I dont see this as a common complaint, so I probably just got a bad one. He is teenager. The middle of the sole feels very grippy and works well on concrete, just not ice. They put the tags on the inside where your feet go. At first my husband bought me the red in a size 7. I am a 43yr old woman who is 4 11" and I normally wear a womens size 7 shoe. Broke after wearing a little while. The most comfortable shoe I own! I like that the top half is removable so you don’t have as much bulk sticking off your bike if you aren’t using it to hold your phone. Honestly, it doesn’t even feel like my skin it’s so soft and dry patch free!