I paid close attention to the reviews when buying these and found most of them to be spot on. Yes, they do have a chemical smell. Perhaps my sense of smell is dulled, but I didn't find they stunk up an entire room. I would notice it when I opened my duffel bag or suitcase when the shoes were inside. So overall that's a negative, but they feel and look great. I'm typically hard on shoes, so how long they last will be my ultimate criteria.