In my experience - totally different shoe. The Free is intended to basically emulate running in bare feet (or at least, get close) by providing little stability, allowing the bones and muscles in your foot to move independently, the claim being that they'll then get stronger. The Netwon is design with a unique fore-foot system that encourages you to run with a forefoot or midfoot strike (rather than a heel-strike). The Free doesn't influence your form at all, where the Newton does (or claims to).

Running with the Newton is a unique experience. If you're already a mid or forefoot striker - which I am - I find they allow me to keep my form with less fatigue over longer miles. They feel different on your feet, and if you're a real heel-striker, I think you can anticipate having to adjust to them a bit. The Free did nothing for me, really - just a superlight shoe. The Newton is also superlight - that's about where the comparisons end in my experience.

I do recommend the Newton - I consider them my secret weapon. ;) They really need to be tried to understand what they're like.

I'm glad this got posted (way to go leon_v!). I'm seriously considering the Newton's right now, but would like to hear some "reviews" on them.

++ on the Newtons and that the Frees would not be in the same category.

I'm going to reply anyway even though I haven't tried the Frees, but I think this is actually a difference: I *never* would even consider the Frees because I've generally needed more shoe than that, so they're just not for me. But I have been working on the Chi running thing since I started running again last November and have also been having a terrible time finding shoes that work well for me because most shoes are designed with some degree of heel striking in mind. I have only about 22 miles on the Newtons so far and am still adjusting, but I am happy with them because they're light and work with me, rather than against me. The price, indeed, is steep, but at least you know you're not supporting some huge corporate overhead. I think the bottom line depends on how you run and/or want to run: if you're mid/forefoot striking or working on it, the Newtons may make sense; if not, they probably won't.

i love my newtons. and would also consider them a secret weapon.

i started looking into barefoot running (which if you have not tried since you were a kid, it is exhilerating! could go for miles without even being aware i was running, even concrete and rocks were not bad)

anyway i digress... i started looking into barefoot running because i was continually suffering to reoccurance of plantar facisis (sp?). i figured i might be able to strengthen my feet and avoid injury if i ran barefoot. i did some training actually barefoot, and felt the response in my feet, but since most of my running is in the city i started looking at frees.

the problem i have with frees, is that the large heel padding forces or influences your foot to run like it is in a shoe, kinda defeating the purpose of buying a barefoot shoe. this might sound like newton brainwashing, but it rings true to me.

so i eventually decided my feet were worth it and bought some newtons. i am never going back. i went from running in a pair of super stable NB 1220's to the light and flexible newtons. aside from running faster, i believe that the shoe mechanics are strenghtening my feet preventing injury and i can barely believe that i can run is such light shoes.

the NB were like pillows protecting my feet, but also turning them into mush. little couch potatoes.

i'm still working on it and will get what feels like muscle soreness in my feet after a run. although it feels healthy, like progress, not achy like plantar facistis.

I actually ran on the newtons (both trainer and racers) since march of 07 and love'ed them, but for some reason this year, i developed bursitis on my heel. So I am not saying the newtons caused it but, I switched to a different shoe and it has gone away.