Merrell Men’s Vapor Glove 2 Trail Shoe: QUICK OVERVIEW
Review of: Merrell Men's Vapor Glove 2 Trail Shoe
CATEGORY: RUNNING SHOES
FEATURES
DURABILITY
AFFORDABILITY
MATERIALS
What We Like
- Offers a comfortable fit
- Durable yet lightweight
- Breathable material in the upper
- Promotes low-impact running
- Helps improve posture
- Sticky outsole improves grip and traction
- The lace-up system allows easy adjustment
- Hard-wearing outsole
- Available in six colors
What We DOn’t Like
- The toe box is not wide enough
- Has a narrow fit
Our feet tend to grow weak because of wearing shoes with cramped toe box and excessive cushioning. Barefoot or minimalist shoes are designed to provide more freedom as you move and make the feet stronger.
The main purpose of barefoot shoes is functionality. That’s not to say that style is irrelevant, but first and foremost, they’re designed to let your feet move as naturally as possible. This means their build usually varies from conventional shoes in several key ways.
Moreover, comfort is an important thing to consider as well. One of the most popular barefoot shoes available is the Merrell Men’s Vapor Glove 2 Trail Shoes. It is specially made to provide a sock-like fit without giving your feet too much cushioning.
CHECK LATEST PRICE ON AMAZON.COM
Merrell Men’s Vapor Glove 2 Trail Shoe Review
Let us see why minimalist runners are raving about the Merrell Men’s Vapor Glove 2 Trail Shoes. Take a look at its features as well as the advantages and disadvantages of using it below.
Features
Barefoot shoes offer less support, allowing your feet to work as they do. Do you think the Merrell Men’s Vapor Glove 2 Trail Shoes deliver on this promise? Let’s find out!
- Zero Drop
The Merrell Men’s Vapor Glove 2 has a zero drop heel-to-toe construction. This works in a way that the forefoot and heel hit the ground at the same time, making sure your form is correct, and your run is low-impact.
- Glove-like Fits
The overall structure of this shoe is really glove-like, allowing you to move without interference. It is nicely shaped and perfectly designed with the minimalist approach in mind; wearing it feels like you are close to being barefoot.
- Breathable Upper Material
The upper is made of a combination of thermoplastic polyurethane and breathable mesh, giving you a light, airy structure that keeps the feet fresh and dry. This also allows quick drying in case you go through wet trails.
- Flexible and Lightweight
This shoe is made with a thin mesh, which makes it breathable and lightweight. The thin but durable material follows the foot’s movement, thus making this shoe very flexible.
Furthermore, the stretchable materials ensure a snug fit, while the rubber outsole provides protection and slight cushioning without adding substantial weight to the shoe.
- Lace-Up Adjustment
The lacing system is traditional and uses flat laces that stay put without any problem. This lets you adjust the fit and keeps the shoe secure, so you can freely tug and pull accordingly until the shoe fits like a glove.
- Sticky Vibram Outsole
For ultimate grip and traction, the Merrell Vapor Glove 2 uses the Vibram outsole technology. It is a blown rubber that is covered with thin fabric for added comfort.
The outsole is very durable and will surely withstand mileage, while its slight stickiness provides an additional grip that offers steadiness even on varying surfaces.
- Pull Tab at Counter
The shoe’s pull tab at the counter makes it easier to wear and adjust. This is a nice feature that adds flexibility and comfort, and at the same time makes the shoes more efficient.
- Comfortable Design
Despite the very thin cushioning, which is relatively close to nothing, the shoe’s thin fabric lining is effective in making the inner part of the shoe soft and comfy. You will feel no chafing and discomfort even for protracted periods.
- Durable Finish
While its low-profile design makes it an ideal shoe for any activity, the Merrell Men’s Vapor Glove 2 uses hard-wearing materials that do not compromise softness and comfort.
- Stylish
It might be a minimalist shoe, but it offers a style that makes it nice for everyday wear. It even comes in six colors, giving you more choices for your everyday run.
