Merrell Trail Glove

MattDA
Reviewed: 20 August 2012

Great in the dry

These shoes are very good on the road and on dry trails. The sole is thin but very durable and they are very light and comfortable.

I wouldn't describe these shoes as proper off road shoes however, at least not for the UK, as they can't cope with the one thing the UK has a lot of - mud.

Take it easy if you're new to minimal shoes, when using on the road, as they are (as has been mentioned) very unforgiving on heel strike. I was lucky to have a natural mid to forefoot strike anyway so I got into them fairly quickly, but I know some people have to build up to permanent use very gradually.

Kakatin
Reviewed: 01 July 2012

My favourite pair of shoes (women's Pace Glove).

Lightweight. Durable. Good fit for narrower feet. Looks nice. Machine washable. Comfortable.

Poor grip in winter.

Used them for approximately half of my runs for more than a year and they are not starting to wear out yet. Fits my feet perfectly (I have narrow heels so this is an unusual luxury). Brilliant for travelling (packs down small and works well for walking, trail-running and shorter road runs). Like wearing them when I am not running as I can move my feet as if only wearing socks. Look nice as well. Gone through machine wash many times, and still no problems. My ankles are pretty weak, but so far I have never twisted them whilst wearing these, and I feel in control of where I put my feet. Not suitable for the winter (off-road or trails). The grip works well in the summer, but they are terrible in mud and on wet grass.

Max's Mum
Reviewed: 14 February 2012

Wouldnt be without them now

Excellent barefoot shoe without the funny toes, responsive, just enough protection to be able to run over stones without injury.
I have the ladies version but am looking at maybe trying the mens version as there is more choice and they look more robust. not a lot of choice in the UK compared to the US though, little bit pricey for my liking but keep a look out for bargains, you never know. I had to give them a miss for 2 weeks due to an ankle injury but when i got back in them i realised how much i missed them!

Atish Nazir
Reviewed: 12 February 2012

A minimalist lightweight trainer for dedicated forefoot gait runners.

* This trainer is really light and gives great "ground feel" feedback.
* Fit is excellent, however the sizing is a little off, so spend some time trying on different sizes in the shop and skipping around
* Dries really quickly - I used mine during Mens Health Survival of the Fittest 2011 (involves a number of paddling pool plunges) and a few wet cross country races - a few strides and the water is gone
* Unlike a lot of my running shoes, somehow it evades smelling bad

* A wet mud conditions the grip fails and there is a fair amount of slide
* I used these trainers to convert from a common gait to forefoot gait (POSE). The heel impact is unforgiving if you lapse into common gait.
* It is possible to bruise the balls of your feet if you land hard on sharp pebbles (normally in transitions from gravel to dirt tracks). If you're mindful about your lines, it's not a problem

I like these shoes such that I've just ordered my second pair.

Appropriate for forefoot gaits, however if you're in the process converting they're unforgiving -- keep your conventional trainers and alternate in order to do the conversion gradually.

They are good for concrete pounding, gravel tracks and dry cross country conditions. For wet, icy conditions the grip can fail.