Understanding Different Memory Foam Tips for Apple AirPods Pro

15 minute read

You love AirPods Pro and you love being a “Pro” user, you love comfort, reliability, and the best sound experience too, so it’s only fair we give you the answers to a lot of unanswered questions. What are memory foam tips? What's the difference between each version? What size is best for me? These questions and more will be answered below, so straddle up partner! 

What is memory foam?

The cat's out of the bag. Silicone tips are painful, slippery, and cause ear pressure. You know it, and we know it too. So the next best thing is memory foam replacement tips. To be specific, memory foam consists mainly of polyurethane as well as additional cell structures, increasing its viscosity and density. It is often referred to as "viscoelastic" polyurethane foam, or low-resilience/ high resilience polyurethane foam. The foam bubbles or ‘cells’ are open, effectively creating a matrix through which air can compress and decompress. Essentially, your inner ear canal is the perfect home for memory foam, as it fits to the shape of your contours by utilizing heat adaptive and pressure technology .

There are three main categories when deciding on which memory foam tips are best:

High/Low Resiliency (HR): While this technical term might sound trivial, it’s actually quite simple. Let us give you the skinny on high and low resilience. High resiliency foam uses better processes and a different cell structure when crafting and molding the foam, whereas low resiliency is less time in the curing process. Basically, this refers to how quickly the foam will expand once it's in the compression state.  

IFD (Indentation Force Deflection) is a measure of firmness and comfort. More specifically, IFD measures the load (in lbs) required to depress a compression disc into a foam sample a particular distance. This number ranges from 10 – 70lbs. The IFD of standard foam mattress ranges between 30 – 35lbs. For memory foam tips, it is the same calculation, the less foam - the higher the IFD. For example, the "small" size memory foam tips have an IFD of 45-70, whereas the "large" are around 20-30. 

What does all this mean? This is better known as the compression density measure of how much “rebound” a certain structure might pose. For those seeking a soft and more comfortable fit, your best option is the ORIGINAL foam tips. On another token, those seeking a more active lifestyle will enjoy the sport VERSION foam tips.   

Density: Not to be confused with IFD, these two measures work in conjunction with each other. This indicator is best for gauging foam characteristics that signifies durability rather than comfort level. Foam density is expressed in pounds per cubic foot (or PCF) and is your best indicator of quality and longevity. Conventional foam density ranges from about 1 PCF – 3 PCF, with standard high-density foam having a density of only 1.8 PCF. The larger the PCF, the longer it lasts. Even though a foam may be firm, it won't last nearly as long if not dense. Learn more about how memory foam works.

What is the best fit for you?

Luckily, we did all the science for you. Down below, you will see a table that charts out where all four (Apple silicone, AirTips Pro V1 & V2, and the new Dual Hybrid version) fit into their respectable categories.