but I reckon that’s the quickest way to put any prospective love interest off coming for a ride with you. Sucking on earwax-coated foam sure ain’t an attractive look…
The other alternative has been moulded ear plugs which usually require a visit to a specialist making it inconvenient and relatively pricey – until now that is. With these moulded plugs from R&G, you can get a bespoke set of earplugs in the comfort of your own home, although I’d still suggest you want to be reasonably comfortable with your significant other before asking them to push goop into your ear.
If you’ve ever used a two-pack epoxy, you’ll understand how the R&G product works, with two containers containing a lump of what looks like Play-Doh (one white, one orange) in each. The first task is to separate both chunks into three equal balls (you’ll get why later) of equal amounts. It also suggests you wash your ears out with water and clean your hands, but then as we’re the types who suck our earplugs, chances are that’s not going to happen.
Okay, back to the two-part bit – take one white ball and one orange ball and mix them till it’s all one colour, then lay down and let your assistant start pressing it into your ear. Combining the two parts starts the process of turning the ‘Play-Doh’ into silicone, so you can’t mess around too long getting the moulding process done. Wiggle your ear while your assistant presses on the silicone, and you want to end up with a flat pad on the outside while the underneath moulds into the shape of your inner ear.
Chances are you’ve stuffed it up with the first one, so that’s why you broke it into three bits, as you now have two other pieces to get it sorted. Once you (and your assistant) are happy with the shape, you need to sit there for 15 minutes while the silicone goes off. When it’s done, simply pull it out, and you’ve got an earplug moulded to fit your ear, and they’re amazingly effective at reducing wind noise. It’s not always the case that a DIY option is as good as it says on the packaging, but in the case of the R&G Moulded Ear Plugs, these really are an excellent piece of kit.
Tester: Paul | Distributed by: Motogear | Price: $49.00 | Check it: www.motogear.co.nz
