Customer Reviews Merrell Vapor Glove 4

I've been looking for a pair of barefoot shoes for a little while now when I purchased these. I bought them a bit early than I wanted to but with a recent back injury, I needed lightweight shoes. These are perfect for now and cannot wait until I get ro move faster in them. Like all of Merrells' shoes I have purchased, instant comfort from box to foot.

I love these so much. So comfortable, dries quickly, and doesn't stink after getting wet multiple times. This is a slightly different review. I got these from a third party company as a "Final Sale" item. I got them for work and I've had them for about 2 weeks. I wear them every day and get them wet every day. I love them, unfortunately they started coming apart at the inside of my foot. I contacted Merrell and within hours they had me set up with a comparable new pair (they didn't have my size in this product) being sent to me free of charge. Yes they started coming apart but the fact that Merrell is taking responsibility for their brand and sending me a new pair (with very minimal questions asked) is staggering to me. They have a customer for life with me now.

I think these are the best vapor gloves yet. My biggest complaint with the 2's and 3's was the upper durability. I'd start to notice wear within a week with the 3's. The 4's upper still shows very little wear, I've worn 1 pair every day for a little more than a year to work and trail running. The 4's tread is better than the 3's even though I liked the 3's they weren't as good for trail running. I think the sole could be more durable and the toe box a smidge wider but other wise you guys are headed in the right direction with this shoe.

Very comfortable with a great fit. I love being able to feel the floor for my workouts.

Great shoes. Comfortable, feel barefootish. I received a pair that arrived with little no adhesive on soles to shoes. Filed defective claim. Quickly refunded, stated must have been a faulty pair. Liked them, and liked the hassle less return process/stand behind their product. Gonna order another pair, hope it was a single pair defect!!

I have been running with fairly minimal running shoes, but these were a little more minimal than perhaps my feet are ready for. I had gotten into the routine of mostly running on a treadmill and my previous pair of shoes were a bit less minimal than these. The shoes I had been running in also began to fall apart faster as covid-19 drove me outside. The new Merrills are so thin that I am developing callouses on my feet. I think this may be a good thing long term, but I am coming to the conclusion I can't run in them every day until my feet adjust. The shoes fit like a dream and I set a personal record the first time I wore them.

Good minimalist shoe so far a week in. Feels a touch larger than other same size Merrells, but only when I think about it. The laces are more elastic than my past shoes, but they are holding up with only a few miles on them so far.

For a wide toe box shoe, this one fits me very nicely all around. It hugs my foot and heel just right. And the toes are snug yet with just enough room to be comfortable for long walks. I use these walking between 6 to 10 miles every day on City Street sidewalks mostly. These shoes are not good for uneven surfaces where there may be stones or sharp points that will be stepped on. You will feel these every time. Better to get a shoe with a protection sole plate if planning to walk rough trails. I'm happy for the vibram sole giving me a good, solid grip. But they do wear out in a few short months (approx 750 miles). I've tried many styles of shoe but always come back to this one.

These shoes have a face only mothers can love but I'm happy to be the mother of this new pair of shoes!

Great shoe for anyone with wider forefoot looking for minimalist design. While the color schemes could use some work, that is a purely aesthetic concern. Light, comfortable shoes that I'd buy again. 4 stars simply bc of color choices

My running shoes of choice have been the Vapor Gloves for the past 7+ years! I started using them with the original Vapor Road Gloves and fell in love with them. The Vapor Gloves 4 are the best version yet. The sole has a better ground feel and Merrell has made improvements to the stiching (All of my Vapor Gloves 3 had seam issues and would come apart after only a couple weeks of usage). My only complaint with V4 is the the heel area. I get the sensation that they are slipping off my heel even though they are fixed in place. Perhaps on version 5 Merrell could adjust the heel area and raise it up by 3mm. Other than that, great product! Merrell, please continue making these shoes as I see no reason to run in any other shoe!

I've only had these for a few weeks but I don't want to forget to leave feedback. For starters, shipping is quick and the shoes fit true to length. My only gripe, and the reason I knocked off a star, is that there's no width choice--all shoes have the same length:width proportions. They feel a little too snug on the sides of my feet, but not so tight that they're noticeably uncomfortable or pinching. Note that my feet have the same approximate proportions as those of a duck, so y'all with kangaroo feet might find these exceptionally roomy. The toe box is much wider, relatively speaking, than any other shoe I've worn, so my toes have plenty of room to splay (apparently that's important). If you want to "feel the ground" you'll get plenty of tactile feedback through the sole without having to worry about pokes--the sole is protective enough to keep me comfortable on gravel surfaces. I haven't noticed any pressure points or rubbing while wearing these. They're very light, very breathable, and overall quite comfortable. I'm strongly considering picking up the leather version to use as my casual shoes. They are that good.

