Customer Reviews Merrell Barefoot True Glove

Nice shoes, deliver the promise. Very light and minimal. Sole is very thin, but strong and provides protection against the surface. I have flat feet and experimenting with no arch support, let the body develop the necessary strength to carry me barefoot. I am finding out that I like it. I do not run yet with these shoes; just use them for casual everyday walking around. Recommended.

The Merrell "Barefoot" are awesome! I had to buy them a 1/2 size small in order to get the true barefoot feel. I'm in Iraq as working as a private contractor and daily I'm asked what kind of shoes are those. Recommend getting them if your looking for both style and comfort. Zappos and Merrell's Rock!

I've been looking for these type of shoes for over three years! I have wide feet, but they fit perfectly. Order your size if you're going sockless. They are especially good for wide feet. Great build and materials and perfect for non-running days at crossfit, unless you have a barefoot running style. Great shoes!

Tried the Vivo Barefoots, but they never really fit me right. I'd had luck with Merrell before, so I gave these a shot. It takes a bit of time to get used to wearing them, but once you do, it's a whole new world. Going back to regular running shoes feels too cushy after wearing these. My daily shoes are Toms, so I have a consistent "barefoot" feel all day.

I periodically wore these around the house a few days to break them in to no avail. A blister formed on my heel but the feel was great on the bottom of the feet. I dipped the shoes in the lake, and let them dry right on my feet in the hot sun. That worked. They loosened up and fit perfectly now. They feel strange on the ground at first since you can feel every land contour but I really like them and who beats Zappos - no one!

I wear size 15 sneakers (with socks) I ordered this shoe in a 14 and a 15. The 15 is way too big, but the 14 fits slightly on the snug side. Just remember when ordering that you won't be wearing socks. I love these shoes though, I wear them all the time at the gym, lounging around the house, around town with shorts. Great shoes, top notch build quality just like all Merrell products. Although they're "barefoot" they cradle your foot nicely and there is some arch support when they're tied. Would recommend.

Merrell has not reinvented the wheel with the new Barefoot True Glove, but they're exceptionally close. When I first slipped them on, laced them up to fit just right, a veritable flood of nostalgia filled me in a joyous reunion with a shoe type that started me out on long term love affair with running. Before computer modeling and space age materials came into play, companies like Ontisuka Tiger - the Daddy of Asics and Adidas - were making similar last shoes with 1-3 millimeter heels and large cut away soles where the arch area is leaving a barefoot shape footprint that's left at poolside by high arched rigid foot runners. Everything from the snug fitting wrap around heel cup to the wide roomy toe box smacks of everything a featherweight "go fast" shoe needs, except for the spikes. This stripped down hot rod is ready to run a sub-30 minute 10K right out of the box, sans socks. With all the hype this shoe type is getting, a lot of people with average-shaped feet should resist buying the Barefoot True Glove, they won't fit well enough to benefit them as much as their high-arched brother runners, but there are tons of shoes for them too. For those with feet designed for running, this is a perfect comeback.

Shoes are comfortable right out the box. Fit and finish of the shoe is great on the exterior. The interior has two small issues. First there is a small black fabric that extends along the side of the shoe that is not attached to anything at the front I can see this tearing loose with use. Second the tongue of the shoe is not wide enough to cover the top two eyelets. As I said these are small issues that would not keep me from recommending or purchasing these shoes again.

These shoes are great! They perform exactly as advertised. They are super light and let your feet establish contact with the ground. I am not getting any other type of running shoe...ever.

Love these shoes. Had them for a week and not ready to take them off. Ran a mile first day I got them and no blisters or discomfort at all. Lightest shoes I have ever worn.

As another reviewer mentioned, I could not wear these shoes because the heel is very stiff, and curved in a way that it digs into my achilles tendon when I walk. Other than that, a great shoe.

I am not usually one to write reviews, although I have read my fair share. However, this shoe has sufficiently impressed me to write a review; suffice it to say that it is the incarnation of everything a modern athletic shoe should be. I have worn numerous other athletic shoes over the years, including vibram five fingers but I would choose these over all of them. I have used them for sprinting, weightlifting, hiking, and as every-day wear. I love them. Disclaimer, I was skeptical of their fit and feel when I first tried them on but that has all dissolved. I prefer to wear them with socks to prevent the stink, but as other people can attest, they should be fine without as well.

Great minimalist shoe! Fits like a glove and you can never go wrong with a Vibram sole! The True Glove offers great arch and heel support.

These shoes are awesome. They really do fit like a glove, as long as you don't wear socks. I've been wearing Chuck Taylors almost exclusively for the past couple years, and wanted to find something with a little more room in the toe box. These fit the bill very well. A word of caution, if you're used to little/no arch support, these feel very aggressive. It's easy to get used to though.

I love these shoes but it took some breaking in to wear them regularly. First off, they look great and are perfect for summer. No socks needed. I can wear them around the house, downtown, or even in the water if I'm hiking through a creek. I haven't tried running in them yet as I'm not sure if my feet are ready for barefoot style jogging. However, these are easily my favorite shoes for summer hands down. However, they took some getting used to. These will probably give you a blister on the back of your ankle near your achilles tendon if you wear them without socks. This happened after the first full day of wearing them. But after letting the sore spot heal for a few days, I began phasing them back in the mix by wearing them for a couple hours a day for a few more days. Then I noticed that I could wear them all the time - my skin built up a protective callous on its own. It may seem like a pain to go through but for me it was definitely worth it.

