Trail Glove 4

These are my favorite shoes. They fit great, look great, just a good product all around.

First got a UK 10.5 as I'm a EUR 45 fit usually, but that was too snug, so I sized up for UK 11.5. Was uncertain whether that would work, but I've now done approx 60k in these on a mixture of country lanes, dry trails, and very stony paths. I am very pleased with the shoes. I have been running in minimalist shoes (VFFs and Vivobarefoot shoes) for three years, but with the dry summer and very rock paths that I run needed a shoe that while still zero drop and "barefoot" in style, had a little more sharp rock protection, especially for when I'm pushing the pace and can't watch my step as much. These fit the bill perfectly. If I have any feedback for improvement, the toe box could be a smidge wider. Apart from that, once I found the right size for me, I'm really happy. I note that some reviews have mentioned that the upper wears quickly, however, I've treated these shoes pretty roughly for a week on over 60km of trails and roads, and I can't see any signs of wear at all. For the price, they seem a really good shoe, and cheaper than the VFF and Vivobarefoot models I've gone for previously. Well done Merrell!

I had purchased these to replace an older pair that was wearing out. I really like the barefoot design. I ordered the same size as I had previously. The new shoes had been redesigned, but are narrower. I tried them on a different times of the day to account for fluctuations in me feet, but to no avail. Getting a size larger was not an option because it would have made them too long. I had to send them back. I will try another Merrell model when I can find a store that carries more.

This is my first time buying my own running shoes. I like the shoes so far. Its look good I like it. Feel weird at first if you never wear this kind of shoes before like I did, but you get use to it. The size fits perfectly. I would but another one just need to save up money lol.

The sole may be good for "extra protection", but it seems not to offer enough traction for mountain running or something like that. Then you should not normally need such protection for 10-20k training runs (first generation trail glove was usually enough for flatter runs, while its the ground feel was much better). Which makes me wonder what was this sole designed for. At least it seems to be durable. The upper, on the other hand, is total disaster. I have yet to find a comfortable temperature for wearing these, even though it is autumn now with temps down to 5 C. It also started to tear at the toe joints (where it flexes the most) on each shoe after about 2 months of casual walking. P.S. I'm running 40-50k mountain races in minimal shoes.