I have plantar fasciitis following some unfortunate antibiotic complications and was forced to go out and buy new shoes. Previously, I went barefoot and when forced to wear shoes, lived in flip flops, huaraches, and ballet flats. Mostly flip flops. Those days were brought to an abrupt and painful end and I flat out hate shoes. Luckily I found orthaheel and got myself a couple of their tide flip flops and a wonderful wrap slide thing, but then it started to rain. Even here in San Diego it occasionally gets cold enough that flip flops and birkenstocks feel a little silly. I found these. They are great! Their arch support is not the same as the standard orthaheel--it's a little broader. That is to say that the rise going into the arch support "hump" starts a little earlier and ends a little later than all of my other orthaheel shoes, but I don't (unlike some of the other reviewers here) find that a deal breaker. I find that the change is kind of refreshing. It is still a very pronounced support and the heel cup is excellent. I can't walk quite as far in these as with the regular arch pattern (I found that a 3 hour museum expedition had me very happy to sit down for a nice cappuccino), but the recovery was quick.

They are also incredibly cute.  I haven't gotten so many "where did you get those shoes?" on anything else since I went into the Orthotics Zone. (I have the purple ones, and they are very very fun.) I am dying to get a pair of the caramel ones and, remember, I hate shoes!

I used a suede protector spray on them and they've cleaned up nicely with no stains, including having a litre of Dr. Pepper dumped on them last week.

Regarding "break in" period. I had no trouble from the first day, but wore them around the house for 2 - 3 hrs at a time for about 5 days before I was sure I'd keep them. Like Birkenstocks, during those days they did some molding/accommodation and the footbed did modify to my heel. Ihave never worn them without socks, so can't say how they are in terms of rubbing against skin. I usually take a 9 wide, but had no trouble with the regular sizing once I'd worn them for a couple of days.