Post a picture of your latest purchase

[Fentonite]

http://www.rei.com/zoom/vv/82ce5e2c-7d00-4e18-bc48-9d4425865ad4.jpg/440[/img]

Ran two miles on the treadmill in the shoes tonight.

How do they feel? Any pain in knees/back?

[Irving]

Honestly, the first time you put them on, they feel awkward and uncomfortable. 1) Your little toe is used to being pressed right up against the next toe, so when it is in its own compartment, it feels like someone is pulling on it. 2) If you are just standing around, it feels like you are standing around barefoot. Standing around barefoot on a hard surface hurts my feet. So just standing in them at the shoe store, you will lose confidence in trying to run in them on a hard surface. After walking around in them for a few minutes, all that discomfort goes away.

Now, with that initial, and honest, first impression out of the way, they performed exactly the way I expected them to perform. Running barefoot on the treadmill I can get exactly .50 miles before my feet start feeling raw and I know monster blisters are coming. With these, I was able to run the 2 miles with zero discomfort to my feet.

I didn't feel any discomfort to my back or knees, but I don't usually running anyway. Since this was my first run of any reasonable distance not heel striking, I am already very sore in my calves. I'll update more in the running thread as I run in them some more.

[Fentonite]

Honestly, the first time you put them on, they feel awkward and uncomfortable. 1) Your little toe is used to being pressed right up against the next toe, so when it is in its own compartment, it feels like someone is pulling on it. 2) If you are just standing around, it feels like you are standing around barefoot. Standing around barefoot on a hard surface hurts my feet. So just standing in them at the shoe store, you will lose confidence in trying to run in them on a hard surface. After walking around in them for a few minutes, all that discomfort goes away.

Now, with that initial, and honest, first impression out of the way, they performed exactly the way I expected them to perform. Running barefoot on the treadmill I can get exactly .50 miles before my feet start feeling raw and I know monster blisters are coming. With these, I was able to run the 2 miles with zero discomfort to my feet.

I didn't feel any discomfort to my back or knees, but I don't usually running anyway. Since this was my first run of any reasonable distance not heel striking, I am already very sore in my calves. I'll update more in the running thread as I run in them some more.

Thanks for the review. I've been planning on trying them, after I finish nursing some orthopedic injuries back to a reasonably functional state. Looking forward to your updates!

[Irving]

I don't think it caused any discomfort to anything other than my calves and any other muscles I don't normally use when running. After a few months of not running, and just returning from an 8 day vacation of just drinking and eating rich, fattening foods, I thought I was going to die tonight, just not from the shoes.

[TriggerHappy]

It will take a little while to get your body use to them. I like mine a lot, mostly for working out. Dont over do it with them, they have been known to cause shin splints.

[Jer]

I want to try them but they don't make them in man sizes I guess.

[TriggerHappy]

I tried my first pair for a few weeks and took them back, one good thing about REI. The second pair stuck with me.

[Irving]

I want to try them but they don't make them in man sizes I guess.

I wear a size 12. You are supposed to buy them small. I got a size 44. In regular shoes I wear a size 45.5.

[Sharpienads]

I don't think it caused any discomfort to anything other than my calves and any other muscles I don't normally use when running. After a few months of not running, and just returning from an 8 day vacation of just drinking and eating rich, fattening foods, I thought I was going to die tonight, just not from the shoes.

The first time I used mine, I ignored to warning to break them in slow, and decided instead to run 3 miles. I could barely walk the next day my calves were so sore. But after you get those muscles working again, the shoes are very comfortable.

The only time I feel discomfort is if I'm doing suicides or ladder sprints. Stopping too fast from a full sprint can cause the area in between your toes to push against the material of the shoe (if that makes sense).

[HoneyBadger]

The first time I used mine, I ignored to warning to break them in slow, and decided instead to run 3 miles. I could barely walk the next day my calves were so sore. But after you get those muscles working again, the shoes are very comfortable.

The only time I feel discomfort is if I'm doing suicides or ladder sprints. Stopping too fast from a full sprint can cause the area in between your toes to push against the material of the shoe (if that makes sense).

I have the cheaper ($40) FILA version and I love them. The sole is built like a pair of Nike Frees with the little foam cubes that are extremely lightweight and flexible. They are a great transition shoe because they have less sole and support than a normal running shoe, but more than the "barefoot" shoes. Just like Sharpienads said though: don't try doing suicides or playing basketball in them... You could seriously injure your feet.