Because sometimes the world is a loud place, ear plugs are a good thing to have in your pack when you are traveling. Some hikers also carry them, to block out loud snorers in the shelters or when the wind is whipping their tent around so much that it is hard to sleep.
The best ones, in my opinion, are the EAR Classic Yellow Disposable Foam Earplug, because they can be washed or gotten wet and they still work; once the smooth foam ones get wet they will never fit in your ears right again. To wash the yellow ones just put them in your pants pocket and throw in the washing machine and dryer. I have been using the same pair, for when I use my chainsaw, for over two years. I found single pairs for sell in a drug store. They weigh so little that my scale with a 1 gram readability doesn’t register any weight for them.
