Bought for mum for Christmas. They are a bit ugly but I bought them based on other reviews for the comfort and the fact that they don't make my feet sweat (cause smelly slippers that can never be washed). I actually tried them on when I received my order and they seemed very snug. My mother didn't look very happy when she unwrapped them. She's definitely not the type to hide her feelings. About 2 months later she called me and told me how amazing they are and how much she loves them. She says these are the most comfortable slippers she's ever had and her feet never get too hot or sweaty (hooray, other people's reviews!). I asked about hard soles and she said they were uncomfortable at first, but she never had a "breaking-in period where they were uncomfortable".