Hrm, this is such a curious niche product with a small range of customers it's suitable for. Who is it & isn't it for? Well, it's definitely not for beginners of course. Or those with a budget, fans of value for money, or whoever wants only one pair of purposeful skates. So it's actually for those skaters who have a bit of disposable money to use on something not all that practical, as a decorative item but one that is still usable. Are they usable? Yes they are surprisingly, more so than I initially thought. For a skater who already has some skating skills & is already used to quads with regularly raised heels (experience with high-heel shoes a bonus), the extra stretch up to these high heels isn't all that much actually. They still work the same way & I adjusted to using them quite quickly. Out of the box, I found the trucks a bit too loose (excessive steering on lean) for my liking but that's easily adjusted by tightening the pivot nuts. The included wheels are beautiful light-up wheels, but as such also use magnetic bearings to power them which means they take more effort to keep moving at speed. The wheels are also a bit small so not intended for much outdoor skating over good distances either. As the included warning card states, for grand entrances, making an impression or for dating haha. The ankles are stiff (for good reason) which makes doing plows/bubbles more difficult, but the trick is to not do up the laces too tight. When you get the lacing up to the metal hooks, lift your toes up & back as far you can while moving your shins forward too. In this position do up the lacing the rest of the way. The fit is undersized & bit narrow, so get one size bigger than one would with regular shoe sizing. I'm a womens size AU9/EU40 & I fit the EU41 in these just right. Do they hurt to use? After some use they'll hurt a little bit. They definitely aren't meant for distance skating & certainly not distances on outside surfaces. But they hurt a lot less than walking in high-heel shoes lol. Any niggles? The toe-stops are the fixed height bolt-on kind, so no height adjustability. But after a little bit of use, I adjusted to it as it was. Not a big deal. Another thing is the wheel axle ends stick out from the wheels just a tiny bit. So if like me, one sits cross-legged on the floor in skates, the protruding axle ends can scratch up the floor. I fixed mine just using spare axle washers I had in the garage to push out the wheels a little bit so the axle ends don't protrude. So in conclusion, do I like them? Yes! :) Do I regret getting them? Nope :) Can I recommend them in regards to their purposefulness or value? err well no not really. They are quite expensive for what one gets & other choices are overall better & more useful for the money. However, I am definitely having fun with them & they have a place in my skating collection :D