again, im going by complaints of them from past iterations. There are numerous pics online of people selling used rick sneakers that look like they've been through nuclear holocaust. That was because of the staples issue, though. However, judging by the fact that I constantly read about complaints about RO footwear in general I've grown to distrust the quality of it in general, and am just expressing my viewpoint based upon other peoples experiences. They indulge in the footwear department way more than I would so I use this to determine whether or not I should ever buy a pair. Shit, I don't need to be a proper judge of anything when my rick cardigans are tearing apart after 3 days of wear. Maybe the sneakers are an improvement now that the staple is removed, but quality wise I doubt its that high despite this. Anyways, carry on with your borderline appeal to authority.