These are the most comfortable shoes I have! I'm new to minimalist barefoot shoes, but have worn Converse's Chuck Taylor for years, so I'm used to the flat, thin sole. They are flexible yet durable. Great for hiking, but the stretchy material allows the foot to slip slightly inside the shoe, even with tight lacing, so you don't feel secure going up and down hills. If overtightened, the edge of the lace will rub against the top of the foot and not make it more secure. But for flat trails and everyday use, they're great. I love that my toes can splay and my little toe is not broken at all. Sizing wise I wear the men's 9/women's 11. The men's 9 felt great, very secure and fit like a dream except my big toe was pushed too far forward where the stretch material adheres to the sole. I was afraid that over time the material would tear and my thumb would come out, so I ordered the next size up before sending the first pair back to decide which one would fit me best. The larger the size, the more convenient. my toes, but my foot slipped in slightly when going up or down the slope. I chose one size larger and simply wear thicker socks when hiking or jogging. As you can see from the photos the black on the toes wears off very quickly, in just the first hour I wear them around the house. In fact, both pairs wore the same spot almost immediately, but otherwise I've been wearing them to work and hiking for a month now and that's the only downside so far. No ripping or ripping of material from the sole. The eyelets hold up very well, I also got them wet once and they took a long time to dry. I do not recommend these as water shoes if you expect them to dry out quickly. Otherwise I will definitely order a second pair in the future. This is really great.