Customer Reviews Merrell Deleted

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.

The shoe would have been great if it wasn't a half size too small.

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.

Awesome? Amazing? I'm not a runner, I simply walk about 3 miles three days a week on a paved greenway and sometimes along local trails. These shoes are worth 200, 300, and more. You know how great they feel once you put them on, you - more importantly, once you begin your walk, you notice something different about how you feel; for me, I felt less stress everywhere. I was told that this type of shoe would take about five or six hours to get used to them, for me, it was the same night, but better with time. They grip extremely well, the rubber cushions, and never feel the rocks, and the big one - my ankles are weak after turning them a few times in basketball - these shoes never allow my ankles to turn on uneven surfaces. Big padded shoes always seem to turn. Lastly, this is a well thought out shoe and wasn't brought to market hastily in order to compete against the toe shoes. These shoes stand alone in the market.

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 have been vastly disappointed in this shoe. I sized them appropriately smaller than usual, I don't wear a sock in them, and I've given them plenty of opportunity to break in all to no avail. I will not be repurchasing these shoes again, and will not recommend these shoes to anyone who runs on sandy surfaces. The sand builds up inside the shoe (never to completely leave again) and wears wonderful blisters on the tops of your feet. My shoes are no longer ran in and have been demoted to camping shoes that spend more time kicked to the side than actually on my feet. I've ran in multiple other shoes in sandy conditions and never encountered this. I've also had to pull a few of the metal lace rings out as they were digging into my feet.

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.

These shoes have the potential to be wonderfully comfortable right out of the box, with only two pain points I could find. One, I have to lace them very loosely at the bottom - I have wide forefeet, and love the room in the toe box, but lacing the shoes tightly causes me a great deal of pain. Second, they have a tendency at first to stab you in the Achilles tendon - I had to wear bandaids there while I was breaking them in.

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.

I thought these would be perfect, but the shoe is weirdly proportioned. The distance from my arch to toe was about 1.5 inches too short, while there was an extra inch or so behind my heel (when arch was correctly positioned). I don't know if anyone's feet are shaped like this, but mine weren't!

I have been a regular trail running fool for the past year and this shoe has made a world of difference. Light and cool materials keep you feet comfortable and the fit could compare to a football players receiving gloves. Rock solid fit and grip! I started with 5 mile runs and had no problems.

If you're not used to barefoot-style running, give your body lots of time to accommodate the new changes. Don't just put these on and run 5K or you'll likely injure yourself. That being said, these shoes are pretty comfortable. They are very light and breathable. Before these, I had a pair of Vivo Barefoot. The Merrells have a bit of a thicker sole than the Vivos, and there is a tiny bit of arch support due to the shape of the sole. This is probably due to the fact that it's a trail shoe and the thicker sole helps with rougher terrain. One thing I would warn future owners about: The shoe's upper chafed the skin on my achilles tendon at first, even though I was wearing ankle-length socks. I developed a blister and eventually a callous so it doesn't bother me anymore, but you might want to invest in some mole skin until you break the shoes in (or the shoes break you in, I should say).

I was skeptical about dropping this much money on a shoe, but I'm happy with it! On the comfort front, these are great. They hug the contours of the bottom of my feet and feel wonderful to walk in. I haven't gone running in them yet. I have extremely sweaty feet, so I wanted something with good ventilation, and this shoe delivers: the main toe box area top is entirely mesh, not mesh + foam but just straight up mesh. There's no cloth on the inside of the shoe, so without socks the sweat tends to just pool at the bottom, but with socks you get the perfect combination of absorption and evaporation, so my feet are dry even after a 10 hour workday! I have wide feet, I wear between a 9.5 and an 11 depending on the width of the shoe. I went with a 10.5 wide, and the width is perfect, but the shoe is a little bigger than necessary, I could have bought a 10 wide, but the extra roominess is not uncomfortable, so I'll stick with these.

Great runner, wear 1/2 size smaller to fit. Really comfortable, 3rd pair of Merrel Barefoot. Other two are tough gloves. Love them too!

Have gone for 4-5 runs in them so far. Very very nice on trails. Ordered 10.5, which works, but perhaps could have gone with a 10.

These shoes are great. I bought them as more of everyday/hiking shoes than running shoes. i have used them for 2 mile walks and other exercises. They perform well, and other than a little bit of calf pain, they have been very comfortable. The calf pain was anticipated from using my calves more. Wearing them for everyday shoes is great. Its like they're not even there! My only con is that when wearing jeans, I tend to walk on my pants leg, where I do not with regular shoes.

I bought these for work because I wanted something that looked good, yet had a flexible sole with no heel drop. I'm happy to report that both are true. I own these and the Sonic Gloves from Merrell. I like these because the mesh is very breathable and helps keep my feet dry. As with all Merrells, they need about a week to break them in. The mid/forefoot felt a tad narrow at first, but loosened and got really comfy without ever feeling like arch support. I easily transition from these to barefoot running to running in my VFFs. Only "drawback" is that the tread pattern feels directional at times on wet surfaces before you break them in. Once broken in, this goes away.

These are the lightest and best running/athletic shoes ever. I ordered same size I wear in normal shoes and they fit great right out of the box. I have not had any rubbing or other problems caused by the shoes and I wear them with and without socks. I do love the extra room in the toe box. I have recommended them to friends and they swear by them now too. Overall I am extremely satisfied with the shoe. They may be a little pricey for what little material you get but worth every penny. As far as durability they served me well while doing Tough Mudder. Quick rinse and they look brand new!

Bought these for cross training and high intensity interval training at the gym, and they are perfect. Very light with vibram sole providing great traction. The one thing I notice when I first got them was that the toe box slightly curls up. It caused my small toes to strike the interior of the shoe in an odd way, it felt somewhat unnatural and made me concerned it could be an issue while running or in extended wear. As it turns out, it isn't a problem at all. Love them. Highly recommended.

Wow, what a shoe. This hits a home run with me, and makes my feet so happy! The fit is like an athletic slipper. I got these and immediately took a cross-country trip including long hauls on airplanes and a urban jungle trail through O'Hare. Nice big toe box, light, flexible, minimalist, low heel, sturdy sole yet barely there! These shoes are the best I have every owned, and I am buying another pair right now!

These shoes changed my life in one week. I was bothered with runners knee for seven years, and I ran four times with these shoes with zero pain. My latest run was 11 miles, no knee pain at all.

I am happy with these shoes and their minimalist concept. I am using them so far for the gym, not yet the road. But they are comfortable, good looking, surprisingly light and sturdy. I like the unraised heel, it fits my interest in kettle bells, which require dead vertical center of gravity. They are nice as a walking around shoes, too. They run large by half a size.

I first tried the Merrell trail gloves after injuring my ankle during my first half marathon - I wasn't able to use regular running shoes anymore but because of the way you're forced to run in barefoot style shoes, I was able to get back to training. These shoes look and feel great, like the five fingers without the weird look. I love 'em!

I bought these for my husband. He had been complaining of foot, ankle pain w/ his old padded sneakers. He loves these new Merrell Barefoot and will never go back!

Very good minimalist shoe. I was worried at first due to the lack of a wide width, as most shoes feel narrow on me, but the Merrell gives plenty of room width wise. Very comfortable, and easy to get used to. This was my first minimalist shoe, and I had very little problems adjusting to them. Only downside is stepping in even very shallow puddles allows water to soak in.