I just discovered these ear plugs and I'm quite impressed. They cut the volume yet everything was still clear and I was actually able to relax during the gig and my head didn't feel like it was on another planet after the gig or the next morning/all day. I could carry on conversation very easily and all the quieter sounds we not missing. Very nice! They are very comfortable and probably the easiest plugs to put in that I've ever used.

http://www.surefire.com/EP3-Sonic-Defenders

They fit really well and are pretty unobtrusive. They have an option of inserting a plug into the channel to get more noise reduction. I think 16db is standard without inserting the plug.

If you look around the web you can find them for less than $15 and some of your local gun stores might even have them in stock.