Straight out of the box, these shoes are ready to go.  Immediately comfortable, plenty of arch support, plenty of support in the heel and Achilles make these instantly one of my favorites.  Like all of the current generation Red Wing line that has good to exceptional slip protection, they tend to squeak a bit on tile or polished wood floors.  They really do an excelent job with respect to slip prevention and abrasion resistance on the uppers.  They're generally not very flexy which I appreciate.  They offer a sneaker look and comfort wih an oxford's durability and stability.