I was curious about the 'barefoot running' thing and saw lots of praise for these no-arch-support, Vibram-sole running shoes, so I gave them a try. Here's my story in a nutshell: I am 41, male, not an athlete, and new to running. I had never really tried running before this year, but I quickly became addicted a couple of months ago. I run 3 or 4 days a week for 30 minutes on a treadmill, with variable incline, and do elliptical on the non-running days. I have been using the Merrell Barefoot Trail Gloves for a month. First of all, they feel great just to wear at home and at work, although it feels a little strange at first to have your heels on the ground. It really is the closest thing to going barefoot -- the trail sole gives protection from tiny pebbles, glass, etc., but no support or stabilization, so your foot definitely has to work more actively than when it's swaddled in the foam and gel of a typical running shoe. I'm not sure whether my posture is better, or I'm just more aware of it. Also, they look great. One month later, and I'm wearing them at work right now. As for running: I had been warned that running in these things is tough on the calves at first, so I took it easy the first time on the treadmill. Good thing I did: my calves were indeed hurting the next day. This is because you're forced to land on your forefoot or midfoot, instead of your heel, and you can feel this very easily when running. Once you get used to it, it feels great: I actually started looking forward to the "hills"! I have been switching between the Merrells and some normal running shoes (Asics) when running, to ease the transition. By now, the sore calves are totally gone, and I'm ready to use the Merrells every time. So even for an old out-of-shape guy like me, the transition to 'barefoot' shoes was pretty easy. By the way: I had heard from friends that the Vibram soles can get too hot from friction on a treadmill, but I haven't noticed that at all. This is probably because the Trail Glove has a thicker sole, or perhaps because I don't run very fast. In summary: I love these shoes, and I have no plans to return to normal running shoes.

I am on my second pair of these (only because I wanted another color), and can't say how much I really love them. In my opinion, the best minimalist trail running shoe on the market. I have run in New Balance Minimus MT20s, MT10s, Vibram KSO Treks, and attempted the new New Balance Minimus Trail Zero (and did not like the feel of the shore, especially the material of the upper). My first pair have seen me through countless miles of trails, Road work, stairs, intervals, sprints, regular workouts, a 1/2 marathon on the road, a Spartan Race (Super), and Urbanathlon, and soon a Tough Mudder and after a simple hosing look brand new. The rock plate in the forefoot is not noticeable at all, and does 10x better job diusbursing impact from the stray stone or root than the New Balance do. Running through water, the shoes dry incredibly quick. If you're looking for an all around amazing shoe, I can't recommend this shoe enough. Note: Merrell seems to have corrected the sizing from when the shoe first came out. They used to run big, prompting sizing down a 1/2 size. This pair fits true to size at an 11.

I needed a new pair of running shoes so I bought about ten pairs from Zappos to try out. Ultimately it was a face off between this shoe and the Asics Gel-Kayano 17. The latter were like the Bentley of traditional running shoes - extremely plush and supportive, but also somewhat bulky. The Merrells in comparison, are the Lotus Elise. Cut the fat, you'll feel like a ninja!

I love these shoes. Don't let the extra room in the toe box fool you. They fit great. I bought these as a replacement for my Five Fingers because my little toes kept popping out. The Merrell's fit great and keep you planted firm to the ground.

I have been running and training in my Merrell Trail Gloves for about 3-4 months now. I use them primarily as a functional fitness shoe (CrossFit, etc.) and a general running shoe. Prior to using these I used Chuck Taylors, then FeelMax. I tried on VFFs but didn't feel like I could move my toes as much as I wanted. I really like the fit of these and I feel that with the snug mid-sole and heel combined with a wide open toe box, Merrell has come as close as anyone to a real barefoot while keeping the protection needed for trails. You can easily hike in these on light trails, but for me something about walking (instead of running) in a barefoot type shoe messes me up. It seems to really stress the ligaments of my foot. I wore the Feelmax's on a trip to Greece and they tore me up; no blisters or anything, just very sore feet. I get a little of that if I do a lot of walking in the Merrells, but not as bad. As designed (running, jumping, etc.) they're great and I needed very little transition time. Some people using them for CrossFit have concern about the rounded heel not providing enough support for Olympic style lifts, as compared to Inov8s or Oly shoes. I haven't tried those styles, but I haven't had any trouble with stability in heavy lifts. I used to go barefoot in the gym anyway in order to get my heel as close to the ground as possible for the lifts, so these get that same effect, provide just as much heel stability as a being barefoot, and they keep the gym manager's policy enforcers happy. Regarding fit I wear a size 13 and I hit the front of the shoe occasionally. I would love a 13-1/2 but such creatures do not exist in any shoe. A 14 might work and I'll probably try one next time. The shoe seems very well constructed and the Vibram sole is staying right where it should. I've beaten them up pretty good and wash them regularly and I have no problems with early wear and tear. Overall, a great multipurpose shoe that I will continue to purchase.