Those are also a very good alternative to what I do.
I use earplugs with over the ears headphones.
You could instead use over the ears noise protection with little in-ear headphones inside.
The only reason I don't do that is that my headphones are worth $1000+ and I wouldn't want to trade them for earbuds. Otherwise, your idea could very well be superior to mine!
http://www.amazon.com/Protection-Professional-Folding-Padded...
Judging by how it seems to be the most used in industrial applications.