There is certainly a science to it though and until this manufacturing defect in the Super Softie I'd always believed Rycote was thorough in their research and testing of their products.
It was a manufacturing problem, *not* a research and testing problem - that's why they could sort it pretty quickly.
I *do* admire Rycote for their continued commitment to R&D - they are innovators.
It was Rycote who invented the Windjammer - the original suspension with O-rings - the Baby Ball Gag - the Softie - the ConnBox and decoupling cables - the Lyre suspension and all the suspensions that use it - the SuperSoftie and now the Cyclone.
Then everyone else copies them, often without fully understanding the science behind it all.
Which is why Rycote now patent their stuff to prevent the blatant copying that happened in the past.
They continually talk to users, listen to them, and incorporate what they can.
It was me who, after talking with the designer of the Lyre and realising it, came up with the idea for the suspension in their stereo windshield - I just took existing Rycote parts and put them together in a different way to have a Lyre suspension in my existing stereo windshield - it worked so well, that Rycote now use what I did in their MS stereo windshields now (and it was cheaper than the old method).