Bought these shoes to take to India during Monsoon. I required: closed toe, good ventilation, easy drying, fashionable look, and COMFORT! These shoes were all that and more! They were extremely comfortable, looked nice when dressed up or when more casual, kept my feet cool and dry, protected my toes from accidents and muck. I got many compliments from local women on their looks. They came back looking as nice as they were the day I unpacked them. Caution- they do stretch a bit so if you intend to wear them mostly barefoot buy them a good month ahead of any real necessity to wear so you can break them in slowly- and buy them a half size less than you think. Just make sure your toes have enough room. The cloth binding across the top of the foot can be tight at first but breaks in nicely if you get it wet. I won't hesitate to recommend these shoes to savvy travelers!