What is referred to as suede is actually nylon sidewalls and possibly a faux suede insole, otherwise the shoe appears to be well designed and well padded on the inside for barefoot comfort, although for walking the shoe could have used more padding in the heel. I wear a size 8 1/2 4E so based on the review I went for a size 9US and they fit perfectly, once fitted they are very easy to put on and take off. I've seen a few reviews comparing them to more expensive running shoes like the Teva and Keen, but despite being a few bucks cheaper, they don't compare very well. I have since returned them as I found that they are not slip resistant as advertised, in fact they have no wet grip at all.