The Asics Tai-Chi's: My Comments and Fitting Tips

I like 'em. They've got a great leather appearance and feel, with a soft, breathable cloth tongue. The sole is thin, and works well for forefoot-strike running or walking, but isn't as thin as the Vibrams where you can easily feel twigs underneath you. It'll give you the barefoot feel of the Vibrams, without the barefoot look. I've experienced no problems so far with getting overheated and sweaty inside the shoe in the summer heat. My pair is less than a week old, but I've seen a pair that's nearly three years old. Those ones look worn, but that's to be expected.

Now, about the fitting...

For reference, my foot is 28.5cm long and 11.5cm wide. These are some other shoes I own:
- old Brooks running shoes, size 10.5: these fit snugly, and my foot fills the entire thing.
- cheap K-Mart black leather shoes, size 11: these fit well.
- Nike Zoom Waffles, size 11.5: these are very narrow and long, and fit nicely excluding the extra length in the toes.
- Vibram FiveFinger Sprints, size 44EU: the best-fitting shoe I own, obviously, though the heel is a bit long if not strapped on properly.

I'd have to relate the Tai-Chi's to the Nike Zoom Waffles. They're thin, tight (yet comfortable), and long. I went with the size 11, which was a good choice for me.

Even though the width is good on me, the length came out with a spare centimeter or so. This isn't all that bad, since the end of the shoe tapers pretty significantly, and I wouldn't want to jam my toes into it anyway. When landing on the ball of the foot, the extra length at the toes doesn't get in the way. If you have a tendency to reach out with your feet (a problem with running technique), then you could easily be scraping the front of the shoe. So don't.

The heel of the shoe fits well, and doesn't slip at all. If you're one of the guys who lazily slips his shoes on and off, keeping the laces tied the entire time, you'll find some problems getting back in. It's a nice shoe, take care of it - retie your laces.

The inside of the shoe offers very little in the way of cushion. The softness of the leather sides and shoe tongue are what make this heavenly to wear.

Here are some additional comments from Brain Behn.

I got my pair from ClassicSportsShoes.com, for $70 plus $7 shipping. The shoe is no longer produced in bulk, but CSS gets a special order every few months. I waited about four months to get my pair. If you see them there, and you want them, grab them while you can.