As I've said many times over, if you can't get good suction with padding is there an airtight seal? I don't know about some of the padding methods other people use, but I know when I was using the foam rings I discovered from the beginning that they had to be securely glued so that there was no place for air to leak back in. If you want to glue them on but want to be able to get them back off if they don't work for you or if you don't like them I suggest using a hot glue gun. Hot glue will give a good seal without leaving any hard, sharp edges like super glue or other glues can, but is fairly easy to peal back off the plastic domes should you choose not to use them or need to replace them later on.
Also, I've noticed that the texture of their new rings (the grey ones) seem to leak a bit unless you do the baking method. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, put them in on a cookie sheet for I believe Lucy said 10 minutes, take them out and let them cool enough for you to be able to use, but not completely as you need them to be as hot as you can stand so they'll form to your chest and the rings, put them on the domes, pump them up and leave them on until they cool and stay formed to your specific shape and domes. Once this process is complete if needed they can be glued to the domes to ensure they're airtight, doing this process seems to help make them more comfortable and if there's too much foam there like there was on mine you can carefully cut them down so they fit better. I had to trim a little off the outside edge and the inner edge, there was too much foam for my breasts to fit into comfortably, but for some they may be fine just the way they are, everyone's body is different, no two are exactly the same, therefore there is no such thing as one size fits all, sometimes a little ingenuity is necessary to get something to work for your body.
Also, check your airline tubing for any leaks, and check your domes for any cracks, if there's anywhere that air can leak back in they will not seal properly, sometimes even the smallest crack in the tubing can be a big problem. What size domes are you trying to use? The larger the dome you start out with the more difficult it can be to get used to using them, also I have received several XL domes that are cracked around the airline connector, this can be an issue with suction. So make sure to inspect everything thoroughly, and if you find anything wrong with any of it email Lucy and I'm sure she'll help.
Whatever happens, you don't have the right to knock a product just because it may not work for you or because you don't have the brain power to use it so that it does work for you. It does work for the majority, if not all, if given a chance, and has created a lot of noogleaholics in the process. I was one of the lucky ones whose body seemed to be made for it, I had to use padding in the beginning because the hard plastic hurt my ribs and I couldn't seem to get any suction without padding. But now that I've grown a little and gotten used to the pressure on my chest I use them all natural, without any padding and actually prefer them that way.
Good luck, I hope that it works out for you.
well typed up and clear to understand, Thanks for the descriptions, bigger picture I can see now ;-)
cheers Gaia