Looking to Try The Merrell Barefoot Trail Glove, I didn't have a chance to review this shoe so check out Birthdayshoes.com for the full review.
Preview:
Merrell says "Less is definitely more exploring with our Vibram®-soled Trail Glove natural adventure shoe. All the protection your feet need from rocks and roots, and an ultra-lightweight upper with a synthetic leather foot sling for stability fits like a glove."
The Trail Glove is the trail-specific model in the line. Based on my testing, the Trail Glove is the first minimalist shoe I’ve tried that could be considered as a replacement for Vibram’s Five Fingers line, I only said considered.
It won't take you long once running to relaize that these shoes are something different, even special. You'll find that these shoes are flawless on trails, and don't feel out of place when running on the road as well, and you'll enjoy them on sand, mud, leaf-covered technical tails, gravel, and everything in between.
The conclusion- no shoe has come closer to minimalist perfection. I’ll go over the technical details shortly, but first I want to share my criteria for a great minimalist shoe. A great minimalist shoe must have the following qualities:
Preview:
Merrell says "Less is definitely more exploring with our Vibram®-soled Trail Glove natural adventure shoe. All the protection your feet need from rocks and roots, and an ultra-lightweight upper with a synthetic leather foot sling for stability fits like a glove."
The Trail Glove is the trail-specific model in the line. Based on my testing, the Trail Glove is the first minimalist shoe I’ve tried that could be considered as a replacement for Vibram’s Five Fingers line, I only said considered.
When I first tried on the Trail Glove, I was underwhelmed. It has two areas of padding, which immediately felt mild squishiness. Also, the medial side of the sole touched my arch. It wasn’t supportive, but the feel was unfamiliar. I walked around in them a bit and decided to delay judgment until I did some running.
It won't take you long once running to relaize that these shoes are something different, even special. You'll find that these shoes are flawless on trails, and don't feel out of place when running on the road as well, and you'll enjoy them on sand, mud, leaf-covered technical tails, gravel, and everything in between.
The conclusion- no shoe has come closer to minimalist perfection. I’ll go over the technical details shortly, but first I want to share my criteria for a great minimalist shoe. A great minimalist shoe must have the following qualities:
- Zero-drop sole- the heel cannot be higher than the forefoot- the sole is a uniform thickness,
- Wide toe box- this allows the toes to splay,
- Thin, relatively flexible heel- This is not as critical as it will be determined by the terrain. The more rugged the terrain, the thicker the heel (more protection),
- An upper material that does not interfere with foot function,
- A closure system that allows for a degree of customization of fit,
- A liner that eliminates the need to wear socks, and
- Lightweight.
I have had several minimalist shoes over the past year, loved my five fingers but these merrelss have become my all time favorites. I wear them every day. I use them at the gym, running, trails, everything, sometimes even to work. Merrell keeps coming out with new designs and I hope to try each of them, these shoes are magic. The best barefoot shoe to come along with out a doubt. If you are looking for the best fit, comfort and protection these are the shoes for you. The toe box is very comfortable and protective (i broke 2 toes in my vibrams running trails). I can not praise these shoes any higher!
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