Shop the best deals on the Merrell Trail Glove 7! Shop Merrell: fave.co/3Xc3BgH Shop REI: www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&website_id=83ec72ed-a4ea-4e29-b3f8-73f54836ea2a&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F217037%2Fmerrell-trail-glove-7-trail-running-shoes-mens The above is an affiliate link; if you buy through that link, I may receive a small commission on the sale. I buy ALL of the products featured on this channel and an affiliate link is NOT a sponsored link. I don't take money from companies and the commissions from affiliates help me buy more products and produce more content. At TF2, you have my promise that every review is performed independently and companies have no idea I'm reviewing their gear until it goes live Either way, use the link or don't! I just want to make sure you find the best workout shoes for your individual needs and wants. Reach out if you ever have additional questions!
I have a pair of these and I agree with pretty much everything in the review. I’ve worn them everyday for 9 months for everything from daily wear, trail running and parkour and the lugs are nearly gone on the forefoot. This being said, I’m still happy with how long they’ve lasted. I really like these and have ordered a pair of the Gore-Tex model to replace them
Awesome review, I really like how you structured the video and the different aspect you talked about. Just got my pair today and really enjoy them so far. I am new to the barefoot/minimalist game, bought some cheap shoes to test the overall feel of shoes in that genre and absolutely love it. However, since I am going on a hiking-vacation in August, I too think these are great as something in between for somebody who hasn’t worn ”ultra minimalist“ shoes a lot yet but wants to safely & slowly transition to a more barefoot feel when going on longer walks, day trips etc. I can’t wait to wear them on a trail, your review gave me the confidence that I chose the right shoe model to do so!
Just bought these, very happy with them. For sizing I went a full size smaller than my shoe size. I had previously bought a different Merrell shoe and followed the 1/2 size lower guidance. It felt roomy, so I tried a full size lower on the Vapor. It worked out fine. I have narrow feet (D width) and high arches.
Good review my man! I love this type of shoe for days when these 63 year old running feet are a bit roughed up. I typically use NB minimus trainer or Altras gym shoe, but theses soles will do me better once I hit the trails with my training partner, Buckley, my dog, what a beast. Hope they don’t make these for him!
My first-ever barefoot shoes I got two weeks ago, the Vapor Glove 5, are the best shoes I've ever worn. I'm considering getting a different barefoot pair for the northeastern winter, maybe these Trail Gloves 7s. I'm mid-50s male, decided to quit biking altogether and switch to walking for a while (prior was rolling 50-75 miles a week) to see what it would do for my yoga (fairly advanced). Now I'm walking 2 miles to get to the space and usually more going back, and my legs are stronger, my feet are happier than they've ever been, and the pain in my knees is becoming a fading memory. Also my posture when walking now, holy cow! I don't wear socks with the Vapors, but I intend to do so once the chill sets in, and I also want something with a bit more water protection (I currently use a pair of padded waterproof Columbia Crestwoods for rainy days). The fact that there's more distance from the ground with the Trail Gloves than the Vapors would seem to make them a better fit for winter. Or is there some other brand with a decent price you'd recommend. Much appreciation for the review and the work you do.
Have found that Merrell trail gloves have been good for SwimRun races as they are good for trail running, and drain well after swims. The vibram sole provides adequate support.
I got these as a very compact second shoe for travel. I’m hoping that they can perform well enough for hiking, walking, hotel gym work while not taking up a lot of space.
These work well as a pull on shoe, really like that, however I do need to pinch the heel cuff pretty well to do this. So I've sewn a strip of 4mm chord over it near the top, at the back, which makes gripping it much easier now. Everyday shoe for sure!!
I bought my first back in 2019, my second, Trail Glove 5s, IIRC, in 2021. Used them daily, mostly on pavement and concrete, city walking, and both have lasted over 2 years. I still have the pair from 2019, just the toe of the sole on one is starting to flop (need some shoegoo), so they have been relegated to chores and boat sizes.
Got these shoes for daily dogs walked on a light forest trail. The tred "lugs" have worn smooth on large sections after only 2 months. This means they are now slippery. 2 months, and they're knackered 😢
I've got these as a middle ground between a barefoot shoe and a trail shoe. I use proper barefoot zeros day to day but want a slightly more supportive shoe for trail running.
really awesome review. is this much more durable then the Altera Lone Pine? They should make a high top of this shoes and vapor glove. that would give protection to ankle from getting cut up. by the way, is it easy to put crampons on these shoes?
