So, I recently bought these because I wanted to start skating again after years. Overall these are okay midgrade skates, not poor quality - I’ve skated quite a bit in them over the last month and they’ve held up fairly well - but they’re not excellent either. The material is stiff and even with thick socks I’ve got marks on my ankles where they’ve rubbed my skin raw in the past. They’ve been great in terms of convincing me I do in fact enjoy skating but now I’m eager to get another pair that are higher quality.The thing I’ve found to be the most annoying with these is that the toe stop is not a common thread size at all compared to other skates. This means there are VERY limited options. Jam plugs seem to be the wrong size, which is a bummer, and I only found a couple options for replacement toe stops on Amazon or other skate sites. Not sure why they designed these that way but…??‍♀️I waited to write a review because I had seen some negative comments about how the shoe separates from the heel. I use them weekly and haven’t had an issue yet. I did upgrade the bearings but over all I am really happy with the skates and would recommend them. Another negative comment I saw was they aren’t good for wide feet, but since I am not wearing them for more than 3 hours, I don’t notice an issue but could if I was going to wear them longer. If you are a 1/2 size, i recommend sizing up as I had to send the first skates I got back becuase they were a little too small. i am still very happy with themThese skates are great! Padded boot and tongue. Metal bottom that holds the wheels together. They seem really sturdy and smooth. My son loves them. The green is a really nice shade.not only are they beautiful, they are so smooth. I did have to have a pro loosen up the wheels, they were torqued on too tight. But now they roll so beautifully. Only negative, I will have to buy longer laces, the ones they came with barely get to the top of the skateIf you are a skater then you know that your boot for the first few wears will be very tight and even maybe discomforting. The leather over time will naturally expand and loosen up. Don't give up, it's worth the wait. I finally got to skate in mine for the first time on our adult night. I hate the wait that is when they are new because the wheels are also not yet conformed to the balance of your weight. These are truly good for beginners and Intermediate skaters like me. Get you a pair!!!EDIT: Was able to return and receive new ones in 2 days. As I said the skates are awesome and I have already tried them. I have fallen already (totally user error). So many more days of practice ahead. I am excited.The skates are great and feel sturdy. However, when I went to put them on I noticed that one skate was two sizes smaller than I had ordered. I had purchased these skates to go to an event with a friend but had to sit out due to the size discrepancy. I wish they had completed a simple QC order check and all this could have been avoided.Like I said the quality of the skates is excellent and the color I ordered is BEAUTIFUL, I just gave fewer stars because of the size issue.This is a good skate for any level - beginner, intermediate, and advanced. My first pair were damaged so they sent a second pair. Much better quality. I purchased the black size 9 in mens. These are mens sized skates, so order according to the mens size chart. I changed the laces and you will need to adjust the wheels to your comfort level- they are tight so get a skate tool to loosen the wheels. Remember- for those like me getting back up on skates - wheels are meant to move, so loosen to your liken or you’ll be using more leg muscles than skate to skate!