To have a bit of a change, and to fit in better in Australia. I traded my Adidas and Nikes in for a pair of Asics. They are really light and very comfortable. I would buy them again. They aren't the sturdiest materials, but for comfort and lightweight shoes, that's what you have to do. In Australia, these were $149.00. On Amazon, they were considerably less. The color of the shoes was nice as well. 4 stars, not 5, because the lightweight material on the toes feels like it might not last 9 months.