I've worn these shoes about a year now and LOVE a minimalistic shoe!  We weren't born with shoes on our feet, but we were built to run!  I hadn't realized how lazy traditional running shoes made me with their "support" and "cushion".  My normal run is about 5K and I haven't had any more plantar facitis issues since learning to land lightly and feel the road instead of heel-striking.  That said, you should learn proper form before going gung-ho with this type of shoe.  I love the one-piece design of the interior so sock-free is comfortable and washing is possible.  I love New Balances slightly bigger toe-box.  The only thing not mentioned with this product design is a fixed tongue which makes it a little tougher to get on.  It has a very flexible sole which I liked for running and also for box-jumping as I also use these for CrossFit. They don't have as much lateral stability that CrossFitters like for lifting which is why I'm still looking at other New Balance styles (WX20), but we'll see.  This has been a great shoe for me!