Ryan and ODonnnell are passionate about making high quality shoes that are fit for purpose. Irish dancing has evolved and the footwear must adapt with it and provide the protection and support required for such vigorous athletic moves. As Irish dance has become a sport dancers deserve the same protection as any other athlete. We have looked at running shoes and taken key elements and technology from them and designed our dance shoes to reflect these advancements. Our Evolution hard shoes are handcrafted in the UK using the finest of leathers offering supreme comfort and a glove like fit whilst giving support and durability. Our shoes feature out the box flexibility with black suede sole unit. Everything about our shoes is designed for a reason. From Noene shock dispersion sole unit to help prevent and cure injury’s such as shin splints and tendentious to removing as many of the seams from inside the shoe which helps eliminate friction that causes blisters, including a padded heel cushioning top line which sits higher on the heel to ensures the correct support is given around the ankle, keeping the foot in the shoe. We also make our uppers with 5 eyelets similar to a running shoe giving further support round the ankle. Our heels and tips are semi hollow and therefore the lightest in the market. There are small chambers inside the heel which allows for the sound to be amplified which is what gives our heel and tips a sharper sound. The tips and heels on the Evolution shoes give dancers better posture as they are symmetrical, and made from advanced mould technology and not individually hand grinded down.
M**Y
Hardshoes that come ready to dance
I purchased my first pair of Ryan & O'Donnell hardshoes a few years ago at their booth at Worlds in Boston. I'm an adult dancer and mother of a champ, and I was drawn in by the passion of the company - to build a better shoe. Three years later, I have danced the shoes to pieces and had to replace them. I contacted the company and they told me that I can get them through Amazon in the US. Amazon. BRILLIANT!It took me a little bit to figure out the sizing. I wear an 8 1/2 woman's medium width in US sizes, but I couldn't figure out the E's and F's and (M)'s for sizing and the "Youth" threw me off. I purchased the same size I had before - which is a 6 M. E is the wide width. Just in case you are wondering.As for the shoes - as a forty-something who has been puttering along in Irish Dance for 17 years, I consider myself very very lucky. I've only had a sprained ankle, broken foot, shin splints and plantar fasciitis. What I appreciate is that their shoes are made with foot health in mind. These shoes are comfortable, and dance well. I was able to get 3 years out of my last pair - which was the older original style - and I'm looking forward to seeing how far these take me. I also purchased their ghillies as soon as they were released, so you can say I'm a fan of the brand.
F**6
Very satisfied with the quality.
Initially ordered two sizes down as suggested because they are European sizing. They were too small so tried going down just one full size and they were great. Wear a 6.5 and ended up with 5.5 in these. We were suprised by the quality. Helpful that they are a chunk cheaper than the famous very high quality mail order competitor. More convenient to order from Amazon as well.
P**L
What GREAT shoes!
These shoes are FANTASTIC! As an older dancer (in my 50's), I didn't want to have to break in a new pair of hard shoes but needed a new pair. My old pair are now too big so had no choice. These shoes have such soft leather it won't take long. I took them to dance class and my teacher wanted to try them on. I wear Size 8 in North American sizes and Size 5 Wide was a good fit. It ordered 5 and 5.5, just in case. I returned the 5.5 pair. Thanks for making the return process so easy and for carrying this brand of shoes!
P**N
The shoe is a great shoe, and my less than 5 star rating ...
The shoe is a great shoe, and my less than 5 star rating is only attributable to the fact that it was too small ( my fault in choosing the wrong size), and in my inability to replace it with the correct size at Amazon, because the selection was not complete enough, and the size I really needed was not available at this venue. I was promptly refunded by Amazon and was able to easily return the shoe. I have to give them credit in making the process very smooth and hassle free. I actually went directly to Ryan & O'Donnell in Scotland to get the size I needed and am very happy with my new shoes. Would recommend this shoe to anyone who is serious about their dancing and wants the best.
E**N
these may be good shoes.
The toe box on these shoes is very narrow. My daughter has a wider foot (she doesn't qualify as a wide, but she's wider than average). If yours has a smaller frame, these may be good shoes.
A**R
while we really liked the shoe
The bubble on the heel is supposed to be on the inside heel of both shoes to aid clicks. However, while we really liked the shoe, the bubble was on the OUTSIDE heel of the right shoe which was really disappointing and obviously unhelpful.
D**E
I ordered these for my son in size 9. ...
I ordered these for my son in size 9. He wears a 9.5-10 street shoe and he says these fit well. They are extremely comfortable- no break in period needed.
M**Y
Nice shoes
Comfortable and very nice quality. We've never purchased Irish shoes before, but these seem to be among the nicest out there and a good price point.
A**R
Speedy delivery and high quality shoes
I did not order as size smaller, as recommended, only because the only option to get one size smaller was to get a wide shoe, and my foot is rather narrow. Nonetheless, the shoes fit very well and I love dancing in them. They also came sooner than expected, which was a wonderful surprise. I would certainly buy from them again.
M**5
Beautiful and quality
Beautiful hard shoes for Irish dance. My daughter loves them.
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