Latest revision as of 13:44, 13 August 2017

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.) (I use The Science of Running Shoes as the basis of how I test running shoes and what you should look for in a running shoe.)

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  Merrell Trail Glove 4 top

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  Merrell Trail Glove 4 outside

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  Merrell Trail Glove 4 bottom

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  Merrell Trail Glove 4 inside

1 Cushioning, Running Economy, & Performance

There is 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.

2 Characteristics

• 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.
• Drop. The Trail Glove is zero-drop, as you'd expect (but don't always get) from a Minimalist shoe.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Shape. The Trail Glove is nicely shaped, and one of the few shoes where I don't have to cut open the toe box.
• 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.

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  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.

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  This top view of the backlit upper shows that the toe box is the most breathable area.

• 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.

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  This end on view shows how the tongue is a continuation of the upper.

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  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.

• Lacing. The laces are flat, traditional laces, the work a little better than the previous versions slightly rounded laces.
• Heel Counter. Thankfully, there's not a traditional heel counter, just a thing strip of reinforcement that doesn't do much.

Please support this site This review was made possible by readers like you buying products via my links. I buy all the products I review through normal retail channels, which allows me to create unbiased reviews free from the influence of reciprocity, or the need to keep vendors happy. It also ensures I don't get "reviewer specials" that are better than the retail versions. Buy Merrell Trail Glove 4 at Zappos Buy Merrell Trail Glove 4 at Road Runner Sports Buy Merrell Trail Glove 4 at Kelly's Running Warehouse Buy Merrell Trail Glove 4 at Charlotte Ultra Running Company

3 Trail Glove Evolution

For those that are curious, is a visual comparison of all four generations of the trail glove.

Merrell Trail Glove 4 top	Merrell Trail Glove 4 bottom	Merrell Trail Glove 4 inside	Merrell Trail Glove 4 outside
Merrell Trail Glove 3 top	Merrell Trail Glove 3 bottom	Merrell Trail Glove 3 inside	Merrell Trail Glove 3 outside
Merrell Trail Glove 2 top	Merrell Trail Glove 2 bottom	Merrell Trail Glove 2 inside	Merrell Trail Glove 2 outside
Merrell Trail Glove top	Merrell Trail Glove bottom	Merrell Trail Glove inside	Merrell Trail Glove outside

4 A Comparison with other Recommended Shoes

If you're looking for "the best of the best" running shoe, here are my top picks. Of course, the answer will depend a little on what you're looking for, so I have recommendations for various categories. Best All Round Shoe. The Altra Escalante is my current all-round favorite. It has plenty of cushioning for its weight, it has a very springy midsole, it lasts well, and it has a shape that's closer to the shape of a human foot than most shoes. It's a great shoe for any runner, including those Starting to run. It's also a fairly easy shoe to find due to its popularity. Best Maximalist Shoe: If you want something massively cushioned, then I'd recommend the Saucony Kinvara 8. It's remarkably light and remarkably cushioned, beating Hoka at their own game. Best Optimal Shoe: For those looking to trade cushioning for speed, the Nike Zoom Streak LT 3 was my top pick, but the latest version (LT 4) falls short of it's predecessor. There are lots of great optimal running shoes, which provide just enough cushioning with light weight and minimal frills, but all have their weak spots. Probably the best option at the moment is the Altra Vanish-R, which offers great cushioning for just over 5oz/150g. Fastest Shoe: If you really want speed, then check out the Nike Vaporfly 4%. It's light, massively cushioned, and has a carbon fiber plate. Nothing comes close, not even the now defunct New Balance RC5000‏‎ or New Balance RC5000v2‏‎. There are a number of caveats; it's really expensive, it's really hard to find, and there's a significant injury risk. Best Minimalist Shoe: Merrell Trail Glove. I recommend the trail glove for road running in spite of the 'trail' moniker. It's not a fast shoe by any means, but it's comfortable and will last well. All Terrain Shoe. For trail running, I've become a fan of Altra, and I think their best shoe is the the Altra Timp, though the Altra Lone Peak is really close. Honorable Mention: It's not really a running shoe, but the Vivobarefoot Ra is comfortable, minimalist and can more or less pass as a dress shoe. I've worn mine to weddings with a suit and they've not looked out of place. You can run in the Ra, but the leather means it doesn't breathe well.

For a more detailed on running shoes see the Recommendations for Best Running Shoes. This table lists the key attributes of What to Look for in Running Shoes. For more detailed information, on the shoes see detailed shoe comparison.

It's not a running shoe, but I love the Hoka Tor Ultra hiking boot and I've tested the Altra Lone Peak Boot, the Hoka Tor Speed 2, and the Inov-8 Roclite 325 hiking boots
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