I almost didnt buy these as Id seen so many reviews about the Whisper being really narrow. Was looking for a good metallic head band headphones before coming to college. The sole is firm enough to allow a quick run outside to grab the mail or newspaper, but I would not go for any kind of extended excursion. First off, these run a full size, possibly even 1. I was skeptical of the fabric and quality at first, but they are holding up well. I?ll probably put a pad at the ball of the foot. Would like to have what I paid for. The bottles can be machine washed safely. It can easily be done by one person. When I get new ear buds I like to test them out a bit.