text: I loved the look and posture of these shoes. The instep was narrow and tight, but once on, they felt pretty good. The synthetic leather (not the soles) would squeak as it flexed for the first hour or so, until &#34;warmed up&#34;. These shoes gave me about 9 months of reliable wear, 2-3 days a week, for $32, so I suppose I shouldn't complain that the upper eventually cracked where it creased to step--on both shoes. It's not a reparable defect; I just have to trash them and buy something new.