A revelation
Am in my mid-40s and I have never owned such a thing before, but wise internet folks strongly advised earplugs for upcoming concerts at the Rose Bowl. I picked these primarily based on design (I am very short and have a weird fear of being elbowed in the head, so the kind with protruding stems gave me much anxiety), but was a little sad that they did not come with the kind of carrying case that can attach to a keychain because reviews would lead one to believe that one should always carry earplugs on one's keys in case of impromptu concert-going. Last night I had the chance to try these out at a concert at a much smaller venue than the Rose Bowl, and they were amazing. Comfortable, very easy to use, and best of all, I could still hear when we left the theater. In quieter moments during the show, I'd pop one out so I could hear the difference--the sound was understandably a bit less crisp with them in, but the instant silencing of the screams was just so neat. As for the case, it is really cute and squishes nicely into my pocket. Since I don't carry keys anyway, I'm not sure why I even had that moment of sadness.
Rating: 5 stars