Custom-made sports gear will help you go faster, ride further and keep you safer – while the experience will be eminently more comfortable. No two people are the same, so if you’re passionate about your pastime, it’s worth investing in these made-to-measure essentials.

Pyzel surfboard

Pyzel will customise your board via its online board-builder
Pyzel will customise your board via its online board-builder © @pyzelsurfboards

Pyzel hand-shapes boards for athletes such as two-time world champion “John John” Florence but also caters for beginners and intermediates. Deciding on the exact specification of your board is easy via its online board-builder – input the desired dimensions, fin configuration and custom artwork – or you can discuss your options over the phone. Expect to be asked about the types of waves you’ll be surfing, your level of experience, style of surfing and physical parameters – six weeks later, you’ll be riding the waves. From £589.99, oceanmagic.co.uk

Saffron Frameworks road bike

Each of the 52 bikes built annually by Saffron Frameworks is unique
Each of the 52 bikes built annually by Saffron Frameworks is unique

This outfit has collected numerous awards from its Thames-side workshop in south-east London. You won’t find the semi-custom designs offered by many specialists here – each of the 52 bikes it builds annually begins with a blank canvas and is unique. The journey starts by discussing your individual requirements with founder Matthew Sowter, a skilled craftsman who is actively involved in building each bike, which will be finished to your specifications – from painted to polished stainless steel or anything in between. With 200 hours going into a top-spec model, expect a lead time of about eight months for this work of art. Good things come to those who wait. From £2,515, saffronframeworks.com

SnugsGo earphone tips

SnugsGo’s custom-made tips keep earphones firmly in place
SnugsGo’s custom-made tips keep earphones firmly in place

There is nothing more frustrating than a pair of earphones that constantly dislodge themselves when running, cycling or gymming. By slipping these custom-made earphone tips over your favourite pair of headphones, you’ll keep them snugly secured in place. Simply load up the phone app, take a photo of each ear and the firm will manufacture your bespoke tips. £99.95, snugs.com

Hexr cycling helmet

Hexr creates your one-of-a-kind helmet from a 250,000-point scan of your head
Hexr creates your one-of-a-kind helmet from a 250,000-point scan of your head

Hexr’s intuitive iPhone app takes a 250,000-point scan of your head – just ask a friend to circle around you with your phone’s camera, click submit and the data is instantly sent to the company, ready for 3D printing. Three to four weeks later, your one-of-a-kind helmet, complete with custom text and image engraving, will arrive. Its protective inner is made from a honeycomb structure, which is not only efficient at absorbing energy – more so than the foam found in most helmets – but is also very breathable. £299, hexr.com

SunGod Vulcans

There are more than 4,000 customising options for SunGod’s cycling sunglasses
There are more than 4,000 customising options for SunGod’s cycling sunglasses

These full-framed cycling-specific sunglasses can be customised in more than 4,000 ways. There are eight colour options for the frame, icon and ear socks – play around with the online configurator until you find a combination you like. Then select from 10 lens choices – there are various light transmission levels and two photochromic lens options (which darken with exposure to light). From £150, sungod.co

Valaiski skis

Valaiski’s designs are based on your weight, height, skill and intended area of use
Valaiski’s designs are based on your weight, height, skill and intended area of use

Valaiski owner Claudio Menz is on a mission to bring watchmaking precision to ski building. The Switzerland-based brand relies on craftsmen – each with more than 25 years’ experience – who hand-build each ski from scratch. They produce totally individual designs based on the customer’s weight, height, skill and intended area of use. The ski has 13 layers – the most important being the central wood core, which is adapted to each owner – and can be finished with your chosen artwork or graphics. From SFr 3,670 (about £2,850), valaiski.com

Rawlings custom gloves 

Create your own baseball or softball glove through Rawlings’ online glove builder
Create your own baseball or softball glove through Rawlings’ online glove builder

If baseball or softball are your sports, a custom Rawlings glove should be at the top of your wishlist. Go to the online custom-glove builder, choose your preferred glove shape, hand width, the position you play, your glove size and pattern. Then there’s an almost unlimited selection of more superficial customisations – lettering, stitching colour, flags and so on – for a truly personal finish. From $229.95, rawlings.com

Snugg wetsuit

A handmade Snugg wetsuit costs about the same as a comparable off-the-peg suit
A handmade Snugg wetsuit costs about the same as a comparable off-the-peg suit

These wetsuits are made by hand in a Cornish workshop for superior comfort, fit and warmth. The process begins by sending in 21 measurements of your body (23 for women), from which founder Malcolm Ball and his team will cut, double-glue, blindstitch and heat-seal tape the seams of the Japanese Yamamoto-neoprene suit. Each one is built according to their intended use – whether surfing, swimming or windsurfing – and, of course, you can choose your own colours. It’s hard to believe but the price is similar to (or even cheaper than) comparable off-the-peg suits. From £203, snuggwetsuits.co.uk

TheMagic5 swimming goggles

TheMagic 5: custom-seal goggles that do not leak or leave suction marks
TheMagic 5: custom-seal goggles that do not leak or leave suction marks

The brand’s fanbase ranges from amateur swimmers to Olympians, but the common denominator is the need for comfortable goggles that won’t leak or leave suction marks. The custom part of the goggles is the gasket (the piece that creates a seal around the eyes); the rest (the glass, strap and temples) is mass-produced. Once you’ve made your purchase, download the app onto your phone and take a 3D selfie scan of your face. A few days later you’ll receive your goggles. From £49, themagic5.com

Carl Douglas racing shell

Attention to bespoke detail is key on a Carl Douglas racing shell – from the exterior finish to the custom-crafted seat
Attention to bespoke detail is key on a Carl Douglas racing shell – from the exterior finish to the custom-crafted seat © Sue Appelboom

This specialist has been crafting wood-composite sculls since 1973 and is a leader in its field. Its boats are appealing to the eye but performance and durability are also key – each one has a four-layer laminate construction, which includes Kevlar (a robust heat-resistant fabric) and is very strong and stiff. Choose an exterior finish (including santos rosewood, mahogany or cedar), as well as bespoke lettering or motifs. The attention to detail is impressive – even the wooden seat is custom-crafted to the shape of your bum. From £11,400, carldouglasrowing.com 

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