The shoes are fantastic.  These are my second pair of Altra Instincts, I had the 1.0s before.  In both cases, I love the wide toe box and zero-drop in the heal.  Further, unlike pretty much every other running shoe I''ve ever worn, these have lateral stability.  I can play tennis in these shoes without fear of rolling my ankles every time I change directions.  If you want everything about minimalist except the lack of cushion, these are the shoes for you.

These are my third pair of Altra style shoes and I''''m very satisfied and will probably buy another pair and model. I use my three other pair of Altras for exercise and everyday use.

I''ve been wearing the first instinct since it became available in my area for my long 20+ mile runs on the tarmac. It always seemed a little loose in the mid and forefoot even for "barefoot" style shoes. I always preferred the Merrell road glove for foot control and fit ,however these concerns have been addressed on the 1.5. The shoe snugs nicely through the mid foot and forefoot which improves control and still allows you toes to splay completely like a barefoot minimal shoe. Altra crushed it with this shoe and I highly recommend it for anyone wanting a zero drop shoe that still has some underfoot cushion. Did I mention the shoe looks really cool!

I''ve been running in Altra instincts since they became available in my area and are my go to road shoe for longer runs of 20+ miles.  The 1.5''s  appear to be the same shoe as far as support and cushion go but with more control through the midfoot. If you have tried Merrell road or trail gloves they fit very similar except the Altras have a more forgiving cushion for those long miles on the tarmac. If you are planning to transition to a zero drop shoe but aren''t ready to go all the way to minimalist give this one a try,it will help prepare your legs for the transition without being brutal.