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Created page with "{{DISPLAYTITLE:Merrell Trail Glove 4 Review}} The Trail Glove is my favorite all-round Minimalist shoe. It's not as light as the Mizuno Wave Universe, but it's a little mo..."
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Merrell Trail Glove 4 Review}}
The Trail Glove is my favorite all-round Minimalist shoe. It's not as light as the [[Mizuno Wave Universe]], but it's a little more comfortable and lasts a lot longer. The fourth version has larger changes than the earlier [[Merrell Trail Glove 3]], which was only a cosmetic change. If you're looking for a shoe that minimalist, but offers more protection and a little more cushioning than a true barefoot shoe like the excellent [[Merrell Vapor Glove]], I think this should be on your shopping list. While this is the Trail version, I find it's ideal for Road use as the outsole is not aggressive, and I prefer it over the Merrell Road Glove. If you're after a more barefoot running shoe, then check out its sibling, the [[Merrell Vapor Glove]]. I wear the trail glove and vapor glove for most of my walking training, even when wearing a heavy pack. I only swap to hiking boots when I need to keep my feet dry for extended periods, or when I'm over really gnarly ground. The Trail Glove is also a nice shoe for casual driving, though I prefer the Vapor Glove (neither are fire retardant for competitive driving.) {{H:WhatToLookForInShoes}}
<gallery widths=300px heights=300px class="center">
File:Merrell Trail Glove 4-top.jpg |Merrell Trail Glove 4 top
File:Merrell Trail Glove 4-outside.jpg |Merrell Trail Glove 4 outside
File:Merrell Trail Glove 4-bottom.jpg |Merrell Trail Glove 4 bottom
File:Merrell Trail Glove 4-inside.jpg |Merrell Trail Glove 4 inside
</gallery>
=Cushioning, Running Economy, & Performance=
There is [[The Science of Running Shoes| scientific evidence]] that a little cushioning can improve [[Running Economy]], which means it takes less effort to run at the same pace. The Trail Glove shoe does not offer enough cushioning to provide that increase in, so you'll probably be slower than you would be in a slightly more cushioned shoe.
=Characteristics=
* {{H:cushioning}}. There is almost no cushioning on the Trail Glove. There is a tiny bit of foam, and the outsole will give a little, but this is a true minimalist shoe. It's a similar level of cushioning to the incredibly light [[Mizuno Wave Universe]], but rather more robust. I generally prefer a little more cushioning than this for efficient running, but occasionally I'll use this shoe to train my biomechanics.
* {{H:drop}}. The Trail Glove is zero-drop, as you'd expect (but don't always get) from a Minimalist shoe.
* {{H:structure}}. Because there's no cushioning, there's no scope for multiple densities of foam. The Trail Glove wraps the arch area, but doesn't provide any "arch support" to cause problems.
* {{H:flexibility}}. The Trail Glove is very flexible when compared to most other shoes but it's outsole does mean there is some slight resistance to flex.
* {{H:outsole}}. There is harder rubber over the entire contact patch of the Trail Glove. While this is marketed as a trail shoe, the outsole has only slight lugs and limited grip in soft or muddy trails. I've found the rubber is hard wearing and provides sufficient stickiness. I have found that it's not as grippy on slick or slimy rock has a Hoka with [[RMAT]] outsole, but that's an unusual material.
* {{H:shape}}. The Trail Glove is nicely shaped, and one of the few shoes where I don't have to [[Shoe Modifications| cut open the toe box]].
* {{H:upper}}. The upper is a little thicker than many shoes, but breaths acceptably well. There is no padding in the upper, but few seams and overall, I've found the Trail Glove to be quite comfortable. The fourth version has a little more padding around the ankle opening than its predecessor, but it's a fairly minor change.
<gallery widths=300px heights=300px class="center">
File:TrailGlove4 Upper (1).jpg| A side view of the upper backlit to show breathability. The trail glove is far from the most breathable shoe, but it does well enough.
