I'll post pics later but a quick hit on the Howard Mid...So far I love the shoe. Lakai killed it yet again with this one. It's everything I hoped - which is basically all the great stuff about the Howard Lo but with the added benefits of a little bit higher cut of shoe. It's also stylish as hell.
I don't know what technology goes into this XLK sole, but in my opinion there aren't too many shoes on the market that come close to it. It's a great combination of grip and control, without limiting your ability to slide your foot around for tech stuff. It's the exact same shape in the toe as the Lo, so flick is no problem.
One thing I want to point out though is that it doesn't quite fit like a true mid. By the pics I thought it was going to be a little bit taller. No big deal, just pointing it out. It doesn't sit as high as the Caroll mid, and the cuff is cut straight where the Carroll is angled back. It sort of sits right at your ankle bone. I usually rotate shoes when I skate but I have purposely been trying to skate the shit out of these to test the durability, so far they're holding up beautifully.