Geofram,
I tried to get the Etymotic (can't remember the model #, but they are $79) from the Apple store this week. But, the Apple store had the other models. I wanted that specific Etymotic ear bud because I've read the cable is reinforced with Kevlar. I thought it would be durable - and stand the test of time.
Sadly, I was trying quite hard to do this shopping during my lunch break and ended up getting the Klipsch Image S4 ear buds for $79 from Best Buy. So far, they are very comfortable - and, ironically, sound great, too. I won't reference review sites regarding these ear buds because it's really hard to judge a pair based on reviews. One needs to try them out for themselves and see how they feel, etc.
At the end of my adventure, I sent an e-mail to Etymotic and asked them to remove Best Buy from their list of area authorized vendors as Best Buy does not have any of the Etymotic ear buds listed on their Web site, nor for sale in their stores. To me, this was a bit of a let down.