These are SERIOUSLY the best running shoes I've ever had!!  I've always had trouble finding comfortable running shoes, and for the past 10+ years (since I started running in high school) I've never had a running shoe I really loved.  I've run in shoes from Adidas, Asics, Brooks, Reebok, etc. - all the nice, high-quality brands - and have always had problems with blisters on the inside of both feet (depending on the shoe, I get blisters on the underside of my big toe, the ball of my foot, or the arch).  These are my first pair of quasi-"minimalist" running shoes, so I don't know if that makes a difference in the fit or my experience - maybe I would have a positive experience with the Merrell barefoot shoes or something similar.

I tried different shoes, different sizes, different socks, tying my shoes tighter or looser, and the only thing that worked consistently was taping my feet with athletic tape before running - which is just annoying and time consuming.  I read so many reviews before purchasing these shoes, both from "professional" runners and from people just wearing them for errands and an occasional jog.  Given the overwhelmingly positive reviews, I thought I'd give them a try - though I didn't have high hopes!  However, these shoes were perfect right out of the box.  The elastic in the back grips the heel nicely, the shoe itself is tight and fitted (but not too tight) and the toe box is large enough to be comfortable when running (though given the width, I don't know if these would be the best shoes for someone with narrow feet - I ordered the medium width and was surprised at the amount of space around the toes).  Best of all, NO BLISTERS!!  I started out with shorter runs to break them in, and the longest I've done so far is about 4.5 miles - but still no problems.  I've run just about every day since I got them - approx. 2 weeks ago - so probably have 30-40 miles on them at this point.  The shoes are incredibly comfortable and provide great traction, padding, protection.

As for the "midfoot strike" required by these shoes - I haven't found it to be problematic or uncomfortable.  I do notice a little more soreness in my calves after I run, but nothing too concerning.  They're a little weird to walk in and I don't think they'd be my go-to shoes for running errands or just walking around, but they're great for running.  With respect to sizing, I'm usually a 6, sometimes 6.5 in regular shoes, but always size up to a 6.5 in running shoes.  I ordered these in both a 6 and 6.5 since I've gotten other non-running Sketchers shoes in a 6, and found the 6 a little too small - so I would say, buy the same size as your normal running shoe size.  Also, the price on Amazon can't be beat!