===Motivation===
Before buying our own home, my husband and I rented a house separated only by a strip of pavement from a very busy road. Lorries and other traffic ran by all through the day and night. I had assumed that I would adjust to the noise, having lived of a reasonably busy road and next to railway lines in the past, but I did not. I needed earplugs to get any sleep at all. Week after week of wearing earplugs every night soon caused my ears to become irritated. The pressure caused by wearing earplugs was extremely painful. Eventually, it got to the point that the pain in my ears from the earplugs kept me awake nearly as much as the incessant traffic noises. I decided to try some new earplugs to see if I could find ones that didn't hurt my ears as much. I ordered a "women's earplug sample pack" from snorestore.co.uk which included a selection of 11 types of earplugs particularly good for women and others with smaller ear canals. I found Howard Leight Max Lite Earplugs to be the best for my ears.

===Look, Feel and Noise Control===
The Max Lite Earplugs are green in colour and flared at the ends. They are the same T shape as the pink and yellow Howard Leight earplugs which you see quite often, however these green ones are made of very soft foam which is designed to create much less pressure in your ears. This soft foam is probably why I found these earplugs worked better for me than any of the many others I tried- since it was pressure which was causing so much of my pain. You can feel a huge pressure difference compared to most foam earplugs. However, I am not that fond of the T-shape. I find them a bit big and dislike the flared ends (which are designed to make them easier to insert and remove). They probably wouldn't be a problem for someone using these earplugs while upright (for work or riding a motorcycle) or sleeping on your back, but I found the shape slightly uncomfortable for sleeping on my side.

The Max Lite earplugs are rated NRR 30 and SNR 34. I find they block out considerably less noise than many other foam earplugs. I could hear some traffic noise particularly if the window was open. I could also hear my husband talking to me- if not always exactly what he was saying. It certainly didn't block out the sound of the alarm. However, they are quite good at blocking squeaky stairs and floorboards, most traffic, the TV, clanking pans, the neighbour's barking dog, bin men, birds, etc. They block out light snoring, but I'm not sure they would completely block loud snoring.

These are technically one use earplugs, but I normally wear mine for at least a week or two before throwing them out and getting a new pair.

===Price and Availability===
You can buy these earplugs a variety of places online. I have bought 20 individually wrapped sets off Amazon for about £3.50 (free shipping). You can also get a box of 200 pairs on Amazon for £22.99. I have not seen them in shops, but I haven't really been looking for them as they are easier and cheaper for me to buy online so it is quite possible some shops might carry them without me knowing.

===Conclusion===
I'm giving these earplugs 4 stars because I find the low pressure foam to be suitable for my ears. They aren't the best shape for me and there are other types which block far more sound, but these are comfortable for regular, extended wear and block enough sound that I can sleep. I no longer live on a busy road, but still wear these earplugs when I need a bit of peace and quiet.