I LOVE these shoes. First of all, I purchased them fro weightlifting. Converse all-stars seem to be the go-to shoe for most weightlifters, but they are far too narrow for me. I don't usually buy wide width, but Converse are really narrow. These shoes fit perfectly; they are very comfortable. They have the flat non-compressible sole that I was looking for. Not only that, but I noticed that the converse that I tried had some sort of felt on the bottom (so they don't squeak, maybe?) which made them slide on hard flooring. In contrast, the Vans have a rubber bottom that gets great traction. This makes me feel so much more stable when lifting weights.I was also a little surprised by how cute they are; I may just wear these outside of the gym too!