Wanted: info about impulse buy

I was at the sporting goods store the other day — the high end one — looking for running shoes for my daughter.  She enjoyed the process, and also just thrilled to walking around the store looking at all the merchandise on display.  She stopped abruptly in front of a display of the weirdest, clunkiest shoes either of us had ever seen.  In response to her question, the salesman explained that they were Masai Barefoot Technology (“MBT”) shoes, with a strange, bouncy, curved sole that a Swiss engineer designed to mimic the Masai’s walking style.  This was not a selling point for me.  When he added that the shoes help with joint pain, though, my ears perked up, and continued perking as he talked about the workout they give your legs, the aid they provide for your posture, and the 40% discount the store had on the shoes.   An impulse buy was inevitable.

I have until Monday to return the shoes, so can only wear them around the house while I make up my mind.  In other words, I’m not getting the full benefit of the shoes because, spacious though my house is, it’s not a real walking experience.  I’m kind of in the dark on this one.  I’ve gone out on the internet and looked for product reviews, and discovered that people really rave about them.  But me being the suspicious type, I wonder if those are real reviews or plants by stores anxious to sell these peculiar shoes.

So, I’m turning to you, my trusted readers, to ask if you’ve had any experience with these shoes and, if you have, what you can tell me about them.