Wow, do they feel better than barefoot or what?! My favorite part is the padding around the hole - it's soft and plush and I can feel the difference. I have an old pair of similar shoes but they are of inferior quality and this is the Rolls Royce version! My usual women's shoe size is 9.5 and I ordered these. They fit perfectly even if the specs say "wide", I don't have wide feet and they are fine. The design is sleek and the construction is solid. long - when I tighten it, the loop it makes almost touches the ground, so I pull it through the fabric and tug on the tab to take up any slack. It also has a large plastic switch that flops when I go unless I shorten it that way. I don't know if it should be that long but it seems like too much. NO BREACH however, because these shoes are very comfortable! I have worn them to workout on our 1 inch thick foam floor and they are great. I have worn them on an elliptical and they are great. Highly recommended! [I rely on reviews when shopping online so I hope this is helpful!]