I buy at least two pairs a year. For me they are really the perfect running shoe, I don't have to say more about them. New Balance 574 is kind of a cult band like Grateful Dead where people who really like Grateful Dead are obsessed with them. The New Balance 574 people are like that, we tend to really think about these shoes and find that all the others just don't fit. They feel great, look great and are durable. A few of them typically last 6-8 months of heavy daily use. The best sneakers in the world, what else can I say!