It is sad to read that the quality of Sperry has gone down. I couldn't believe it but after wearing the pair for four days my right heel started to squeak. My previous pairs have lasted me for years and got even better as I wore them. Even after spilling a whole bottle of olive oil on it. Looking at my photos, it looks like they were originally taken in the Dominican Republic, but now they appear to be from Asian countries like Vietnam and Indonesia. I think this is the main reason for the poor production and general deterioration in leather quality. I think this is the end for this shoe/brand.