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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Merrell Trail Vapor Glove 3 Review}}The Trail Merrell Vapor Glove is my favorite all-round Minimalist a shoe for someone looking for a barefoot experience, but once just enough shoeto keep their feet clean and give a little protection from cuts. It's Of the shoes in the Merrell "glove" range, the Vapor does the best job of fulfilling the promise. Unlike in the FiveFingers, the Vapor does not as light as have an individual compartment for each toe, so perhaps they should have used the [[Mizuno Wave Universe]]word "mitten", but itI find the Vapor to be rather more natural than the FiveFingers. It's also much easier to get a little good fit with the Glove series than with the FiveFingers, as of the latter need to fit your foot shape quite precisely. The Vapor Glove is significantly more comfortable minimalist than even the Trail Glove, and lasts a lot longer. in the past I've purchased my first pair of tended to prefer the Trail Glove in many situations, as the Trail Gloves over two years agoGlove offers a little more protection, and they're still going strongit is a little harder wearing. More recently, I don't run in them muchfound myself wearing the Vapor Glove more and more, but predominantly when walking. I wear them walking and only swap to hiking boots when I've nearly worn need to keep my first pair out. The Trail Glove is also a nice shoe feet dry for casual driving (itextended periods, or when I's not fire retardant for competitive drivingm over really gnarly ground.) I have Incidentally, both the version 2 Trail Glove and 3 of the Trail Vapor Glovemake excellent casual driving shoes, and with the changes Vapor Glove doing a little better (they are only cosmeticnot fire resistant, so I'm grateful that Merrell hasnyou can't screwed up a great shoeuse them for most serious driving. While this is the Trail ) The previous version, I find it's ideal for Road use as the outsole is not aggressive. For the latest version of the trail glove see [[Merrell Trail Vapor Glove2]]is almost identical; the only difference I could spot was how the lace eyeholes are formed. {{H:WhatToLookForInShoes}}{| <gallery widths=300px heights=300px class="wikitablecenter" >|- valign="top"|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Vapor Glove-3-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Vapor Glove 3 top]] |[[File:Merrell-Trail-Vapor Glove-3-bottomoutside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Vapor Glove 3 bottom]] outside|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Vapor Glove-3-insidebottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Vapor Glove 3 inside]] bottom|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Vapor Glove-3-outsideinside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Vapor Glove 3 outside]] inside</gallery>|- valign="top"Characteristics=|[[File* {{H:Merrell-Trail-cushioning}}. The Vapor has a minuscule amount of cushioning from the rubber outsole, and there is a tiny bit of cushioning from what you might consider the insole were it not for the fact that the insole is sown in. The Vapor Glove-2-topis as close to uncushioned as I've found.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 2 top]] |[[File* {{H:Merrell-Trail-drop}}. The Vapor Gloveis zero-2-bottomdrop, as you'd expect (but don't always get) from a Minimalist shoe.* {{H:structure}}. The Vapor really does feel like a glove, and has no more interference with your foot movement than a latex glove would on your hand. I find that the Vapor actually has less interference than FiveFingers which artificially separates your toes a little.* {{H:flexibility}}.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail The Vapor Glove 2 bottom]] is extremely flexible, and more flexible than most of its main competitor, the FiveFingers. The Vapor moves and bends very naturally with your foot, and doesn't have any crease where the shoe wants to bend in a specific line.|[[File* {{H:Merrell-Trailoutsole}}. The sole of the Vapor is made up of blown rubber outsole with a slight pattern that really doesn't provide much in the way of nubs for traction. The rubber is moderately sticky, and obviously conforms to the shape of the ground, but on slick mud you won't find much traction (of course you would find much traction barefoot either.) I've put a lot of miles on my second-generation Vapor Glove-2-insideand they lasted extremely well. The Vapor is so thin that when it wears down you do end up with a shoe that is offering the relatively little protection.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail It's only now I'm wearing this a third generation Vapor Glove 2 inside]] that I realized just how thin my previous generation had become.|* {{H:shape}}. The Vapor Glove is nicely shaped, and one of the few shoes where I don't have to [[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-2-outside.jpgShoe Modifications|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove 2 outsidecut open the toe box]] . It's like the Vapor was designed for the human foot, something that is sadly rare. I actually find the shape of the Vapor better than the shape of most of the Altra shoes. |- valign="top"* {{H:upper}}. The upper is a thin, but has limited breathability when compared with a more open mesh found in some running shoes. The forefoot and midfoot is unpadded, but there is a tiny bit of padding around the heel, though it might be fairer to describe it as thick a material than true padding. There is some minimalist padding around the ankle opening as well. I find the Vapor to be remarkably comfortable, even for protracted periods. |[[File* {{H:Merrell-Trail-tongue}}. The Vapor Glove-tophas a thinly padded, traditional tongue that is held in places by a tab for the laces.