Customer Reviews Merrell Barefoot Vapor Glove

This is a 2mm cushion, 0mm drop 'barefoot' style shoe. Of course no shoe is barefoot, but this shoe is pretty great for running on pavement and tracks where what's underfoot is a concern. Extremely light, airy, and comfortable. I wear a very thin sock as all shoes near the laces rub against my feet, but easily worn barefoot. Easy to clean. So comfortable I enjoy wearing them around for all activities that require a little extra foot protection. If you're looking for cushion or support, look elsewhere, but if you're looking for just an added layer of protection, while keeping close to barefoot, you can't go wrong with these.

I have yet to use these shoes extensively, but so far they seem to be exactly what I was looking for. I have not worn any "barefoot" running shoes prior to these, so I cannot comment as to how they compare with what else is out there, but I believe the general consensus is that they are great. As far as sizing goes, people have warned that you should get these smaller than you would expect, but I did NOT find that to be the case. I generally wear an 11 in mens shoes, and after a bit of searching, it turns out that 11 in this shoe was perfect. Size 10.5 could have worked, but it was slightly too short, so my toe would hit the end of the toe-box when bending my foot.

Really great, very minimalist shoes. I've had some other Merrell's that purported to be "barefoot" - one pair was of the "Trail" variety, and was OK as far as an introduction to minimal/"barefoot" soles. The next was "bare access," which was anything but bare. These, though, are great. You can practically crumple them up. They're a little narrower than some of the other barefoots I have (like Vivobarefoot), which may mean my foot's not fully expanding as it settles, but they're not by any definition narrow and my feet don't feel particularly constricted. As far as style, I think a few sacrifices are made any time you opt for "barefoot" and proprioception - the broader front and the lack of "corners" where the shoe meets the sole are both things that may diminish a stylish feeling. But they look decent for what they are, and they work great. I've used them both casually and for running.

Toe shoes without the toes. Super flexible and lightweight. Closest to actually being barefoot that I've found. Runs big.

An amazing shoe. I wear it all the time in my daily activities as well as on nature walks/jogs. It is perfect! Fits amazingly once you get your size right!

Great! I initially bought these for weightlifting since I prefer to be barefoot and my gym prohibits that sort of deviant behavior. I went for a walk in them and was really surprised. You can feel every bump in the road, traction is great and my feet enver felt sweaty or slick at all. Order a half or full size smaller than you normally would.

Finally! These are the first pair of Merrell shoes that have a barefoot feel. I love the big wide toe box, it seems true to my foot shape. These don't press against my arches like other Merrill shoes, which is great. I have been wearing Vivobarefoot and VFF for years and it's great to have another brand to choose from. I love the larger sizes as Vivobarefoot only offers some of their shoes in the larger sizes. The only thing that I'm concerned about is the toe cap, I can feel it ever so slightly on my big toe, time will tell if it becomes a problem.

Is definitely a size big, I normally wear a 15 and comfortably fit a 14 in these. The left one rub a raw spot on my toe on the first run. Otherwise I love therm!

I'm really happy to have these shoes. They feel light and comfortable like some Native American hand-made moccasins I own, but with a durable, non-obtrusive rubber outsole on the bottom. I ordered 10.5 (same size I wear in Merrell Trail-Gloves, Sonic Gloves, and Tough Gloves) but returned them and got a half size smaller (easy to do with Zappos' free shipping). For me, a half size smaller is perfect for walking. They feel a little loose when running, and I may want to try size 9.5 (1 full size smaller) to use specifically for running, but I did a 14 mile run in them the other day and I felt great. Maybe it's good that they're a little loose so my feet have more freedom of movement. We'll see.

This is a great shoe. It's essentially equivalent to some of the Vibram Five Finger shoes, just without the separate toe pockets, which is what I had hoped. I have several sets of VFFs, and several minimal Vivobarefoot shoes, and these are a great addition. The ground feel is superb, and I barely feel like I have anything on. I haven't had them long enough to know how they hold up to normal daily use, but I suspect they will hold up fine. The run really big. Like, a whole size. I usually wear an 8.5, and the 7.5's fit me perfect.

I've got to admit, I've always looked upon this whole 'minimalist' running thing as a silly trend.. I learned to run with proper form using a midfoot strike in 'normal' running shoes years ago (typically racing flats or lightweight trainers like Mizuno wave universe, Asics speedstar, Saucony Kinvara, etc) so I didn't see the point in 'minimal' shoes which are not much different than racing flats. On a whim, I picked up a pair of the trail glove 2 at REI a few weeks ago and I was quickly won over by them, the enhanced ground feel and lateral flexibility was a welcome addition that made them fun to run in. I couldn't help but wondering what it would feel like to go even more minimal, so I ordered the vapor glove, and wow these things really take it to another level. You can feel every aspect of the terrain just as if you were barefoot, and they definitely force you to use good form.. heel striking in these things is painful. Thats the one thing I don't like about them is that I can't run downhill very fast because its impossible to avoid heel striking in that case. The trail glove has just enough heel padding that I can still keep a decent pace going downhill, although even then probably slower than my normal shoes. So I don't think I would race in minimal shoes, or even run in them all the time.. but they are quite fun to run in and a good training tool. I ran about 10 miles in these on my first day out and my legs felt as if I'd run 20+ miles the next day. =)

I bought this shoe as my final progression toward barefoot running. I like these shoes but I don't know if I am up for going quite this minimal. There may be to many random pebbles on my usual trail I run on. You can definitely feel everything you are stepping on. I am going to keep them for sure because they are very comfortable, but I am not sure if they will be my go to shoes for trail running.

