I got these shoes to perform as lifting and all-around gym shoes. I went with these instead of a barefoot model because I had owned vibrams for almost 4 years for squatting & deadlifting, and I wanted something new.

First Impressions:
When I opened the box I was highly impressed with the look of the shoe. Even though I got the black & white model they still have a flashy & crisp look to them. Seeing them in person does them so much more justice. Upon closer inspection I was upset to see that the white along the soles was shoddily painted on. Being one for function I didn't dwell on it for too long, but if you're big into looks I can guarantee you some disappointment. It looks as if a third grader brushed the white on, and couldn't keep the brush inside the lines. That being said it's only really visible upon close inspection.

The fit:
Typically I wear an 11-12 size shoe depending on the brand. More of the minimalist/barefoot models put me closer to 11/11.5, so I purchased these in an 11.5 to be safe. My foot is slightly on the wide size, but I've never had a problem with standard width shoes. These were a different story, as the toe box is narrow, and the shoe comes to a point. This led to the length being perfect, but my last two toes rub along the side of the shoe despite it being the optimal length for my foot. Should I ever buy these again, I would definitely go with a wider fit. I found that taking out the 3mm padding in the sole allowed for a better feel, but my foot still spills over the sides. The feature I found great was the meta-flex. It allows for a more natural foot bend feel.

The function:
Like I said; I got these as gym shoes for lifting (though I'm not a crossfitter), so my opinion is based primarily on the shoes ability to support my feet under heavy loads. That was my first mistake. I began testing these shoes out with some air squats. They felt pretty good when driving my heels into the ground, but when I inspected them I saw that the crappy white paint job on the soles had some tension lines. I weigh about 185lb, so it worried me that the heel was giving under this pressure. If you're serious about your lifts you know incompressible soles are best for pushing something like a 3 plate squat. That was an instant turn-off. Running and walking is an entirely different story. The combination lightweight feel and meta-flex allow for very comfortable walking/running

Overall:
I wouldn't recommend these for lifting, as not having a sturdy sole can lead to all sorts of problems. They are, however, one of the best running shoes to grace my feet, and I think they're a great shoe for someone transitioning to minimalist shoes; hence the "ok" rating. If you're a lifter, or crossfitter who's got a passion for oly lifts, then look elsewhere. I'll appease the crossfit population by acknowledging their great functionality for metcon's, but for your own safety it's better to lift in something more stable. I haven't tried inov-8's bare-xf 210, but they seem much better for lifting purposes. For those who want a shoe that will be there for you during heavy lifts invest in an actual weightlifting shoe, or a barefoot model. I'll be sticking to my vibrams/barefoot style shoes for deadlifts. As far as squats I'm going to stop being stubborn and spend the money on real weightlifting shoes.