One of Apple’s touted big improvements in the AirPods Pro 3 is the inclusion of a foam layer in the ear tips, but this technology is nothing new. Foam ear tips have been available for years, and some people swear by them.
So what’s the big deal, and are you missing out?
Why Bother with Foam Ear Tips?
Foam has long been used as a means to improve earbuds and headphones. Foam ear tips are commonly seen as a means of upgrading standard in-ear buds. Aftermarket ear pads for larger headphones that sit on your head are also available.
Memory foam is commonly used, which can be compressed so that it can naturally expand to fill your ear canal. This means that foam ear tips typically offer the best passive noise cancellation of any ear tip type. This is great for in-ear buds and monitors, even those that already include active noise cancellation (ANC). The more environmental sound you can block from reaching the inside of your ear, the better.
Expanding foam can also do wonders for fit and comfort. Foam ear tips come in specific sizes, while at the same time offering a custom fit. Rather than jamming slightly too large silicone tips into your ears, foam tips expand to fill. This can make them more comfortable to wear over extended listening sessions, perfect for anyone who uses their buds or monitors all day long.
A near-custom fit might also mean that foam tips are less likely to fall out compared to most silicone ear tips. This can make them better for use in active environments, like at the gym or while cycling. Since this will depend on your physiology, there’s no guarantee. They’re also seen as an attractive choice for anyone who has a hard time getting regular silicone tips to fit comfortably.
The benefits of foam tips seem like a no-brainer. They block out more outside noise, expand to fit for better comfort, and are more likely to stay in place as a result. With this in mind, you’re probably wondering why all in-ear buds don’t use foam tips. It turns out there’s a very good reason for that.
Are There Any Downsides to Foam Ear Tips?
Before you rush out to buy a pair of pure foam ear tips, you should be aware that they’re far less durable than the silicone ear tips that came with your AirPods Pro, Galaxy Buds, or other earphones.
Though silicone isn’t the most durable material in the world, you can expect to get a couple of years’ wear at least out of a pair of silicone ear tips. As an example, I received my original pair of AirPods Pro earbuds in 2018, and it wasn’t until mid-2024 when a small tear appeared in one of the tips and prompted a replacement. This is despite daily use in the gym, while running or cycling, and generally torture-testing the earphones in the sweaty Australian heat.
Comply is one of the leading manufacturers of memory foam ear tips, and the company recommends changing your tips every two to three months. This depends largely on how much you use them and what you’re doing while they’re in your ears.
You get three pairs within a pack, which gives you around nine months to a year of wear. The company’s most durable product, the TrueGrip MAX, costs $30 for a pack. By comparison, I spent $10 on a pair of AirPods Pro 2 ear tips. If I had been changing foam tips as often as is recommended, I’d have spent more than $200 over the lifetime of my AirPods Pro buds.
There’s also a little more maintenance and care required with these types of foam tips. Comply recommends rolling the tips between your thumb and forefinger to compress the foam before inserting them, then counting to 15 and waiting for them to fill your ear canal.
You are also encouraged to wash them occasionally, using only a soft cloth and water, as detergents, alcohol, and oil-based cleaners can cause them to degrade. The company recommends against handling them immediately after applying lotions and hand sanitizer (and anything in between, like sunscreen). It’s worth noting that plain old silicone tips can also become damaged by exposure to certain chemicals, and that cleaning them will also likely prolong their lifespan and yield better results.
Foam Ear Tips and the AirPods Pro 3
The AirPods Pro 3 mark the first time Apple has used foam in its earbud designs. I’ve been using the new AirPods Pro for a few days, and I can say that Apple’s use of foam seems to have greatly improved the fit and performance of the earbuds over the original AirPods Pro design.
Rather than a pure foam bud, Apple has used a foam-infused silicone bud, which protects the material from the elements. It also doesn’t feel like soft memory foam, but rather much stiffer foam that’s not designed to give way in your ear. The result is an earbud that not only has better passive noise isolation but also stays in place far better than the original design.
The trade-off here is comfort. While the AirPods Pro 3 aren’t uncomfortable by any stretch of the imagination, getting the right fit is doubly important now. Compare this to memory foam like airline earplugs or the ear tips used by companies like Comply, which can be easily compressed since they’re designed to expand and fill your ear cavity.
There’s a time and a place for both designs, but Apple’s feels designed to last years rather than months by sacrificing that custom fit feeling. Like any foam, these will likely compress over time and need replacing (and you only get one of each size with your AirPods Pro).
There are similar tips on the market from companies like Zotech. These should last far longer than pure foam alone, but there are mixed reviews online about their efficacy. This Reddit thread about Symbio W tips is worth a read to see just how divisive they are. From what I can see, these tips use a lot more foam than Apple’s latest AirPods Pro 3, so I can’t say they’re directly comparable.
- Battery Life
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Up to 8 hours
- Charging Case Included?
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Yes
The newest generation of the AirPods Pro has an enhanced ANC, more comfortable foam tips, and live language translations.
Are Aftermarket Foam Tips Worth It?
You might be expecting me to say that foam ear tips aren’t worth your money on account of their relatively short lifespan and added maintenance. But that’s not necessarily true.
For some, foam ear tips are the best form of noise cancellation available. This is especially true for anyone who wears in-ear monitors (IEMs), and who values flat response and high performance in professional settings. If the things you put in your ears are part of your creative toolset, and you treat them as such, then foam ear tips might be one of the best decisions you ever make.
For some, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Not everyone finds silicone particularly comfortable, and the only way to fix this is to replace your existing tips with something better. Memory foam is the answer since it conforms to your ear.
But it’s true that this isn’t a solution that everyone will find agreeable. If you’re considering foam ear tips because comfort is your number one issue with existing silicone buds, you might want to side-step the problem and go for an overhead solution instead.
The AirPods Pro 3 implementation feels like the outlier, but there’s no denying Apple has excelled in its design once again. One thing we might see from this is more brands embracing foam-infused silicone, and that can only be a good thing.
For some in-ear recommendations, check out our best wireless earbuds roundup.