Most of us, I'd guess, recognise the need for some sort of ear protection when we are riding. I know that I never ride without earplugs now, but I also realise that I am paying the price for not doing so when I was young and invincible. Several years of racing without any form of hearing protection at all, along with several more years of road riding similarly defenceless, have had an adverse effect on my hearing. While not quite deaf as a post, I have to admit that I don't hear as well as I did. I also found, as I got older, that riding without earplugs, especially at speed, got quite uncomfortable and was far more tiring than if I blocked some of the noise out.

Over the last ten years or so I've tried all sorts of different solutions, with varying degrees of success. I even had a very swish set of silicone moulded earplugs made for me, and yes, they're pretty good. Ruinously expensive, though, to the extent that I'm almost afraid to use them in case one gets lost. A fear, by the way, that their being made of clear silicone does nothing to allay. For a while it looked as though I'd be keeping the disposable foam earplug industry afloat single handedly, but then something came along which was a bit of a revelation.

DIY Custom Earplugs are difficult to believe in. It's taken me a while to do this review because I've been waiting to find their Achilles heel. And in the five months or so that I've used them, virtually every day on roads and tracks, on all different types of bike and at all sorts of speeds, I've failed to do so. These earplugs are perfect. They are amazingly comfortable, fit brilliantly and cut out just the right amount of sound. They are bright orange so almost unlosable and when they get manky you can just wash them and use them again and again and again.

The idea is incredibly simple. Take two materials, knead them together and a chemical reaction takes place which makes them set. Just like any epoxy resin, fibreglass filler or whatever. In this case it's a two-pack silicone that feels, when set, very much like bath sealant.

So if you get a lump of mixed goo and stuff it in your ear then when it sets you have a moulded earplug. Essentially that's the idea here. Obviously the goo is skin friendly and you need to be careful about the amount you use - too much and you get a big lump that's uncomfortable, too small and you need tweezers to get it out - but in essence 15 minutes and a bit of common sense will have you a pair of custom fit earplugs. Custom earplugs approved to the latest CE standards, no less, which apparently makes them unique.

The kit contains two small tubs of goo which remain liquid (well, gel) until mixed and a very clear set of instructions. Read the instructions properly a couple of times to avoid making a mistake - it's very easy to make an earplug too big. There's enough goo for three earplugs, so unless you're especially well endowed in the ear department you can afford to muck one up. But only one...

And at just £12.99 for the kit, that's staggering value for money and should go straight to the top of your Christmas list.

You can get them direct from www.diycustomplugs.co.uk. Tell 'em we sent you!