So guys I picked up the SST 8's. Very solid shoe. I'm happy about 90 percent of the way through. Even though, it seems to give a lot of support, it's not the most comfy shoe. I just picked them up yesterday so, I think I'm going to pick some new inserts for them and go from there. Nice, well produced shoe.
In the long run, I think you'll be happy with the SST8's. They do take some games to break in. It was about 20 games for me before the leather started softening up, and the footbeds began forming to my feet. It didn't take long before I gave no thought to shoes while on the lanes. My personal opinion is that it's the price for having the rigidity necessary in a bowling shoe.
It's always a good choice to have a decent insert in place of the limp insoles that come with most shoes. There is no substitute for having an insert designed for the shape of your foot instead of the generics that most people just live with. Your feet will thank you in the long run.
On the SST8s, avoid bending the shoe beyond the bend angle of your feet while pivoting on the lanes. The one weak spot on SST8s is the outer rubber sole, and they can crack when bent too far. Dexter did correct this flaw on the 9s, but if you're careful you should be OK.