Altra Provision 7 Women's Shoes (7)

I have relatively severe arthritis in my feet (bottom AND the top of my foot), wide toes, and have had bouts of plantar fasciitis in the past, so I am very picky about my footwear. I usually wear Hoka Gaviota for exercise and Birkenstocks for everything else. The Gaviota have a 3mm higher stack than the Provision, and a heel drop. I have heard great things about Altra and these were 1/3 the price of new Gaviotas, so I thought I'd give it a try. I purchased both these Provision 7 and a pair of Paradigm 6 at the same time. I ended up keeping them both, for different reasons. I normally order Hoka 9D (wide). After reading reviews, I ordered my Altra in a 9.5 medium, and they are the correct size. My toes can wiggle and spread comfortably without my foot feeling sloppy in the shoe. This is my first time with a neutral shoe, and I feel like I am still adjusting. I've worn these shoes to work for the past week - I am a teacher and am on my feet on hard floors all day. I've noticed that I am stepping and standing more on my heels than I am used to. This isn't a bad thing, and it isn't causing me pain (a little sore, but barely noticeable) - it is just very different than I am used to. There is a toe ridge that I like, but I would prefer more padding under the toes in general. These Provisions are definitely more fitted in the mid-foot and heel than my Hoka and the Altra Paradigm. The heel is comfortably padded, and there is zero heel-slip. That, paired with the wide toe bed, makes them look a little like a clown shoe - but it is worth it for the comfort. There is definitely less cushioning than the Hoka and the Altra Paradigm, but these still are comfortable for exercise. With my "iffy" feet, I don't think I'd want to walk around city streets all day in these, but I think people who aren't used to higher cushion & who don't have all my foot problems will love them.