The minimalist running movement claimed that human beings were born to run, so running barefoot or in the most minimal shoe possible was the way to go. And they had a point. Unfortunately, running over pointy sticks and rocks, let alone concrete and asphalt, turns out to be pretty miserable. Brooks’ Pure Project helped translate the principles of minimalism into functional running shoes, and the PureFlow 7 illustrates the results. The sole height drops only 4 mm from heel to toe for a more natural foot strike, and the shoes are light and flexible so that you can feel the ground beneath your feet—or Connect with it, as the best Brooks shoes from the Connect line are designed to do.