Once again a company believes it has improved a product while actually making it inferior.  The previous version of the 977 walking shoe was the most comfortable shoe I've ever owned.  This new version is made of a stiffer leather and is just simply not as comfortable.  I could walk all day in the old pair, but not these.  I can admit that they have felt a bit better after a couple of weeks of use, but they still don't measure up to the old pair.  I wish shoe makers didn't feel the need to tinker with a perfectly good product.