The shoes were super comfortable out of the box. They are stylish, clean, and easy to wear with anything. The inserts take the comfort to a whole new level. It took a hot minute to get used to the added support and design, but it's worth the extra bit of money for the added comfort and support. The easiest way to tell these shoes and inserts are doing something is by switching back to an off-the-shelf pair of shoes that lacks the support. My feet and legs get tired or ache after a long day walking around NYC in another pair of shoes. I can keep going all day with ease with Casca. And, if that wasn't enough, the leather is super soft and wipes clean with a damp rag so the shoes stay looking fresh.