This is my son's second pair. He bought the same ones last school year and they eventually started fraying, but he still uses them for indoor shoes. He's only worn the new ones for about a week but they seem exactly the same so I'm sure he'll live with these new ones for another year. The black color actually looks like dark gray or motley, but he likes it if they were firmer because the dirt is almost invisible. Last year I had to wash them maybe 4 times. They have a very flat sole which is…