When they are brand new they have a coating on them that wears off quickly. If you want to scuff them, do so on smoothish concrete, not gravel, because gravel will harm them more than neccessary and may get up into the leather and scratch it. Just go skate around on some concrete for a while and they will grip a bit better. It does take some getting used to walking in them. When they are scuffed to where the coating is all gone, you can take them to a shoe shop and have rubber sole patches glued to the bottoms, which will help. I need to take 3 pairs of shoes in and have this done to all of them, because I can't stand sliding on carpet; it makes me feel like I'm getting nowhere.
