I bought these to compensate for foot angle of attack on squats and deadlifts and I have to say they do a great job. The shoe is light and supple and offers comfort and support for extreme loads (450 + about 230 pounds). The laces are very strong, hockey skate style, and are a major factor in the durability of the shoe. The split sole takes some getting used to and the shoes themselves have little cushioning, which makes long-distance runs particularly taxing on the Achilles tendon and is not recommended (I only run in them for 5 minutes). One final note, I bought the 11.5 (I'm 11) because some reviews said the shoe was 1/2 a size too small. For me, the sock is about 0.5-1 inch, so I recommend finding your true (typical) size.