To start I should say that I have a hard time finding climbing shoes that really fit and don't make my toes hurt like hell. These shoes have been great for about 2 months and 7-8 gym sessions in. They definitely hurt the first time I climbed with them, but I went with a half size down from my street shoe (about the max I can tolerate, depending on brand) so I expected that. The second session with them on, it took under an hour for them to feel noticeably better. Everybody's feet are different and you should definitely find something that fits as closely as possible to your actual foot shape, but the break in time for these shoes was minimal, and they fit like slippers now. The rubber is super sticky, no issues there yet. The heel cup is definitely on the larger side, so keep that it mind, but it is a non-issue for me. In my opinion, the velcro system is better than the standard bulky two flaps most shoes have, though they fit so well now I find myself barely tightening the strap at all. Overall I think these are a great INTERMEDIATE shoe, as they allow for much more progression over time. These would probably be fine for a beginner as well, but might be a bit too painful for someone who hasn't experienced wearing climbing shoes that much, although realistically that is any climbing shoe out there, and these are pretty damn soft. I think these would hold up fine outdoors as well despite being marketed as a gym shoe, but I wouldn't push your luck there as they are again super soft and I could see them tearing easily. Another non-issue for me as I am unfortunately limited to gym climbing in my area for the time being. Basically I am writing this because if you are looking for climbing shoes on amazon you're probably pretty desperate, and everyone has been told 10x over to go try them on in person, which is not an option for some people. These shoes are true to size, comfortable (for climbing shoes), and a great price. If you're already debating buying these, I'd say pull the trigger and you won't regret it. Or maybe you will, who knows, just do it.