Bought these shoes for my son who has to wear dress shoes for school.  They have a rubber sole that is comfortable for him to wear all day, and they don't mark up my floors at home.  We bought the same shoe last year, but the sole was softer and it wore down after six months, but this year I notice that the sole appears to be thicker - not higher, just more condensed.  I expect that this will last longer than six months!  Nice sheen to the shoe; not glossy shiny, but shiny enough to be considered dressy.