The material is cheap but what do you expect for running shoes that cost less than $30? The shoes meet my needs for the following reasons. I'm an army officer and the color goes with my PT belt, so I get some style points. The shoes are very lightweight so very good for running, with good arch support to boot. I don't expect these to last for so long but then if I wanted a pair that'd last for 12 months I'd expect it to cost more