Complete minimalist shoes will fall apart during heavy training. They're best for short runs or races. Overly-padded, structured shoes like Asics' Nimbus feel like platform shoes & your feet are on lock-down. Saucony's Kinvara strikes the perfect balance.

If you're a Chi, POSE or minimalist runner, the Kinvara will provide enough protection from the elements, a very flexible sole & a barely noticeable heel rise (4mm) such that striking mid-foot is easy to do w/o scraping your heels. I can actually feel the work-out on my calves as I do when I run in my bare feet.

Although I don't have wide feet, I like for my toes to be able to expand as they do naturally. The Kinvara's light construction allows the shoe to expand very easily w/o being a wide shoe. Nicely engineered. The Nike Free, on the other hand, doesn't seem to expand as much & squeeze my toes.

The shoe is quite reasonably priced. Minimal-ish shoes should be less expensive than those shored up with bells & whistles. Shoe-makers like Newton gouge us because they didn't have much competition in this market. Using similar materials, but shaping them differently shouldn't add to cost, particularly if less material is being used. Vibram's Five Fingers are a prime example of price gouging based on niche market, not cost to produce or value. Gloves with rubber bottoms shouldn't cost $85.

No, it's not perfect. Unlike the inner part of the sole (under the arch), which is flat, the outer sole sort of swoops upwards which makes it wear down a bit faster than the inner part. It looks good, but I wish the sole was more 'neutral' both ways. I'd also like a little less arch support, for that natural, minimal feel. I can live with this, however.

As for aesthetics, the Kinvara is a unique looking shoe, but not as ghastly as most Asics and not as oddball as some minimalist shoes.

I feel comfortable running long distances in this shoe. I am using Kinvaras to train for & run in the LA Marathon. It's light enough to race in, but substantial enough to train in, even for a 6', 200lb man like me.

UPDATE: Having used Kinvaras for almost a year, I have to say that a 200lb man like me should probably use more cushioned shoes if he's running long distances on pavement all the time. I developed anterior shin splints whilst using these shoes. Kinvara is probably best suited for half marathon training or a race day. It simply doesn't provide enough cushion for a heavy person that pounds asphalt. Your feet have to work harder because &  you get less bounce. When I bought a pair of neutral cushioned shoes, the slight extra weight was greatly off-set by the bounce. My feet didn't have to work as hard. The shoes lasted much longer.  It's all personal.