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove top]] |[[File* {{H:Merrell-Trail-Glove-bottomlacing}}. The laces are traditional flat laces that stay tied without any problems.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove bottom]] |* {{H:heelcounter}}. Thankfully, there's no [[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove insideHeel Counter]]at all. {{BuyShoes|[[File:Merrell-Trail-Glove-inside.jpgRW=T|none|thumb|150px|Merrell Trail Glove outside]] RRS=T|AZ=T}}

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 Vapor 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:WhyBuy}}. The Trail Glove is a well-designed minimalist shoe with great longevity. It isn't a fast shoe by any means; it's actually the slowest shoe I've tested. If you want a faster minimalist shoe, go for the [[Mizuno Wave Universe]], but the Trail Glove will last much longer. On the other hand, if you want a truly fast shoe, then look to the cushioned [[New Balance RC5000]] or [[Asics Gel Hyper Speed]]. The extra cushioning gives an improvement in Running Economy that will make you faster in the RC5000 or Hyper Speed than any of the minimalist shoes. Note that while this the "trail" version of Merrell's glove series, it's the version I choose for road running. * {{H:cushioning}}. There is no cushioning to speak of. There is a tiny bit of foam, and the outsole will give a little, but this is a true minimalist shoe. * {{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. * {{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. * {{H:tongue}}. The Trail Glove has a thinly padded, traditional tongue that is held in places by a tab for the laces. * {{H:lacing}}. The laces are slightly rounded, but work okay; I've had the occasional issue with them not staying tied. * {{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 3}}=Comparisons=Here are some direct comparisons with its potential competition.==Merrell Trail Glove and Mizuno Wave Universe==The Trail Glove and [[Mizuno Wave Universe]] are both minimalist shoes, but they approach minimalism in different ways. The Wave Universe is extremely light weight, and less than half the weight of the Trail Glove. However, the Trail Glove will last far longer than the Wave Universe. {| class="wikitable" |- 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:Mizuno-Wave-Universe-5-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Mizuno Wave Universe 5 top]]|[[File:Mizuno-Wave-Universe-5-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Mizuno Wave Universe 5 bottom]]|[[File:Mizuno-Wave-Universe-5-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Mizuno Wave Universe 5 inside]]|[[File:Mizuno-Wave-Universe-5-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Mizuno Wave Universe 5 outside]]|}==Merrell Trail Glove and New Balance RC5000 ==While the [[New Balance RC5000]] is stunningly light, it's not a minimalist shoe like the Trail Glove. Instead, the RC5000 provides more cushioning than you might expect, and enough for me to categorize is as an optimal shoe rather than Minimalist. Because the RC5000 provides enough cushioning to improve [[Running Economy]] it will be far, far faster to run in than the Trail Glove. {| class="wikitable"|- 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:New-Balance-MRC-5000-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|New Balance MRC 5000 top]]|[[File:New-Balance-MRC-5000-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|New Balance MRC 5000 bottom]]|[[File:New-Balance-MRC-5000-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|New Balance MRC 5000 inside]]|[[File:New-Balance-MRC-5000-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|New Balance MRC 5000 outside]]|}==Merrell Trail Glove and Vibram FiveFingers ==The FiveFingers are one of the earliest manufactures to focus on Minimalist shoes. I've had many pairs of FiveFingers, and there's a lot to like about them. However, getting the FiveFingers to fit right is tricky, as they need to match the shape of your foot quite closely or your toes won't go into the toe pockets. While having individual articulation for each toe is nice in theory, I've found that as long as I have enough room for my toes to spread and move naturally, I don't need that level of independence. As a result, I find that the Trail Glove is a better all-round minimalist shoe than any of the FiveFingers. {| class="wikitable"|- 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:Vibram-FiveFingers-KSO-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Vibram FiveFingers KSO top]]|[[File:Vibram-FiveFingers-KSO-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Vibram FiveFingers KSO bottom]]|[[File:Vibram-FiveFingers-KSO-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Vibram FiveFingers KSO inside]]|[[File:Vibram-FiveFingers-KSO-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Vibram FiveFingers KSO outside]]|}