File:TrailGlove4 Upper (2).jpg| This top view of the backlit upper shows that the toe box is the most breathable area.
</gallery>
* {{H:tongue}}. The tongue is probably the area of greatest change with this version of the Trail Glove. It's a little unusual in that the tongue is a continuation of the upper on the inside of the shoe, rather than a separate tongue. There is a small elasticated ribbon that ties the outside (lateral) side of the tongue to the edge of the insole. This holds everything in place without any intrusion. I've found this works rather well, having seen it, I wonder why other shoes made like this.
<gallery widths=300px heights=300px class="center">
File:Trail Glove4 Tongue (1).jpg| This end on view shows how the tongue is a continuation of the upper.
File:Trail Glove4 Tongue (2).jpg| It's hard to see the small elastic strap that holds the outside edge of the tongue in place, as it's quite hidden. It's also extremely unobtrusive well your running.
</gallery>
* {{H:lacing}}. The laces are flat, traditional laces, the work a little better than the previous versions slightly rounded laces.
* {{H:heelcounter}}. Thankfully, there's not a traditional heel counter, just a thing strip of reinforcement that doesn't do much.
{{FastBlr|hoka-one-one/clifton-2-1062|1062|Merrell Trail Glove 4}}
=Trail Glove Evolution=
For those that are curious, is a visual comparison of all four generations of the trail glove.
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Merrell Trail Glove 4-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 4 top]]
|[[File:Merrell Trail Glove 4-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 4 bottom]]
|[[File:Merrell Trail Glove 4-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 4 inside]]
|[[File:Merrell Trail Glove 4-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 4 outside]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-3-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 3 top]]
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-3-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 3 bottom]]
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-3-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 3 inside]]
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-3-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 3 outside]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-2-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 2 top]]
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-2-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 2 bottom]]
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-2-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 2 inside]]
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-2-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 2 outside]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove top]]
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove bottom]]
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove inside]]
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove outside]]
|}
=A Comparison with other Recommended Shoes=
{{:Shoes-include}}
The Trail Glove is my favorite all-round Minimalist shoe. It's not as light as the [[Mizuno Wave Universe]], but it's a little more comfortable and lasts a lot longer. The fourth version has larger changes than the earlier [[Merrell Trail Glove 3]], which was only a cosmetic change. If you're looking for a shoe that minimalist, but offers more protection and a little more cushioning than a true barefoot shoe like the excellent [[Merrell Vapor Glove]], I think this should be on your shopping list. While this is the Trail version, I find it's ideal for Road use as the outsole is not aggressive, and I prefer it over the Merrell Road Glove. If you're after a more barefoot running shoe, then check out its sibling, the [[Merrell Vapor Glove]]. I wear the trail glove and vapor glove for most of my walking training, even when wearing a heavy pack. I only swap to hiking boots when I need to keep my feet dry for extended periods, or when I'm over really gnarly ground. The Trail Glove is also a nice shoe for casual driving, though I prefer the Vapor Glove (neither are fire retardant for competitive driving.) {{H:WhatToLookForInShoes}}
<gallery widths=300px heights=300px class="center">
File:Merrell Trail Glove 4-top.jpg |Merrell Trail Glove 4 top
File:Merrell Trail Glove 4-outside.jpg |Merrell Trail Glove 4 outside
File:Merrell Trail Glove 4-bottom.jpg |Merrell Trail Glove 4 bottom
File:Merrell Trail Glove 4-inside.jpg |Merrell Trail Glove 4 inside
</gallery>
=Cushioning, Running Economy, & Performance=
There is [[The Science of Running Shoes| scientific evidence]] that a little cushioning can improve [[Running Economy]], which means it takes less effort to run at the same pace. The Trail Glove shoe does not offer enough cushioning to provide that increase in, so you'll probably be slower than you would be in a slightly more cushioned shoe.
