Customer Reviews Merrell Vapor Glove 5

I have been wearing Merrell vapor gloves since 2018. I have always been a fan of them and that stands true to the vapor glove 5. The only reason I'm not rating them a 5 is because I'm not enjoying the higher heel on this shoe. It seems to always end up rubbing on this version no matter how snug I get them. Other than that I would say both quality and durability has increased for this version.

These shoes would be excellent if they were narrower. Now I have to throw them in the trash.

Feeling the ground, while still protecting your feet, is just a great sensation. They hit the trade-off just right. Decent enough to wear to the office. Not the best in breathing, nut good enough. True size is about half a size smaller than indicated.

Nice minimalistic shoes for summer. These are my third ones from Merrell. Very light, breathable. The only issue - I wish there are more choices of colour.

Got these as for Flight Training as I wanted a thin soled shoe to feel rudder input. Works well for what I was hoping for, except the gum soles were a little more sticky then what I needed for my application, but that will probably improve over time. Shoes seem to be built well and I like the wide width( which could be a tad bit wider in my case) which was why I didn't go for a driving shoe, which all seemed to be pretty narrow.

These don't feel as good as the Vapor Glove 3 but are better than anything else I have tried.

Great shoes and loving them so far! Not the greatest quality control. Got these shoes online for Xmas, so I didn't get to see them in person. The gluing on the front of one isnt perfect so it has like a pointy bump in front of my toes. Would have gave 5 stars if one didnt have a visible defect...

I'm a long-time user of the Trail Gloves (TG1, actually -- I hoarded 12 pairs when they came out). But I was scared off the new Trail Gloves (5) because many of the qualities I enjoyed about the original TGs are now far gone. Note that I before I bought these, I tried Xero HFS, and Lems Primal, so I'm also reviewing these in light of my experience with those shoes. Pros: - Wide toe box. But it isn't so wide that your feet are swimming in them. (Lems were a bit too spacious) - Feel for the ground. They might be too thin for some -- they are certainly thinner than the old TG1s, but I find them sufficient, especially as they are supposed to be minimalist shoes anyway. - Almost sock-like, but not like TG1s. They're nimble, enough to make the shoe feel like it's going to hang on to your feet, and certainly better than the Xero HFS, which felt more like sandals in shoe form. - Sole grip is pretty good for dry surface. I'm looking to see how this affects longevity. (Lems soles were terribly slippery) Cons: - Low toe area (inconsistent manufacturing). I ordered 2x pairs, but the second pair has a lowered toe area, which is crushing my big toe. I'm trying to resolve this by wedging something in there in the hopes of stretching it out. If it doesn't work, it's a deal breaker, because I'm not going through the pain of another toe injury. - Treads are tame. I would have run on wet trails on my TG1s, but I would be less inclined to do so with this one. They're fine for dry trails, I would think. I have slender feet (for US8), and VG5 tend to be slightly spacious at sides of my feet, but may have a tendency to be smaller lengthwise. If I can fix the low toe area issue, that would mean I can overcome manufacturing inconsistencies and look to buying more pairs. I would have easily given this shoe 5 stars if it weren't for that low toe ceiling defect.

These shoes are extremely comfortable don't even need a break in. Bought a second pair because they're so comfortable. Hopefully the last as long as my previous purchases of Merrells.

Good build. Woke up after a 6 miles walk the day before and it was the first time in a while my foot was in extreme pain. Used at the gym and really helps engage the mind with the connection you get. Only issue is the shoe laces started to come apart after 2 uses so on that front, it makes me question how long they'll last. Overall so far I'm pleased.

I really do like these. They are great driving shoes. The shape of the heel is great for a relaxed position on the gas pedal. As with most shoes for me, the support isn't great, so I added an insole with a bit more arch. They're pretty good for walking a mile or two, but I wouldn't hike in them. I'm glad I bought them. They also look great!

Not as wide as I was hoping for a barefoot shoe but still fairly comfortable. Incredibly lightweight. Some stitching is coming loose on the toes after about a month so I don't know if they'll last.

They are great shoes although definitely not for beginners if you are just starting out using barefoot style shoes. I went all in and used them right from the start with no transition exercises or anything and I had a slight bit of foot pain mainly in the heels but after a few weeks it was fine. They are too thin in the toe area if you want to wear these with toe spacers on. You can try it but your pinky and big toe would probably be really snug up to the sides of the toe area. The material used for the shoe is pretty stretchy so it would be tolerable I assume. These are definitely not for cold weather use. The material is really thin almost paper thin. Even with thick hiker socks from the Darn Tough brand on, my feet were still cold during these Fall season months with temps being around 30-50 degrees Fahrenheit. Come Winter I probably wouldn't use these at all. The sole is pretty grippy so slipping, in my opinion, will not be an issue. Main reason I wont give it full stars is because of how thin the material is and if used as a daily I think the durability will not hold up especially if you want to use them to run in.

Excellent minimalist running shoes. I took a half size larger than I usually take.

Great zero drop shoe. I wear them everywhere. Comfort is on par with other Merrell glove shoes I've owned, which is overall good. My only issue is the tongue material is bulkier than others I've owned in the past. I have a narrow toe box so it scrunches up at the bottom of the laces, but other than that no complaints. My rating is 4.5!

Great light hiker shoe. Easy to take on and off . Fit and finish is good all around. Nice to see they got away from the foamy materials of past models.

Great shoe. Amazing feeling soles. The new version did irritate my ankle, but added a cushion and good to go.

Kinda wish the arch and heel is a bit wider. Toe room is great! overall great barefoot shoe. Outsole grip is fantastic too.

The only issue I have with this shoe is that there is absolutely no breathability whatsoever. If you're in the market for these, I just hope sweaty feet isn't a problem you have because these will just make it 10x worse.

I use this on the trail, treadmill, elliptical, rower and sometimes walking around. Comfortable and lightweight I like how these shoes fit to my fit and sustain the impact of usage.

Well designed shoe. Definitely the next best thing from running bare foot. A few suggestions for the next revision. Please revert back to regular bungee laces. They are less prone to opening up and have a secure feeling. Work on modifying the back strap of the heel. It seems to dig into my heel and aggravates my Achilles tendinitis. This was not an issue VG3 which I have used before.

Fit well, comfortable, very thin sole. Little cushioning.

These used to be called running shoes. I'm a minimalist runner and used to run in the five fingers but also run in these. Sadly, these shoes seem to be more "casual" now and not for someone who intends to put serious running miles on them. The latest pair I bought seems to be of lower quality as the shoe is falling apart after minimal use.

Not bad at all but the life on the soles is a little less than optimal in my experience with it very lightweight and very breathable I would wear again but idk about the price point