If you will encounter a lot of offwidth cracks, a high top can protect you from ankle bites. Here's a quick list of improvements we'd like to see. No trad shoe has any legitimate reason for being a dark color that absorbs heat. Give up on sweaty, full-leather tongues. Ventilated tongues are cool.
Companies are so focused on the front of the shoe that they've almost ignored the rear.
Heel bagginess and rubber-less voids are rampant. Most heel tabs are too small, too hard to grip or won't stay open - all of which make donning the shoes unnecessarily difficult. Though this year's bunch was better than in the past, leather dyes that bleed onto the skin and turn your feet into technicolors are annoying. Most rubbers are pretty darn good these day, but C4 still reigns supreme. It would be nice if someone would up the ante.