Customer Reviews Merrell Vapor Glove 5

Shoe fit is shorter than previous or other runners. Order 1/2 to full size up

I was excited to receive the shoes, it was light and flexible but absolutely no structure/support. It was the wrong shoe for my feet, and had to return them.

I'm considering sending back ss the hard toe protector causes pain on my big toe when I run in them. Wary to order a size up as they already seem wide around the body and when I tighten the laces the material bunches up.

This shoes seem to be cheaply made, and the worst part is that the top part of the back of the shoe digs into the back area of the foot! Returning due to the digging into the skin!

I received these as a replacement since the tongue in my 4's was defective. I was very disappointed when I put them on. The end of the shoe curves in at the big toe not leaving room for toe splay. Also the toe guards are so hard it makes the shoe feel too small, it really hurts the tops of my toes. The toe guards are also noticeably uneven on the pair that was sent to me. This is my 4th version of the vapor glove and the changes to the fit and laces just make me sad. The 2&3 had the most barefoot feel, I really wish you could bring that fit back but with a more durable upper.

Love these shoes and can usually count on a 10.5 fitting perfectly, but this new version fits slightly shorter and my toes touch the end of the shoe but only discovered this while walking. :(

Had really high hopes for these shoes. This model #3 is not well designed. It is for narrow feet, very narrow toebox and really hard shell around it which make sit impossible to run and not "barefoot".

I was wondering if it was just me, but just read another pair of reviews confirming that these do run small and the backs are higher than previous models. I wore 8.5 in a previous version, now I am in a 9. But what I wish I had noticed before I wore them out was the back. It is higher and it digs into the skin. I hope to break it in enough, but I had zero problem with the Vapor Glove 4s.

These are good shoes except for the narrow toe box. I need a shoe that lets my toes move freely and spread as needed by the terrain.

I recently purchased the Vapor Glove 5 to replace my Trail Glove 4s, which I absolutely loved. The only positive I can say is that the VG 5 does have more than adequate toe box space and it is is zero drop. On the negative side however: They have too much arch support for a barefoot shoe I have scar tissue on my arches and cannot wear a shoe with much of an arch. Second, they are not at all soft or comfy on the inside. To the contrary, they are rough and irritating when worn barefoot, which is how I prefer to wear a barefoot shoe. They are stiff and require a break-in period, which I also never had with my previous Merrell barefoot shoes. I ordered the size that matches what I had, but the heel is sloppy and they are a tad too large overall. I will wear them, but reluctantly, as I spent a lot of money on them. But Merrell, you failed to improve... these shoes are not an improvement by a long shot!

The footbed/sole separated from the shoe in under 1 week on both of the big kid shoes I bought. Return/replacement process is a joke.

I really liked these at first but I've only been using them ~4 months and there is now a big hole in the bottom on the ball of the foot. I didn't notice it wearing through until I started getting a blister & hole in my sock every time I used them.

The toe box is too tight for people who are actually barefooters because our toe spread is wider than this. This blocks my big toe from moving. It is however comfortable and stylish for people who don't move barefoot usually.

Even those these have more toe room, I still find that they are pretty narrow with no option for a wider shoe. Also most barefoot shoes have a time frame to test them out and merrell does not. I decided to keep the shoes and then after using them a few times realized they are too narrow for me, but I have no choice but to keep them. They do have a nice barefoot feel.

Honestly, I'm less than impressed with this generation of vapor glove. The sole is too thick, and hard, the uppers do not breathe, at all, and are too thick, and structured. I have owned every generation of vapor glove (multiple is most generation), and really wish it had stayed true to barefoot feel. The more "regular" shoe they become, the less useful they are. Please go back to this shoes roots, and make a light weight, thin, and barely noticeable shoe. Preferably, release the first generation again.

This is has almost no arch support like every other pair or Merrells I've bought. I know what barefoot means as far as the thickness of the sole but I didn't realize it meant that the shoe had no structured arch support.

Small for size. She won't wear them. return window closed.

Bought my usual size 7 and these were too big and were cheap looking, sent them back.

I've worn and loved zero-drop/barefoot-style Merrells for years. These horribly narrow, uncomfortable shoes rubbed blisters during a long theme park day; No ventilation to let moisture out; Extreme pain after 30 minutes of wear.

I purchased a pair after branching out from a brand I've used for several years. Unfortunately, these shoes were not a good fit at all (literally). They run quite small and the toe box is incredibly small for barefoot shoes - my pinky toe actually fell asleep and my feet were very uncomfortable after just a couple hours of (light) use. I would not recommend to anyone with even medium width feet.

These are marketed as a barefoot feeling shoe, but are so ridiculously narrow. I returned them.

I bought 2 pair of these last year and they cut off circulation. Someone else mentioned that it is because there is no room for high insteps. I agree. I took scissors to them and cut everything I could cut while still keeping them on and nothing worked. I can only wear them for a few minutes at a time. Not a good product for me. I too wish they would come back with Bare Access. I loved those. Had multiple pairs.

I too am returning this shoe due to the toe box being too short in height. Bring back the Dash! It was great!!!

My Vapor Glove 4s have been my favorite shoes. I wear them for everything from daily chores, to lifting, to hiking. I was SO disappointed in the Vapor Glove 5s. The opening at the ankle/top of foot is a set circumference. There's some stretch, but it does NOT allow for adjustments if you have a high instep. if the fabric is stretched to the limit, that's it, no give. So that means even with the laces completely undone, the shoe cuts off circulation to the top of my foot. Even sizing up does not help the problem. It just gives me a *longer* shoe that cuts off circulation at the top of my foot. (for the record, I wear either a 6.5W or a 7M in most shoes, including Merrells. I've seldom encountered this issue). So why the redesign? Why not go with the traditional tongue-and-laces from the 4's? I love my minimalist shoes and wanted to stick with Merrells - they've been my favorites and my go-to for years. But the fit on these (and the Trail Glove 6!) is prohibitive and I'll have to look elsewhere.