I don’t understand why I just have the trunk of model two those were gray but they keep putting this our support in. I would say either make the shoe not zero drop anymore because you know zero drop shoe has no to spring, so how it really propels your foot forward is through the arch using your arches of spring, and, I hear so many people say that they they get pain in their arch on a zero drop shoe and I told him the same thing all the time just to go find the zero drop shoe that has no arch support and soon as they do, they said it all goes away. They are running faster. Everything works, but I think the things that if you’re gonna make it a zero drop shoe make it with no art support if you’re gonna make it a normal shoe for 68 mm drop with a toast spring and everything else and just do that with an art support because then you don’t need an arch cause you are just disengaged my opinion, but I hear a lot of people telling me to same thing sooh well good video every time I see the video for the new truck I remember how good the old one was oh well
Well... guess I'm buying these too. They seem like the perfect minimalist shoe for basketball. If they're amazing basketball shoes I'll probably only use them for basketball to minimise traction wear & tear. Thanks for the recommendation.
@@thatfitfriend For sure! Once I find a barefoot shoe good for basketball I'll be jumping for joy. The Trail Glove 7's look promising since the traction looks solid, proper laces and 14mm sole/bottom.
They just arrived in the mail! Good news is the shoes look and feel exactly how I'd hoped... the bad news is they're too long and I need to go down a size.
Im in the market for a shoe for walking a lot (camino de santiago) doing short hikes and stuff, not very technical terrain just tyipcal hiking, I found these at 111€. What do you think?
Thank you for your review. The mention of the lug wearing down quick for everyday wear was useful. Im looking for barefoot shoes suitable for a nurse, so really long shifts on my feet. Tried the vapour gloves but i felt they were a bit too bare and not enough cushioning for 12 hours on my feet. Would you have any to recommend? Thank you!
Tbh, if you’re indoors I wouldn’t sweat the lug concern. That’s primarily for outdoor concrete use so in your context these should be okay! Want to give these a try and let me know if they work/don’t work? Then I can shout other options from there!
Maybe some of my favorite shoes ever but the grip wears off so much faster than other brands. They’re cheap but be prepared to replace them relatively often.
@@thatfitfriend and I don’t care! I’ve yet to find shoes that are more comfortable. I have the Vapor gloves as well for every day. They hold up a little better. Next to comfort these merrel barefoot shoes also excel in drying. I can walk through pretty bad rainy days with these and they hold up really well. With a pair of good moisture wicking socks you can spend a fair amount of time outside for several days and these keep up. I prefer these kinds of really fast drying shoes over anything goretex because we all know how does hold up once they’re wet. Spend a few weeks in a high humidity climate and you’ll know what you’ll need from your shoes.
Can these shoes be used for long cycling trips? I use platformpedals and try to put the arch of my foot on the pedal (instead of the front of the foot). I suffer from Morton's neuroma
I think they’d be okay, but it’s tough to say definitively from my POV since you’re working with a very specific context and I haven’t experienced that. The sole should grip fine, though
Don't care about the barefoot for running or hiking, but looking for a flat shoe with a wide toe box to increase squat stability under heavier weight. Would this be okay?
I think they'd be worth exploring! The Vapor Glove can also work here along with other barefoot shoes if you want something more minimalist with a wider toe box.
Can you review the Merrell “Wrapt Mid Waterproof” barefoot shoe? please.(the low top version would be fine as well). Also can you review the Xero Shoes Kelso(leather). I have actually used that shoe to train HIIT workouts, and am really interested in your take and output on them. I find them plush and extremely comfortable to workout in. Currently I am using a pair of Vivobarefoot Stealth III(3) to train in, but thanks to your amazing videos, I have the Avancus Apex Power 1.5 s on my list to workout in.(once they restock) I will also be checking out the Icarus Ascent 2. Thank you for all your barefoot shoe review videos. I will use your links on my next barefoot shoe purchases, if available.
I've reviewed the Kelso on my site! I like them. They're a bit bulky for me, but that's just personal preference. I'll add the Merrell model to my list. That's awesome, love hearing that - and thank you so much! It helps the channel a ton.
Hi, I bought these shoes and they turned out to be too narrow for my feet... Any suggestions what a comparable but wider shoe would be? I really like those Merrells, they look nice, they feel nice, if they just were a bit wider..
