Tried Strechers but after a couple of hours they actually hurt my feet.  After a full work day my back ached so bad I almost had to go to a doctor.  While the sole of the MBT and Stretchers look identical the feel is completely different.  Apparently Stretchers attaches a regular flat shoe to a curved sole while MBT's inside is curved as well, which makes all the difference in the world.  Yes the MBT's are heavy but that's because of the quality.  There's nothing cheap about MBT shoes.  I've only had them a few weeks but they're holding up very well.  I've seen other reviews that claim 1 pair of MBT's will outlast 3-4 pairs of Strechers, so while Strechers may cost less/pair over the life of the shoe MBT costs about the same.