I'm torn about this shoe. I have one pair in the coconut color. There is a bit of collapsing near the toe in the fabric—Brooks sent me another pair which looked better, but still had the same issue. I kept them, though, because my podiatrist recommended them for recovery from bunion surgery and for knee pain. Part of the challenge is the sizing. It's weird. I'm a size 7 and had to go up to an 8.5. I wore the coconut pair on a 3-week trip to Europe with no issues, and was making good progress on my physical therapy and able to balance on my surgery foot. So I ordered another pair in the gray color. After I got back from Europe, I switched to this newer pair to avoid wearing out the other ones. Totally different situation. My foot slipped around and the insole pushed my foot to the outside of my foot, causing underpronation and wearing down on the outside of the shoe. I was wondering why I could no longer balance on my foot and why my gait seemed off, until I finally pulled out the insole and compared it to my other pair. It was much higher and the shoe was wider. Really disappointing considering it set me back on my recovery. I guess I like this shoe—when it fits right—but the quality control isn't there. I wish the 8 fit properly because I think the 8.5 is slightly too long, and the insole quality control is also bad. I wish Brooks would make more shoes with a 6mm drop. It helps those with knee problems, but having only one option with these manufacturing issues stinks.
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