If I get even a few drops of water in my ear, I get an ear infection which often develops into a sinus infection almost overnight; "swimmer's ear," alcohol, peroxide, jumping up & down smacking myself in the head don't work! I have tried a few different ear plugs; I especially don't like the "balls of wax," especially since I swim in a lake and after a few uses they look all...greenish-brownish moldy. Blech!
These are so soft & comfortable, easy to put in correctly and easy to grasp, remove, & clean; and most importantly, very, very effective at keeping out water. Reading reviews by people who surf & water-ski made up my mind to try these, and I am very pleased with them...and I can finally swim with no reservations.