Know Your Sound Tool: Fit Wings

Describe the materials and design of the Fit Wings. What makes them so unique?

The fit wings are made with exceptionally soft silicone. Coupled with our silicone ear tip you get a feeling that the earphones are floating in your ear – only silicone is touching your ear. This feeling is pretty amazing considering the seal that is achieved.  Without the fit wings, you’d need a really tight fit, either pressing hard against your antihelix (the ridge of cartilage that runs diagonally across your ear), or driving deep into your ear canal, both of which can feel really uncomfortable.

How were ongoing challenges of comfort and support addressed by the Fit Wings? 

Previously there were essentially two solutions to solve this issue:

The first is a silicone hook or loop that tucks under the user’s antihelix. The main limitation here is that this design requires a second step to get the fit right, first placing in the ear tip and then tucking this hook or loop in. We observed that lots of people wearing these designs were leaving the hook or loop hanging out of their ear. Our design allows the user to affix their earphones in one motion so you can ensure a consistent and hassle-free experience even when you’re rushing out the door, or have your hands full. The surface area of a hook design also doesn’t provide much retention if you are working out, and you won’t experience a great deal of passive isolation (blocking of exterior sound).

The second solution is a solid fin or chunk of silicone that tucks under the antihelix. We found this solution is not flexible so that some users will have a tight fit, ultimately experiencing pain or fatigue, and some will have a loose fit, leading to a poor acoustic seal and retention.

Our design takes the best elements of both of these solutions, with several flexible fins that gently conform to your ear along with a high surface area for retention and isolation.