They were what I thought they were, inexpensive steel toed non leather shoes.<br /><br />I used these as plate shoes for baseball umpiring, as NB refuses to make real plate shoes small enough. I've worn these maybe sixty times for anywhere from 2 to 6 hours per use. They took a good amount of sprinting down the lines on those days but I wouldn't say they took any abuse. I noticed on one of the last days I wore them this season that they are already coming apart at the seams up front. I didn't expect miracles from these shoes but not even to last a season is disappointing. I'll wear them for fall ball but I'll have to look elsewhere for something for next year.<br /><br />Be aware that these shoes are HOT! They don't breath at all and are made of some sort of rubber or synthetic leather so they really keep in the heat. I only put them on at my car right before a game and took them off immediately after and never wore them while working as base umpire. With time in between wearing I was able to air them out frequently but if you plan on wearing them for a full time job, these are definitely not the shoes for you and could become a breeding ground for foot issues.