I've read other reviews on this shoe from people who have lots of experience with barefoot running shoes. I am not one of them. However I heeded others advice when they said these shoes are a good first step into the world of barefoot running. These shoes are my first pair and I'm love them. I haven't had the opportunity to use them for their intended purpose as of yet, but I will definitely try them on the trails when I get back to beautiful Hawaii. As of now, I use them for crossfit mostly and very short runs, and they've done nothing but impress me.