They stay put and they sound good. I'm not an audiophile and I mainly listen to rock, punk and all things alternative so I can't speak to anything regarding serious bass. That being said the highs and mids are great and can still be hard over the rush of 12+mph winds on my bike rides. I'm happy with the quality and I can totally see how this is a waterproof design. The buttons on the mic are far enough apart to know exactly wich one you want to press. The mic sets much higher then I'm accustomed to but I like that it makes lifting the mic to your mouth unnecessary like some cheaper options I've used. You really do have to test out all 3 different plug sizes. I thought the small fit best for me but after wearing each one and not just test fitting them I found the medium size to be perfect. I absolutely love how the headphones stay in play even when tugged. My only gripe and the reason for 4 stars and not 5 is the very very mild irritation I get if I don't settle the ear buds in properly. The irritation goes way as soon as the buds come out and is in no way painful like so lesser brand in ear headphones I've suffered through wearing. I highly recommend giving these a go if you are in the market. I chose the Intensity over the Strive for on the road bicycling and I don't have any issues at all hearing traffic around me.