UPDATE:I have now worn these to the beach without anything poking through, and no sand filled shoes when I was done. The heel part in the back is very loose. Usually the foam will start to deteriorate by now but its still like new for me except for some discoloration from skin oils. Its clear and you can turn it up when outside. I wear a normal so I ordered another pair and Amazon had them here the very next day. This was my very first foray into spanx or shapewear of any kind so I dont have anything to compare to, but Im very happywith the results. As I noted, the Onyx 1 is for reference. Also verified that my phone doesnt in fact do a fast charge with these. The HD 206s did not have the boom in the mid to upper bass that the other headphones did, which is a good thing. We are very pleased