These drumsticks are just what you would expect from Vic Firth - durable, impeccably matched and comfortable to play with. The wood tip also lasted for a surprisingly long time, which is usually the main problem when you don't use the nylon tip drumstick.
The main reason that these sticks didn't get the highest mark from me is that the color does come off when you play, leaving small red stripes on the cymbals and the drum heads.
So I would recommend using these Red drumsticks less frequently, e.g. when you need to add some class to your playing - at a concert, etc. :)