I bought a pair of these shoes about six months ago, after many of my friends told me how great they were. I was skeptical about the minimalist craze at first, but then I began doing my research about it and decided to give it a try. I am very pleased with these shoes for crossfit workouts and lifting in the gym, or even short runs. They take some getting used to before wearing them for long runs, as they have very little cushion in the sole. If you are a heal striker (as I was), then you will have to train yourself to run on only the ball of your foot. For the first few weeks of running like that, your calves will BURN after running very far. I adjusted to them by running sprints in them, as that was much easier for me. After wearing them for a month or so, I did run about eight miles, and they did not bother me.