Review on Xero Shoes TerraFlex Running Hiking Men's Shoes in Athletic by Dennis Chase

New to minimalist footwear, a hiker, not a runner. Tried several brands and styles. To help with sizing, I wear a 9, 9.5 in a "glove" with extra room for thumb width, ordered a 10 in it and my big toe hits the front. 10.5 is longer but still shorter than the glove. On the first pair, the missing space in the insole was filled with glue. (See photo) It was in the left shoe on the little finger. It was noticeable without the insole, and I wasn't expecting that from a $100 pair of shoes. The second pair has no such disadvantage. However, they fit very well. Fits snugly around the heel and midfoot, and the toe box is much roomier. There is no arch support, these soles are flat :) They are comfortable with and without insoles, thick and thin socks. Worn 3+ miles first few days, third over rocky hills 6.5 miles and love the feel. No slipping, seems like good grip, much more ground feel than I'm used to but not harsh. Crossing the water they were a bit slippery on mossy wet rocks but shed water and dried up quickly. A little sore when changing, but no problem with stones, branches or roots. If they hold up well, xero will be my mark. Update: I've put 550 miles on these shoes and I'm very happy with them. These are by far the most comfortable closed toe shoes I have ever owned. In 3 weeks, all the pain in the feet / lower legs, which appeared after almost a year of wearing hiking shoes, completely disappeared. I wish I had never been convinced to give up trail runners and instead live and learn. The only disappointment is that the cleat on the toe is decorative fabric and not solid fabric and I was worried they would hold up as I tend to drag a foot. a little. After about 300 miles they started tearing on both shoes. The tread is great in most conditions but can be a bit slippery on wet rocks and in rivers. They look really worn but still feel great which is the opposite of what I'm used to :)