Very difficult to apply. Requires force to put them on. Now the big problem and advantage of the shoe is the fit. I made the mistake of buying another shoe from the same company with a similar fit style and got them in my size. I suffered... for a week and then they opened up quite a bit. So much so that they no longer fit me well. In this one, I tried a half size smaller and saw that I had no issue with the front of the foot. However, the side was difficult at first. If someone can tolerate wearing them several times in the beginning and likes the heel to not move at all but the shoe to be very snug on the foot, then it will suit them. At least that's how it worked for me. The cushioning with the zoom in the front is very soft and comfortable. There is none in the heel, but I haven't tried them for running to see if they fatigue over long distances. However, they grip the floor amazingly well, I haven't tried them on hardwood. They are low and only suitable for basketball with an ankle brace.