I really wanted to like these shoes. I was hoping for something like the vapor glove, but a bit more to it so I could go for longer runs without foot pain. I still wanted the natural feel with a few millimeters of padding. Unfortunately, it didn't like up to my hopes. I wouldn't call these shoes minimalist, to start with. The rubber sole under the arch is way too stiff to allow for a natural feel. What was very unexpected, especially for such a respected name in footwear, was the poor build quality. The shoes looked great on the outside, but inside the fabric was coming loose after one run. They have since been returned.