Soft, comfortable right out of the box. I spend 10 hours a day on my feet. I usually get a pair of shoes and got to my neighbors pool for a swim with them on. Then wear them the rest of the day to break them in until they are dry. Only complaint is the white sole. Gets dirty right away. Prefer a gum sole. Also anxious to see how long they last. Im a Samba lover, but these have that similar comfort found in Adidas.