Summary of Features
The Merrell Men’s Vapor Glove 2 Trail Shoes features a zero-drop heel-to-toe construction. The fit is similar to a glove, which is really snug, and it can be easily adjusted using the traditional lace-up system.
The materials used for the upper are mesh and TPU, which, when combined, provide a breathable and lightweight finish. The combined materials make it quick-drying too.
Comparison With Another Minimalist Shoe
There are hundreds of barefoot shoes available in the market and choosing one that works for you can be tricky. To give you an option, we also reviewed another popular minimalist shoe. Let us compare the Merrell Vapor Glove 2 with the Saguaro Unisex Barefoot Gym Shoes.
The Merrell and the Saguaro both have anti-slip outsoles that offer grip and stability regardless of the surface. Both have breathable insole and upper material, but the Saguaro claims to use a water-resistant material for the upper. Saguaro offers a wider toe box compared to Vapor Glove 2’s narrower room.
Design-wise, they are almost the same. The form of each brand is very similar, but the Saguaro noticeably has a wider toe box. Their adjustment system differs, with the Merrell consisting of traditional lace and the Saguaro having a speed lace system.
Overall durability is almost equal in these two shoes. They have a hard-wearing rubber outsole and strong material for the upper. The stitching and gluing are on-point, and they are generally comfortable to wear.
Conclusion
With the growing popularity of barefoot shoes, it is not rare to see a number of products that are made just for the sake of selling barefoot shoes. Some can’t even offer durability while the others have compromised comfort.
Good thing, there are barefoot shoes that can meet what we are actually looking for in minimalist footwear. The Merrell Men’s Vapor Glove 2 Trail Running Shoes, for instance, surprisingly have most features that high-quality shoes have. It has minimal support, helping your feet to gain stronger muscles. Plus, it is very comfortable and durable at the same time.
Overall, if what you have in mind is a pair of flexible, durable, and comfortable shoes that are lightweight and make you feel like you are barely wearing anything, the Merrell Men’s Vapor Glove 2 Trail Running Shoes is one of your best bets.
CHECK LATEST PRICE ON AMAZON.COM
This type of shoes actually works with women as well. If only they have a pair for ladies out there who has developed toe ingrown problems. I am used to go to salon for my pedicure. They would remove my ingrown, prep my nails, make it pretty but as time goes by I realize the more I go for ped, the quicker my toenails would develop ingrown. As a result, it became hard for me to wear my narrow and pointed shoes. I also observed that my toe nails has shrink and narrowed.
I would really love a shoe that can allow my feet to move freely as possible.Right now my main reason to buy shoes is comfort more than style. I have a question though. Do you think it’s ok for people with heel spurs to use barefoot shoes? well, thanks for sharing this!
Hello, MissusB, and thank you.
Thank you for your kind words.
In my opinion, and having had that problem for some time, I would not recommend people with heel spurs to use barefoot shoes. They need to have outstanding support for the heel so their shoes can help them to relieve the pressure. Too, it is excruciating to have it so, in my opinion, are the cushioned sports shoes the right shoes to use.
I wrote a review of top cushioned running shoes; Salomon Women’s XR Mission Running Shoe. I can recommend it highly! You can see it here.
To, here is an article of excellent cushion running shoes.
I can recommend it highly! You can see it here.
If I can help you with anything else, or if you have any questions, don´t hesitate to contact me.
Hi,
Thank you for Merrell Men’s Vapor Glove 2 Trail Shoe Review. It is full of information About our foot health care. These shoe specialties are very smart and time-consuming.I also believed its low-profile design makes it an ideal shoe for any activity with comfort. Of course, it is a stylish shoe that enhances beauty with our feet. I’ll collect these shoes for my friend.
Hello, Irin Khan, and thank you.
Thank you for your kind words.
Great to hear about your benefits of the article.
If I can help you with anything else, or if you have any questions, don´t hesitate to contact me.