These are my favorite sneaker style shoes I've ever owned. I can compare them to Converse All-Stars, PF Flyers, 2 similar North Face shoes and similar Puma's. First, so far they've held up better than any of the other shoes with the exception of the one of the NF shoes. I wear them daily and the soles show barely any wear. I have the Bracken color, which shoes almost no dirt at all. Second they are more comfy than any others. I have a narrow foot and these seem to run narrow. The padded low cut upper makes them hug my ankles while not digging in. The NF shoes both dig into my ankles. They also have decent arch support. Finally, the style is awesome in my opinion. From the simple sole to the leather highlight, I get complimented on these all the time. The only flaw that I have found is that the stitching on the edge of the tongue might be a bit tight because the tongue curls inwards which causes the edges to fold which is uncomfortable. It's not hard to reach down to unfold but it is kind of annoying. I love these shoes, I hope Merrell continues the line (and I hope they go on sale at REI again) because I plan on getting a few more pairs. Keep up the good work.