=Characteristics=
* {{H:cushioning}}. There is almost no cushioning on the Trail Glove. There is a tiny bit of foam, and the outsole will give a little, but this is a true minimalist shoe. It's a similar level of cushioning to the incredibly light [[Mizuno Wave Universe]], but rather more robust. I generally prefer a little more cushioning than this for efficient running, but occasionally I'll use this shoe to train my biomechanics.
* {{H:drop}}. The Trail Glove is zero-drop, as you'd expect (but don't always get) from a Minimalist shoe.
* {{H:structure}}. Because there's no cushioning, there's no scope for multiple densities of foam. The Trail Glove wraps the arch area, but doesn't provide any "arch support" to cause problems.
* {{H:flexibility}}. The Trail Glove is very flexible when compared to most other shoes but it's outsole does mean there is some slight resistance to flex.
* {{H:outsole}}. There is harder rubber over the entire contact patch of the Trail Glove. While this is marketed as a trail shoe, the outsole has only slight lugs and limited grip in soft or muddy trails. I've found the rubber is hard wearing and provides sufficient stickiness. I have found that it's not as grippy on slick or slimy rock has a Hoka with [[RMAT]] outsole, but that's an unusual material.
* {{H:shape}}. The Trail Glove is nicely shaped, and one of the few shoes where I don't have to [[Shoe Modifications| cut open the toe box]].
* {{H:upper}}. The upper is a little thicker than many shoes, but breaths acceptably well. There is no padding in the upper, but few seams and overall, I've found the Trail Glove to be quite comfortable. The fourth version has a little more padding around the ankle opening than its predecessor, but it's a fairly minor change.
<gallery widths=300px heights=300px class="center">
File:TrailGlove4 Upper (1).jpg| A side view of the upper backlit to show breathability. The trail glove is far from the most breathable shoe, but it does well enough.
File:TrailGlove4 Upper (2).jpg| This top view of the backlit upper shows that the toe box is the most breathable area.
</gallery>
* {{H:tongue}}. The tongue is probably the area of greatest change with this version of the Trail Glove. It's a little unusual in that the tongue is a continuation of the upper on the inside of the shoe, rather than a separate tongue. There is a small elasticated ribbon that ties the outside (lateral) side of the tongue to the edge of the insole. This holds everything in place without any intrusion. I've found this works rather well, having seen it, I wonder why other shoes made like this.
<gallery widths=300px heights=300px class="center">
File:Trail Glove4 Tongue (1).jpg| This end on view shows how the tongue is a continuation of the upper.
File:Trail Glove4 Tongue (2).jpg| It's hard to see the small elastic strap that holds the outside edge of the tongue in place, as it's quite hidden. It's also extremely unobtrusive well your running.
</gallery>
* {{H:lacing}}. The laces are flat, traditional laces, the work a little better than the previous versions slightly rounded laces.
* {{H:heelcounter}}. Thankfully, there's not a traditional heel counter, just a thing strip of reinforcement that doesn't do much.
{{FastBlr|hoka-one-one/clifton-2-1062|1062|Merrell Trail Glove 4}}
=Trail Glove Evolution=
For those that are curious, is a visual comparison of all four generations of the trail glove.
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Merrell Trail Glove 4-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 4 top]]
|[[File:Merrell Trail Glove 4-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 4 bottom]]
|[[File:Merrell Trail Glove 4-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 4 inside]]
|[[File:Merrell Trail Glove 4-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 4 outside]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-3-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 3 top]]
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-3-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 3 bottom]]
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-3-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 3 inside]]
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-3-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 3 outside]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-2-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 2 top]]
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-2-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 2 bottom]]
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-2-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 2 inside]]
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-2-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 2 outside]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove top]]
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove bottom]]
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove inside]]
|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove outside]]
|}
=A Comparison with other Recommended Shoes=
{{:Shoes-include}}