I know how you feel, they are reallly different. i had to start wearing gaynors because my feeet are so flexible that other shoes only last me a couple weeks and my parents couldnt believe it so we went to a dance store downtown to try some gaynor mindens.

keep trying though, and youll eventually get used to them and figure out how to break them in. i have to do a few classes before they feel okay and thats after walking around the house in them for a couple days! :) lots of professional dancers wear gaynors so they are good shoes just different than freeds, blochs or all the other ones.