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Hmm maybe slightly worse but since you highlighted it is there some kind of rubber but in the Ollie hole area? Seems wierd to put less suede in the area that wears out the quickest.
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Yes, but now it seems strange to me that there's a hole right in the Ollie area. This always bothers me, and with some NB and Adidas models, I often feel that this area isn't adequately protected/reinforced (even though it wears out the most). With these shoes, the surface seems thinner right there, despite receiving some surface treatment/covering. Optically, it could have been resolved: there are no cutouts and seams; the shape of the upper coating defines this design. The Ollie patch "comes back," which I don't consider a bad solution; it might not be so distracting in black or dark gray.