First off, I wear them with socks. My feet sweat a lot, and I just feel more comfortable with a pair of ankle socks on. I do a lot of trail walking/jogging and the socks keep the inevitable dirt and rocks from getting to my feet.

When I first got them, I did a walk. It really was like learning to walk all over again. I do some pavement walking to get to the trails near my house, and then I walk on uneven trails. With these shoes, you have to learn how to walk - basically that slamming your heel down first doesn't feel good and that's not the way to go. There were strange twinges around my ankles that I hadn't experienced before, like new muscles were being asked to contribute.

With these shoes, you have to consciously remind yourself not to do the heel first thing. It's especially tough to remember going fast downhill (for me, at least). When you're on trails with a lot of rocks or roots, you definitely feel the difference. But I'm starting to feel better each time I go for a hike, and by the summer I should be ready for those big hikes with no problem. I love the way you can actually feel the terrain under your feet.

You'll feel sore the next day in different places than you're used to. If you have weak ankles, you might want to stick to flat grass or pavement. You really learn how much your feet and legs *aren't* doing with regular shoes when you start wearing these. Your ankles are asked to handle a lot of lateral movement (well, at least mine feel like it), and you become more aware of how you're landing your foot and to correct for leaning too much to the outside of the foot (in my case).

I've noticed them to have good tread for dirt and rocks, even when they were a little wet (but I'm sure that depends on the kind of rocks and how wet they are). They're easy to rinse out and let air dry if they get dirty. They're in no way waterproof (which you'd expect). My feet don't feel hot in these, even with socks - but it's still spring here.

Overall, I'm glad I got them, and look forward to my long summer hikes even more.