I do like that they get your FOOT above the surface of the street / floor and away from wet and cold. I like the rugged look and feel. The feel of these are great they are soft and silky and contracted fairly well. I ordered these to get more support. And because I got 3 I?m able to have the cords set up in multiple rooms and keep one in the car. SO soft and comfortable! I find the cheap plastic/silicone (or whatever substance that is) tips that come with virtually every cheap earbud, to be extremely uncomfortable. It might soften with repeated washings. They are super comfortable and keep my spine straight which is great for my hyper mobility, no more slouching. I read a lot of negative reviews about this before I ordered and I don?t know what they were talking about.