Novice Runner: 15-20 mi/wk mild over pronator wanting to transition to barefoot running but could really see myself doing that. A good option over the VFF. Took about a 1-2 weeks to get accustomed to the shoes - felt in it the calf. Sizing is a little odd, I marked true to size because that's what worked for me. But feels slightly narrow and a half size larger - but the 8's were simply too narrow to work for me.

I'm not going to get into the technique behind barefoot running, as I am sure if you are looking at this shoe you have a good idea of what you are getting into. Everyone is different, and you should proceed at your own pace. The Merrel True glove looks much like a climbing shoe. You pull it on like a climbing shoe, you carefully lace it to fit the contours of your feet like a climbing shoe, and it has a climbing shoe's lightweight construction. Also, as in climbing, you have to know how to use it properly along a learning curve to get the benefit out of it. The true glove locks onto your heel, and requires you to almost fully unlace it, or to "break" the shoe at the arch and slide it forward off your foot. These are not quick on off shoes, but that is OK. A side note, somehow the photos of this shoe online do not do it justice. The color palates work amazingly well together, and the combination of matte and gloss materials just works. Seeing this shoe in person is a much more edifying experience than the day glo looking internet photos portray. trust me, this is a better looking shoe than you think. Here's where it is very different from a climbing shoe. This shoe has a wide toe box that felt really weird to me when I first tried it on. To be honest it still feels odd, but I am getting used to being able to fan out my toes inside the shoe. The true glove locks right across the top of my foot above the arch and refuses to move around even a little bit. I like this, as it makes me feel a little more stable inside it in spite of the wide toe box. I have size 15 feet, but they are narrow, so the shoe requires some careful adjustment to work for me. One thing I didn't know was that the eyelets for the laces are webbing straps that loop through their own eyelets, and are stitched across the top of the tongue. When the laces are tightened, they cinch the whole body of the shoe tighter and keep the tongue perfectly centered while doing so. At first I was cinching them too tight due to this mechanical advantage, but I have slowly found a happy medium between loss of circulation and a loose, sock-like feel. Due to my narrow feet I have to wear socks to get the right feel. If barefoot, The webbing eyelets actually cross over each other and the whole geometry of the shoe feels really funky. Also, the toe box can fold over in a weird way when the laces are tight. I cant describe it exactly, but it just feels odd. (Hence the 4 stars on comfort). When I say the shoe "felt wider than marked," you have to keep in mind that I have narrow feet. But I have had good luck with other barefoot shoes fitting, so I feel it is justified. I find myself constantly fiddling with the laces, trying to get the awesome feel these shoes can provide. Hopefully in time I'll be able to hit that sweet spot every time. When I do find it, the shoe feels like a perfect extension of my body. Its like I gave my feet thicker skin and better grip without sacrificing flex or feel.

I'm a 'barefoot' kind of guy. I'd wear no shoes at all if I could, so I'm always looking for shoes with some style that make me feel like I'm barefoot (Converse, Sanuk, etc.). These Merrell's have a great casual look that goes with khaki's and/or jeans, yet are so lightweight and minimal with lots of toe width and zero heel drop, that it feels like you are wearing almost nothing.

Wanted to try a pair of Merrell Barefoot for crossfit, but these were way too big out of the box. Ended up sending them back for a pair of better fitting and more affordable NB minimus.

Really nice lightweight shoes. They have taken longer to wear in than the normal sneakers that I bought. Initially had chafing at the back on the achilles but that went away after a while. I got one size smaller than I normally get since I don't wear socks with these. They are good shoes, they just take a little getting used to is all.

Very comfortable shoes. I was a little concerned about wearing a zero drop barefoot style shoe, but I have been surprised at how quickly my feet and legs have adapted. Your calves will hurt from the change in heel styles, But it will pass. I wore mine for a week and then started running in them. I had been prepping my feet with shoeless runs on the treadmill, but I have to run outside on pavement so I need some kind of protection. These feel very close to barefoot, there is no crowding inside for toe space. I am new to the natural forefoot style of running and I think it could be a positive switch. The sole is strong but flexible. The lacing system is sufficient. The way it molds to your foot is awesome.

Allow some time for "break-in." I also suggest wearing socks because I got several blisters: Bottom of toes, back of heel (Achilles tendon area).

The Merrell True Glove fits approximately one full size larger than I normally wear. After reading the reviews from other buyers, I thought it would be safe going with a size 10 instead of my usual 10½. Well, size 10 had enough room in front of my big toe to fit my thumb in the extra space. So, go at least one full size under your regular shoe size if you would like to get it right the first time. The other thing I noticed about the True Glove show was how stiff the arch was for a shoe which claims to gimmick the bare foot. It will feel familiar to those who are used to typical running shoes, but I do not believe a barefoot purist would like this feature. Overall, this shoe is a decent first attempt by Merrell in the barefoot running scene. I hope Merrell's next generation barefoot shoes will relax the arch, and make the sole more flexible.

Very bad chafing on the achilles after only 3 blocks of walking. Will switch to socks for the break-in; hopefully this takes care of itself with time.

I wish I could have worn this shoe; Merrell doesn't make an equivalent for women, so I tried a Men's size 7. Everything fit, except that the upper back piece wrapped around the heel is curved upwards with a bit of a knot at the tip, and this dug uncomfortably into my leg, so I had to return them. Very disappointed. Without this one problem, they would have been 5 star shoes for me. I hope Merrell with make a similar trail shoe for women soon.