I wish the toe protect look a bit odd but other than that - great show.

I love the vapor glove series for weightlifting and light running. This edition seems to be more durable/reinforced than previous editions, but time will tell. I just wish the shoes were not so aesthetically garish. After 4 generations, why hasn't Merrell figured out we want simple colorways? All black would be fantastic! The current "black" colorway has some vague green/camo in it. And the giant toe guard (which has remained unchanged iver four generations) is visually unappealing, so ideally that could be reduced in size in the next version.

The vapor glove, like the trail glove, has little cushioning, with all the pros and cons that come with that: excellent ground feel, but not so much in the way of protection from pointy rocks. If you looking for a good minimalist shoe, this one fits the bill: very light and flexible. My only complaint: I wish the toe box were a bit roomier. I ordered a size 9, which I typically wear, and it is a bit snug. It looks and feels quite durable for such a minimal shoe. I had a pair of trail gloves in the past, and I put 700 miles of trail running on them before the sole wore too thin. By the look and feel of it, I am hoping that the vapor glove will also be a durable shoe.

lightweight, good fit and comfortable to wear. definite bare foot feel and the uninitiated may wish to spend time getting used to feeling the ground under your feet. color as expected from web pictures easy to travel with and looks good with most outfits.

I have yet to test them on the trail to discern full quality, however the lettering on the insole immediately wore off. I'm not experiencing any drop, but a half size smaller would have fit perfectly. Overall, I'm satisfied.

The Vapor Glove 4 fits the same as the previous model. I like the tread on the Vapor Glove 3 better. The color was also not as bright of a blue as it appeared online or as my Vapor Glove 3's. I've run with them for almost a week. No complaints. I am going to snag an extra pair of the 3's just in case.

TLDR at the bottom If you wanted a detailed review of this shoe then you've arrived at the correct comment. This is the second type of minimalist shoe I've ever owned and the So, let's start from the bottom and move up from there. The outsole is incredibly flexible and I have minimal difficulty feeling the ground beneath my feet as I'm walking about. I have not run much in them yet. But, from the running I have done, I am able to grip the ground with my toes much better than a normal shoe and I feel that the sole flexes with me instead of against me. The insole is a great mixture of smooth/comfortable and supportive as needed. My first day wearing these I walked through heavy rain and that kept my feet pretty wet for the rest of the day. However, I was sitting in class for several hours so I couldn't easily air them out. That was the only time where I felt like I couldn't get a good grip on the insole as I was walking around. I've also noticed that the inner arch of the shoe can almost act as an arch support depending on how you move your foot. But, nothing to write home about. The upper is where I hang onto a star. I love how comfortable it feels against the top of my foot and how it doesn't interfere with normal movement. However, it's incredibly warm if you're out and about in the humid summer weather. Also, in the gym I've noticed my feet get rather warm/sweaty whenever I'm really putting in some work. So, I would have liked to see better ventilation. Last note: double check your sizing and make sure it feels comfortable. I normally wear 10-11s so I tried on a 10.5 and right where the laces started is where my toe crease started and that made it incredibly uncomfortable to walk/run. However, the 11s fit perfectly with about a thumb width between the tip of my toe and the front of the shoe. No further issues here! Finally, the laces are awesome and I love how secure they are. I feel a bit like they're going to rip prematurely on me because of the material they're made out of. But, for now I plan to enjoy them. Overall, awesome shoes and I'm so glad I got them as some of my first minimalist shoes. I loved these so much that I ordered another pair before the sale ended. TLDR: awesome shoes, do well when wet, secure and comfy, get a bit warm without great ventilation, liked them so much I bought 2 pairs.

My third pair. 4 stars cause they don't last too long (I only wear them when warm, so maybe 6 months or so of the year, and each pair has only lasted a year), but they're super comfortable and sleek.

I bought this as a replacement for the V3. The colorways for V4 for not as appealing. The Black has lots of green in it, which I didn't expect or notice from the product images. The pair I have fits well and I wear them every day!