@@thatfitfriend I've ordered a pair of Xero Shoes HFS, size 47 (had 48 from Merrell) and they're looking good. They just arrived today so I can't say much more but so far they fit my feet (lol) way better, have more spacing for the toes for sure and the shoe quality/feeling/finish is really good as well. I don't know, my feet are not flat but I need a lot of space for my toes, which made me always buy shoes 1-2 sizes bigger than what my foot length would suggest. With these HFSs, toe spacing is right on the edge for me. I wouldn't mind more but it's still tolerable. Anyway, so far I'm optimistic, will be able to tell more after a couple of runs in them.
What are your thoughts on these vs the vapor glove 6? I still haven't bought my first barefoot shoe, but I am currently leaning towards the Trial glove 7 as I have a more narrow foot. I will mainly use them for walking though not in a casual 24/7 setting and not in gym
I’d go trail! This model has more range but note…it will have a higher stack height compared to the glove so if you want more ground feel then you’ll want to consider that. If not, then I say rip the trail! I’m
@@thatfitfriend Just got them today. They fit well, and instep is a little tight but I think I can just make it more loose in that area, and it should also stretch as I wear into them. Width is great as my feet are on the narrow side, length I got a size 11 US and have about 1 finger space at the back when I push my foot all the way up to the front. They are nice and light and I already find the bigger toe box compared to 'normal' shoes much more comfortable, I can actually move my toes.
Do these feel noticeably narrower than the vapor glove 6? I have those and don't think they're super narrow. It looks like basically the same shoe with more stack height.
Do you have your Trail Glove 7 in the same size as your Altra Lone Peak 7? My experience with Altra Lone Peak 7 is very similar to what you described in your review.
What vivobarefoot would be comparable to this shoe? I had merrell trail glove 7 but i found the sole to be very slippery on slick rocks. I like the grip of my vivo magna lite.
The Magnas are dope, Trail Knit FG is also okay. You'll have a different feel in both compared to this, though. Ground feel will be a lot higher in the Vivo models!
Yeah, the defining of "barefoot shoes" needs to be better across the board, tbh. Feel like so many companies call shoes "barefoot shoes" and it's not even close, for example flux does that, too
Would you run an ultra marathon over 100km in these or pick something with more padding. I love these low padded zero drop shoes but I am not sure if I should use it for further that 100km?
I'd probably go more padded, but I'm not an ultra guy. However, with that type of activity your durability is huge and if you're not acclimated to more minimalist shoes then you might get pretty beat up with em', imo! This is speaking from my other ultra friends who swap shoes and typically opt for more cushioned shoes for races.
Does this shoe dry quick fairly quick? Looking for a minimalist shoe to day hike in with lots of water crossings. Just want them to be dry the next day.
hi can you recommend a pair of shoes that are durable, can go on both road and trail off-road, but can be dry quickly, kind of like travel shoes? Because it's either really hot, humid or downpour rain at my place, so the shoes has to be submerge in water sometimes. MERRELL TRAIL GLOVE 7 almost fits all my conditions but like in your video said, it didn't fit well on concrete or road.
IMO, these are still worth trying if you can find them for a good price. You might also want to look into models like the Altra Lone Peak line (these are traditional trail shoes, not minimalist FYI), Vivobarefoot Primus Trail Knit FG, and Xero Shoes Mesa Trail!
It’s a similarish fit than the 6, but it does feel a little better with its width, imo. I think that’s why some folks are annoyed at this model. Def worth trying them on at an REI if possible!
These shoes are brilliant in you have bunions !!! My 17 year old swears by them. Feet and knees feeling much better the men’s ones are nice and wide for women!!!
Does a decent job, honestly. If it's super fine dirt then some can get in, but in that case, you'll want to find something with a more built-out membrane!
Likely the same, but I haven't tried them. Typically, the GORE-TEX iterations will perform a little better in the elements. For ex, my Peg Trail GORE-TEX are wayyyy better than the normie for wet trails!
I bought these when they first came out. Don't buy them at all. The soles wear through in about 3 months and then the laces holes start tearing on the inside on about 6 months. Merrill wouldn't replace them. I stopped buying Merrill
Eh, compare it to traditional trail shoes and it feels minimalist. Plus, minimalist shoes exist on a spectrum, IMO. Sure, it’s not as hardo as some barefoot shoes which I mention, though, so it’s an in-betweener. If you want to make up a term for it, go for it.
