Transitional Shoes

For heel-toe drop. Try to find some shoes with 4-5mm or less.
For minimal feel under foot, then you need less midsole - like 13mm or less. Transition may be ~20mm or less

Go to http://www.runningwarehouse.com/ and they'll give you this detail on the shoes.

Some good transition running shoes would be saucony kinvara. Have minimal upper, 4mm heel-toe but does have a substantial sole thickness - but is still firm. These are specifically made for transition.
New Balance also have a few. The minimus trail I use, they would be tough to go straight into road running but you may enjoy these more than the VFF (my toe shoes collect dust now that I use the MT10's). NB also have a 730 model that looks like a good transition and the minimus road would also be one although I have no experience with either - other than I tried on the road and didn't like.
There are other shoes around that I haven't tried or know about. There appears to be loads of inov8 shoes to choose from that will fit your needs too. I've heard that they fit narrow though and NB is a bit wider.
A good source for reviews on these shoes is here
http://www.runblogger.com/
If you notice, you can go through this blog to runningwarehouse and get a discount too.
This is not my blog, I don't know who it is, but I find it an interesting read.

NOTE: Don't be fooled into thinking a the merrell gloves are transitional. They are all but the same as the VFF - except with a toe box rather than individual toes.

Brooks Pures are great. I use the Grit because I trail run. Also loving Hoka One One Bondi B... sometimes my feet are a bit beat up after Merrel Glove or VFFs and the cushion on the Hokas are so welcome and it doesn't mess with my form bc it's only 4mm drop.

The NB minimus would be good transition too. The anatomical last was awkward fit for me though and so I don't use these as much bc it bugs a couple toes on one foot on the downhill when I do big hill trails.

Forget Nike.

Are you talking about the trail or road ?
I have the original trail (MT10) and would be skeptical to say that someone could use that on the road as their initial transitional shoe. Certainly once they've gone through the pain of change though. Also, some of the newer versions have zero drop too.If it's road, then I have no comment.
Regarding that awkwardness from the weird stitching/groove that goes around the outer area of the inside of the shoe ? I had a pair (MT10) that when using with no socks, the two inner toes on my right foot would rub on what felt like stitching. To solve, I went back and got a half size bigger (12.5). Problem solved. What was even more interesting, however, I went back and got another color. Testing these out with no socks in the store I could tell the same rub might happen. But that was the 12.5 pair, so I got a 13 and they are fine. The two shoes look the same size, but are of different colors. My wife also experienced this same rub - a 1/2 size bigger in same color didn't work - but she tried a different color and it worked. I'm not sure what's going on with the sizes of the NB minimus, but it would seem there's a big variance. (It's the same with the VFF, some fit loose and some you can't even pull on. They're all over the shoe - perhaps it's due to the minimal nature of all these shoes. We can feel EVERYTHING - even the fit).

So, I wear 12 in almost every shoe I have ever owned. But NB minumus MT10 which I wear sock-less more often than not I have one in 12.5 and one in 13. (and it doesn't look like a clown shoe on me).

The NB minimus would be good transition too. The anatomical last was awkward fit for me though and so I don't use these as much bc it bugs a couple toes on one foot on the downhill when I do big hill trails.

Forget Nike.

Are you talking about the trail or road ?
I have the original trail (MT10) and would be skeptical to say that someone could use that on the road as their initial transitional shoe. Certainly once they've gone through the pain of change though. Also, some of the newer versions have zero drop too.If it's road, then I have no comment.
Regarding that awkwardness from the weird stitching/groove that goes around the outer area of the inside of the shoe ? I had a pair (MT10) that when using with no socks, the two inner toes on my right foot would rub on what felt like stitching. To solve, I went back and got a half size bigger (12.5). Problem solved. What was even more interesting, however, I went back and got another color. Testing these out with no socks in the store I could tell the same rub might happen. But that was the 12.5 pair, so I got a 13 and they are fine. The two shoes look the same size, but are of different colors. My wife also experienced this same rub - a 1/2 size bigger in same color didn't work - but she tried a different color and it worked. I'm not sure what's going on with the sizes of the NB minimus, but it would seem there's a big variance. (It's the same with the VFF, some fit loose and some you can't even pull on. They're all over the shoe - perhaps it's due to the minimal nature of all these shoes. We can feel EVERYTHING - even the fit).

So, I wear 12 in almost every shoe I have ever owned. But NB minumus MT10 which I wear sock-less more often than not I have one in 12.5 and one in 13. (and it doesn't look like a clown shoe on me).

I used the trail, but I wasn't recommending that one specifically (why I didn't include a model number). I tried the 2nd iteration and it was the 3rd and 4th toes on right. They felt okay other than on the downhill. I wore them, so no exchanging. I was annoyed enough with that not to try another size. I'm much happier with the Hokas and PureGrits. For shorter runs, I wear the Gloves, Bikilas, Spyridon, or Luna Sandals .

I used the trail, but I wasn't recommending that one specifically (why I didn't include a model number). I tried the 2nd iteration and it was the 3rd and 4th toes on right. They felt okay other than on the downhill. I wore them, so no exchanging. I was annoyed enough with that not to try another size. I'm much happier with the Hokas and PureGrits. For shorter runs, I wear the Gloves, Bikilas, Spyridon, or Luna Sandals .

I find the model number quite useful when talking about "minimus" because it's a family of shoe. They aren't all the same.
Anyway. I had worn my shoes when I experienced the rubbing - and the store replaced them no problem (new balance store). I've also had those little dots come off and the shoe was replaced no questions asked.
I've heard other people have good experience with replacing the NB shoes too. Try talking to NB customer service directly. It wouldn't surprise me if you could get something done about it ..... and at the end of the day, no harm in asking.