Hybrid technology which WORKS! A shoe that delivers the best qualities of several types of shoes!
UPDATE!!! (I have continued to wear these shoes day in and day out since buying, so I'm going to tell you how they're working. The size 7 1/2 shoes in this style which I ordered were too big. The size 7s which I'm using have broken in to a VERY comfortable fit, (the shoes will stretch just a touch to accommodate your foot over time), but like some other users, I was having a bit of discomfort with the arch support being a bit much. I took out the insole and tried to stretch out the rubber where the arch support is, bending it back and forth while stretching, and then I moved the insole around just a bit in the shoe...pulled it over to the side, and it worked! The arch support no longer bothers my arch! These are STILL the most comfortable shoes I've found for all my various muscle and spine issues, and you'd have to tear them off my feet to get them back! My posture is 100% better when I have these shoes on. I CANNOT slump! These shoes FORCE me to tuck in my butt and gut! Even more impressed than I was initially!) I am the princess and the pea of the shoe world, and I have been on a major quest for YEARS, looking for shoes which actually work with my foot and back issues. I was a hopeful buyer with these shoes, because they are kind of a hybrid shoe which are part zero drop and part zero gravity, have high arch support and built in roller technology. They were priced well too! They are not the fanciest shoe, but I'm 74 and don't much care as long as I can wear a straight black shoe without something hurting. I have lordosis, (sway back), due to a lumbar/sacral transitional vertabrae, so any shoes with a heel lift push my pelvis forward, but not these! I also have high arches, and these shoes have great arch support, though I'd like it a bit more forward in the shoe, though it does work. I also had a broken right kneecap which 2 radiologists missed on x-rays, so my upper thigh muscles healed poorly. For that I went to physical therapy, but it was like a Marine bootcamp, and I was totally exhausted and hurting, so I quit on advice from my doc. I have a neuroma on the ball of my right foot, (the wrong shoe will make it act up and shoot electricity up my leg, ugh!), and my right leg in general has seen better days over the years. It's ALWAYS the leg that gets injured. Torn meniscus as well a few years back. So after my failed attempt to do PT, I became a very dedicated couch potato after having been extremely active most of my life. The few shoes I still have which do fit have holes in the soles, and the company who made them do not sell these old style shoes anymore. I have walked on these new shoes for a few hours now, and while I can feel the muscles pull in my upper thigh, it's nothing compared to the ache from straight out zero drop barefoot shoes I've tried. I may have reached the end of my quest for a shoe that addresses several issues! My posture is better when walking in these shoes, and the 7 I ordered fits with thin socks. I actually ordered a 7 1/2 to wear with some thick winter socks. The toe box is plenty wide for my wide feet, and the shoe itself is overall comfortable. I have an ear disorder as well which makes me feel dizzy in shoes with thick soles, but these are not so high that I'm feeling the dizziness. The built in rocker technology is fantastic and while not as pronounced as a true rocker shoe, gives the general feel of a rocker. I feel good and secure when walking. My husband actually likes the style of these shoes and thinks they look great BECAUSE they look different than many other shoes. Sorry for the long list of medical issues I'm dealing with in regards to shoes, but I know there must be others out there who have foot/spine issues, so I thought it may be helpful to let others know everything I'm dealing with when looking at shoes. I've tried many which were pricier and recommended, and they went right back for a refund. These are keepers! The hybrid design was genius in my opinion and fully covers many different foot and spine issues. The only advice I will give potential buyers is to go up 1/2 size if you're having a hard time deciding on size. I can wear anything from a 6-7 depending upon the company and style of shoe, and I'm happy I bought the 7 rather than the 6 1/2. The toe box is a 'built in' wide, though the length is a bit shorter than most size 7 shoes. I ordered a 7 1/2 to wear with thick socks, and I've never worn a 7 1/2. Other than the sizing issue, I'm a very satisfied customer who is going out for more walks! Also, the insole can be removed for orthotics or your own gel insert/arch support if you need to adjust.. Huge plus!