Merrell Trail Gloves: "Barefoot" Running Without Looking Like a Gorilla

My oldest son is a huge fan of Vibrams, but they just don't feel right to me. Consequently, I've spent a lot of time researching minimalist shoes, and the ones I finally settled on are the Merrell Trail Gloves.
Merrell Trail Gloves
Merrell Trail Gloves (photo by Roy Wood)

Like many of you, my day job consists of largely sitting in a cubicle, doing vague "computer stuff." Such extended sedentary behavior is hardly conducive to physical fitness in any way, so I try to keep active as much as possible outside of work. In particular, I've taken up regular running as a way to try and stay healthy and live long enough to see important things like grandchildren, the third Hobbit movie, and The Singularity.

One of the current trends in running is the popularity of so-called "barefoot" running. The theory goes that human feet evolved to run without shoes, and modern running shoes with thick soles actually lead to weak feet, bad form, and injuries. The hard-core zealots actually advocate running completely barefoot, but that's a little extreme for most of us. A more reasonable option is one of the popular minimalist shoes which forgo thick, padded heels in favor of a flat, thin sole.

The first thing to comes to mind for many people when you mention barefoot or minimalist running shoes is obviously the "gorilla foot" Vibram Five Fingers:

My oldest son is a huge fan of Vibrams, but they just don't feel right to me. Consequently, I've spent a lot of time researching minimalist shoes, and the ones I finally settled on are the Merrell Trail Gloves. I've been a fan of Merrell Moab hiking shoes for years, since they are the most comfortable and indestructible shoes I've ever owned. After wearing the Trail Gloves for several months now, I'm convinced that Merrell has put the same level of quality into their minimalist line as in their regular hikers. In particular, I like the wide toe box, the ground-feel of the sole, the breathability of the mesh upper, and the overall lightness and nimbleness of the shoe.

Running in a flat shoe is extremely different from running in a shoe with a cushioned heel. I was already forefoot striking in my regular shoes, but the switch to the Trail Gloves was still a huge shock. I was careful to ease into the new shoes, keeping distance short and my pace slow, but my calves were still sore for the first few weeks. Once my legs accommodated to the change, things were perfectly fine though.

I'm lucky enough that I live near a park with a dirt trail, so I'm using the Trail Gloves for the type of terrain they were designed for. The sole (manufactured by Vibram, actually) is thin and quite soft, but provides just enough protection from debris to make for safe and comfortable running. Merrell also makes a Road Glove version that looks similar, but I haven't had the chance to try them myself.

Overall, I'm extremely happy with my Trail Gloves – so much so that I went ahead and snagged a second pair that were on sale. Out of all the minimalist shoes I've sampled, these make my feet the happiest.

If you're interested in more info about Trail Gloves, the Merrell site has plenty of info for you, including sizing, colors, and user reviews.

Note: Merrell did not provide sample shoes or information for this review – I'm just a very satisfied customer.