These shoes run really big. I wear them with a dry wik sock and still had to end up getting a full size smaller than my normal running shoe. If you plan on wearing them with no socks - you might can go even smaller to get a solid barefoot fit. Otherwise, exactly what I was looking for - something just like my Vibram Five Finger without the toes. Great feel & just enough protection. Still not so good for running on gravel of course.

Needed a travel shoe that would not take up as much space. These fit the bill. They roll up to about the size of a pair of socks, which is about what they feel like to wear. Imagine walking around outside in a thick pair of socks and that will give you an idea of what they feel like.

So, I've had these shoes for a while and so far I am enjoying them. I only worry about the durability. They are very thin and it seems like the stitching and side material could easily be damaged and rip apart if I get too rough with them. Right now they are fine, I probably baby them more than I should. Sizing is something you should really make sure of. Before I was running with some Nike Dart 9s, size 11. Size 11 with the Vapors is about a whole size too big for my feet. Besides that, the shoes feels great. I can feel the ground almost like I'm barefoot. I really have to watch my form when running, cause a heel strike in these is jarring. I need to put more miles on the shoes to see how well they hold up in the long run but right now I'm happy.

These are my first barefoot running shoe, but I didn't buy them for running. I bought these to use for strength training (kettlebells, sandbags, TRX, and bodyweight.) They have a very thing sole that requires my feet to work (use muscles) harder to maintain stability, which is why I bought barefoot shoes. They are very comfy and feel like slippers. If you're ordering these, be sure to check the sizing chart. I did not. I am "always" an 11. However, when I got my size 11 Merrell Barefoot Vapor Gloves, they were a bit too large. So, I returned them (easy process) and ordered a fresh set of 10's. The 10's fit great. I am rating these as four stars, because a five-star item seems like it should sing and dance, too.

I've been running in Merrell Barefoot shoes since 2010: completed my first marathon in Philadelphia 2010 and I love the shoes. 1st shoe was the street glove. The shoe felt tight in the middle toe area. (I have Greek feet or Morton's toe.) Still, the shoe held up well but I was hoping to get a Feelmax feeling and the shoe had too much arch support and interior padding for true barefoot feel. I decided to try the Barefoot Vapor Glove as it was touted as the most minimal of the Merrell line. The shoe fit perfect! no rubbing on the middle toe even when running downhill. I love the fit and the skin-like feel of the shoe. The sole is still thicker than the Feelmax but it should last as did the Street Glove. I've had the shoe for 1 month and, unfortunately, the area above the middle toe has formed a hole! And after only one month of use. I will continue to wear as I still love the shoe. I just hope it holds together until my next marathon in November. I was thinking of ordering another because, when the shoe fits, buy more of them. I'm holding out now that I've developed the hole. I wear bodyglove (thin) running socks with the shoe as I've found that when my foot sweats the shoe gets that squeaky squishy feeling and is uncomfortable. I would recommend the shoe for barefoot enthusiasts because of the fit and feel.

Ordered these for my hubby who wears size 12.5-13. Size 13 is way to big, I would say 2.5 sizes too big. Will return and reorder in 12...hopefully will fit better.

Great shoe. Super minimal. Runs large (length) - all my running shoes are 10.5 and I had to get a 10. Vibram sole superb. After about 5 runs big toe toenail came through fabric where the irritatingly too-narrow toe-cap joins to the upper. Shoe-goo to the rescue but a bit of a design flaw i.m.o. Will probably buy a second pair I love them so much.

I don't know how they arrived at the sizing but these are close to a full size bigger than my Merrell Trail Glove. They are huge. Unfortunately, nobody makes half sizes above size 12 so I had to go down a full size when I reordered and it is just small enough I can't wear it.

I love these shoes, but sent them back an hour after I received them. I wear a size 12 - 12.5 in every shoe I've ever worn - until now. The size 12 fit more like a size 15 or 16. I have almost 1 3/4" room extra in the shoe so they were completely massive and I couldn't use them. I was going to reorder them in a size 9.5 or 10, but other reviews on this and other sites say they fit true to size, so I'm not going to risk another mis-fit and I've found another brand to go with on this purchase. I might try them again next season when I can buy them in-person for a better fit.

So far this is the only minimalist or barefoot shoes that are anywhere close to living up to that claim. Although they are a bit ugly, and the material quality is questionable, I would definitely keep them if it were not for the fact that they are too large. And unfortunately I am a size 7 and they do not come any smaller. All other Merrell shoes that I have tried have been too bulky and also poorly designed with strange contours inside. These are appropriately built, and even though there is a full centimeter of extra space lengthwise when I am strapped in, they are still more comfortable than other running shoes that I have tried.

I dig the overall minimalism of the shoe, the style tops vibram five finger, and is feather light, but surprisingly maybe they could do less. Even though there is no support of the foot arch directly to the ground the sole does cup the arch and I feel like doesn't let it move completely naturally. Toe movement is just right. Oddly I've been getting a blister on the forward top big-toe side of my foot. I think maybe the lacing grommet stitching is not quite flush and is causing it. Also make sure to check out the sizing chart on Merrell to help when selecting a size. I had to go a full size smaller than the already smaller shoe size I've used for Vibram Five Finger shoes. So in regular shoes I wear a 9 and in these I wear a 7! I actually translated down to women to get the right fit.