Ryka athletic shoes are nicely made, comfortable, with a more substantial inner sole than many brands. I have only one complaint: the shoelaces are way too long! Otherwise, very good product, shipping, etc., and very good.

4 months on: How easy it is to judge too soon. The inner soles of these shoes collapsed after only 2 months of fairly "hard" walking (i.e., lots of hills, really pounding walks). (Mind you, I'm fairly slight, not overly heavy, not over weight.) The innersole collapse occurred just beneath my bunion, already a sore point, and the collapse occurred very slowly and i wasn't paying attention.

Then suddenly, one night, I awoke with searing pain along the ilio-fibular band (outer leg, hip joint to just below the knee). By the time I realized what the cause was, I was suffering severe nightly pain (oddly, not during the day). Once I realized the cause of discomfort, I was able to purchase Dr. Scholl's therapeutic inserts--the $50. model. After fiddling with the DS inserts for a while, I am now able to wear the Ryka shoes again (with the inserts) without a problem. I also will be seeing an orthopedic doctor to evaluate the problem and prescribe therapeutic orthopedic inserts (the costly kind) if needed.

This experience has awakened me to the mysterious world of those insoles and their makeup. I had no idea of the complexity or importance of this part of the shoe. Apparently there is some expectation that inner soles (or insoles) need to be changed as needed, which is all new to me. Maybe it's because I'm not a serious athlete, just a neighborhood walker. But apparently, the composition of the insole is such that it "deflates" with wear and can lead to a problem of "alignment" where seemingly minuscule changes in the tilt of the bottom of the foot can affect myriad little bones and ligaments in the foot, ankle, and up the leg to the hip. This is because an critical network of nerves runs from the bottom of the foot up the ankle and leg to the hip socket. So People, be alert to your inserts! Be careful of the angle of the foot bed and of the sole of your foot. It's critical to your comfort and ability to move without pain.

So buyer beware, wearer beware. I hope this comment will help someone out there!