I have already bought two of these slip ons. They look better than almost every alternative I've found and are fine as long as you don't overemphasize them. However, what constitutes "too much stress" seems to vary from item to item - my last pair lasted about a year before being replaced. I got on my knees, flexed the sole of this new pair and there was a slight separation between the sole and the fabric. I'm not 100% sure this pair will last me through next year. I should also note that the color is much lighter than the picture. Pewter gray - light gray.