It does actually have a midsole which is padded and very squishy, with noticeable raised supports at both the heel and ball. They are black powder coated and are thick and feel very sturdy. Compared to my original ATH-MSR7 earpads, these feel no where near as good. So I settled for these, based off of reviews. You could easily use something else like a flat head screw driver as well. They are so comfortable and pretty too, thanks Nike 😊 Das kann man dem anderen nicht antun, deshalb geht es nur in Ausnahmefunktionen. Very happy with it! My kiddo loved it. From the moment I opened the box, I was shocked by the quality of this product.