I had a pair of Merrell trail gloves which have served me well for at least five or six grueling seasons of cycling and still work (a little sweaty and deformed on top but the soles are still like new), but I figured I'd look for a cheaper alternative for the sad day I have to give them up. Everything I need is light and breathable, on the bike my feet almost never touch the ground. They seemed to fit the bill. They are very light and I can definitely feel the air moving through the mesh upper. They're a bit big for me, but it doesn't really matter on a bike. They also smell like cheap Kmart shoes made from questionable Asian materials, but I aired them for a week. Yesterday I went for the first time and I hate these shoes. zero traction. Zero. They didn't stay on the pedals and I was distracted by my feet slipping the entire ride. Like slippers. When I'm going down a big hill at 50 km/h while standing on the pedals, I don't have to worry about my feet slipping. And if they can't stick to dry bike pedals, I can't imagine they would work better on slippery river rocks. That's how I learned two important life lessons: stick to what works, and you'll always, always, always get what you pay for. So I'm going back to my trusty trail gloves until the day they die, then I'll pay up and buy a new pair. Merrell - 5 stars!