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David J
November 29, 2023
The Ultimate Beater Shoe.
I'm the kind of guy who likes to have a nice, neutral pair of every day sneakers to walk around in. Something I can tie once, slip on, and go and just run them into the ground. I used to use cheap skate shoes for this purpose until someone put me onto the wide toe/zero drop shoe thing. I'm not trying to spend 100 dollars for some Lems or anything like that, so when I found these, I thought "why not?"Lemme just say, these are so comfortable. I love the wide toe box personally. I purchased a size 9.5, and was worried that my index toes, which come out a bit farther than my big toes, would scrape up against the inside of the shoe, and I am happy to report that these did NOT. If your feet are shaped similarly, I would say do not size up. The knit on these is fairly thick, but not so much that it makes the shoe stiff in any way. You can bend these 180 degrees with no issue.I would say the only cons I could give these is that after breaking them in a bit, the insole becomes even flatter, so if you thought they were not too cushiony to begin with, they will give way a bit more. This is a preference thing for people. I prefer a little cushion but minimal. It encourages me to walk less on my heel when I walk and this helps posture. The other thing is that they do loosen in size, so your foot might kind of do the swish in em unless you tighten up the lace. Honestly that's nit picky for something that's so comfortable in every other way though. For the 20-30 dollars I paid for these, that's perfectly acceptable. I've been on these for about 2 months now and they still look relatively brand new. I just hope that when spring time comes around, they're still here so i can cop another pair in an appropriate color for the season.Try them out if you're looking for some good minimal footwear that can take a beating. You won't be disappointed.
✔ Verified Purchase
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Value Seeker
December 10, 2023
Delivers what they promise, at a great price
I bought these because long ago I read "Born to Run," which clearly explained the reasons for so many injuries among runners, validating my observations as a long-time Bowen therapist. At 82, I don't run, but I DO walk, participate in rigorous dance classes and stay as active as possible. During the worst of Co-vid 19, I incurred a spinal injury, was scheduled for surgery but Co-vid prevented all but essential procedures. I've been rebuilding on my own since then and these shoes are part of the program.I will say that having no lift in the heel takes some getting used to. I already had some balance issues, related, I think, to inner ear aging, so that's compounded the difficulty in adaptation. The new position, however, is bringing about a permanent adjustment to my spine, making walking and other activities more comfortable. The wide toe box and ability to feel the surface contours of whatever terrain I'm treading is freeing and invigorating. AND, it's good to know and feel that the arches of my feet, which are designed to spring, not be rigidly held in position, can now do their job.One more observation: the white shoes are difficult to keep clean. I have washed them twice in a large commercial washing machine, from which they emerged clean, still true to size. I don't know that the manufacturer recommends this, just saying I tried it and it worked.From a professional viewpoint, I can say that the younger you are, the sooner you will adapt to this type of shoe and the fewer problems you'll experience with your back, legs, feet and neck over your lifetime. I wish they'd been around 80 years ago.
✔ Verified Purchase
Roomy toes, but jury still out on comfort
These shoes have a roomy toe box. However, I find that they slip in the back no matter how tight I tie them. Also, they seemed very comfortable at first. But after wearing them for a few hours, the bottoms of my feet hurt. I do, however, feel an improvement with my back pain.
✔ Verified Purchase
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Andrew Sloniger
February 25, 2024
Very different shoes
These shoes make it hard to wear other shoes. They are VERY comfortable once you wear them for a couple of weeks. The wide toe box, very flexible sole, and light weight of these shoes make for a great experience. I hate wearing other shoes when the situation calls for it, now.My feet don't sweat all day like with less breathable shoes, and it's truly awesome to be able to walk down the street and feel the grooves in the street, even through the soles and your socks.They are VERY permeable, so rain goes right through them, but they dry super fast for the same reason.I was starting to get an aching feeling in the muscles along the inside of my left foot after walking all day wearing traditional shoes, but after switching to these and getting used to them, it has not come back.Please know what you are getting into! These shoes do not cushion the impacts of your walking and your feet and/or ankles may be a little sore if you do a lot of walking while transitioning. I walk over a mile a day commuting and at work, so it did take some getting use to, but now I feel more stable.
✔ Verified Purchase
Comfortable
Love these shoes I wear them everyday to my nursing home because I have wide flat feet.
✔ Verified Purchase
