I got these shoes August of 2011 and have worn them almost everyday since. They are extremely comfortable and are actually fairly light. They are a little warm in the summertime but are amazing in the winter because of it. I'm not a skater so I can't really comment on the utility of it but the sole is nice and thick- they might be a little too clumsy for more technical stuff but should be excellent for long-boarding. Overall amazing pair of shoes... too bad they are discontinued.