Review on WHITIN Minimalist Barefoot Sneakers Training Sports & Fitness and Running by Patrick Carlson

I bought them in color 8.5 white and am very satisfied. A size 8 or 8.5 usually fits me, but since I bought them mainly for comfort, I went for the larger size. They are comfortable from the first time you put them on (in my case they were without socks, although they are very comfortable with socks). The soles are very low, flexible and have a good grip. This was important to me: I have rheumatoid arthritis, including inflammation and limited mobility in my ankles, so I trip when I wear thick-soled shoes. I feel very down to earth in them - they even make me a little optimistic! The lacing provides amazing arch support for such a flat shoe. They also cut well around my ankle, high enough to make me feel secure and low enough not to dig in when I get a lot of inflammation. Last but not least, they are also very cute: the white ones with rubber soles have a bit of retro hipster flair and go with every casual outfit. The only possible downside is that they are canvas and will (I expect) get dirty and/or tear if I mishandle them, but I've had them for over a month now (wear them almost every day, mostly on the pavement) and they still look good. I will be back to buy them in black too!**REDACTED** Well after a few months of happily wearing white pairs I decided I needed them in black too. I'm *very* disappointed that the company changed the fabric. They are no longer made of cotton canvas, but of a decidedly synthetic polyester fabric that is lined on the inside and smells strongly of plastic. They're still comfortable but feel like they breathe less and feel hotter and sweatier. Also, they have completely lost their distinctive style and sneakers now look cheap, like Payless or Walmart. I don't know if I'll be returning them - probably not worth it - but I'm very disappointed as I was looking forward to the black version of the original canvas design. I'm keeping my star rating unchanged as I originally reviewed a previous design, but Whitin please return the canvas! As they are, they currently only cost about 2 or 3 stars.