You can hear every little thing. Mine came with the straps sewn in; I may try re-sewing them to see if that helps. These headphone paddings are EXTREMELY COMFORTABLE! Anyway, I would recommend this sneaker for anyone who likes the aesthetics of it. **Update**Another issue is when grabbing clothes from the back rack, it would get caught up with the hanger in the front. This is a heavy duty item and at the price I paid for it I am certainly getting my moneys worth and then some. Terrible customer service from both because you cannot contact anyone. Some heels vary for me from anywhere between a 9 to a size 10 U. The way its supposed to work is; when the square is set off you have to reconnect. There is only marginal improvement in situational awareness in my case.