I don't think these are heavy shoes. On the contrary, I would say. They have a thin sole and profile (compared to regular skateboard shoes, of course). I'm a big fan of more subtle speech and shorter pauses. However, they are not that durable in both driving and regular wear. The outsole tears fairly easily (it started the first time I put them on) and my friend's AL50 only lasted 3 weeks of riding. I also love shoelace protectors and since they don't have one, get ready to rip a lot of shoelaces. Another way to improve this is to add a gel heel counter to improve the cushioning of these thin-soled shoes. In the end this is a good price, nice and comfortable shoes. But if you are looking for similar but more durable skateboards, I recommend the C1RCA 208 Vulcs as they don't have all of the disadvantages mentioned above.